Weather-proof chip aims to take self-driving tech, wireless communications to next level

A new device created by researchers at The University of Texas at Austin can overcome challenges like bad weather to deliver more secure, reliable communications. This could aid military communications in challenging areas, improve the ability of self-driving cars to see the environment around them and speed up wireless data for potential 6G networks. Ray Chen, professor in the Cockrell School of Engineering's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and leader of the project, made a comparison to TV satellite dishes that go out or become fuzzy during poor weather. The same thing can happen with communications technology, and that's the problem Chen wants to fix. Chen's device operates in an area of the light spectrum -- mid infrared -- that allows signal to penetrate through clouds, rain and other weather to get to their intended target without shedding significant amounts of light.