Researchers at the University of Notre Dame are developing a powerful new antenna that could make 5G wireless technology faster, more mobile, and far more energy-efficient.
This innovation could not only help reduce the environmental and financial cost of current 5G networks but also bring high-speed connectivity to mobile platforms like military vehicles and, eventually, everyday devices.
5G technology has revolutionized the way billions of people connect, offering faster data speeds and more reliable service.
But it comes at a high price—particularly in terms of energy use.
Each 5G base station can use as much electricity as 73 American households, making the technology expensive and difficult to sustain, especially in remote or mobile settings.
That’s where Jonathan Chisum, associate professor of electrical engineering at Notre Dame, and his team come in.
With funding from the U.S. Army, they’ve built a working prototype of a new kind of 5G antenna that uses less than 10% of the power required by existing systems.
The breakthrough lies in the use of a special artificial material, developed in Chisum’s lab, that replaces the energy-hungry components usually needed in antennas.
Instead of using a separate, powered chip for each frequency band—as is common with today’s antennas—this new design uses the natural properties of materials to steer signals across a wide range of frequencies.
The result is a single antenna that can handle all 5G bands with minimal energy use.
This type of antenna, called a millimeter-wave gradient index (GRIN) lens antenna, was once considered impractical for 5G networks. But after years of research into how to control and steer signals efficiently, Chisum’s lab proved otherwise.
The military is particularly interested in this technology because it’s small, light, and energy-efficient—perfect for use on the move.
The U.S. Army depends on 5G for everything from communication to equipment tracking and soldier health monitoring, but today’s systems are hard to transport and power in remote locations. A low-power, all-in-one antenna could change that.
Beyond the battlefield, the technology also has big potential for civilian use. The high cost of current 5G base stations has slowed the rollout of faster networks. But if Chisum’s design proves effective in the field, it could dramatically lower costs and make widespread 5G access more practical.
The team is now working on ways to mass-produce the antenna using advanced 3D printing technology. With support from industry partners like Cheshir Industries and Fortify, and a full working prototype already built, Notre Dame’s “5G-on-the-move” antenna is quickly moving from lab bench to real-world deployment.
Source: University of Notre Dame.
