Reconfigurable Massive MIMO: Harnessing the Power of the Electromagnetic Domain for Enhanced Information Transfer

The capacity of commercial massive multiple-input multiple-output (mMIMO) systems is constrained by the limited array aperture at the base station, and cannot meet the ever-increasing traffic demands of wireless networks. Given the array aperture, holographic MIMO with infinitesimal antenna spacing can maximize the capacity, but is physically unrealizable. As a promising alternative, reconfigurable mMIMO is proposed to harness the unexploited power of the electromagnetic (EM) domain for enhanced information transfer. Specifically, the reconfigurable pixel antenna technology provides each antenna with an adjustable EM radiation (EMR) pattern, introducing extra degrees of freedom for information transfer in the EM domain. In this article, we present the concept and benefits of using the EMR domain for mMIMO transmission. Moreover, we propose a viable architecture for reconfigurable mMIMO systems. The associated system model and downlink precoding are also discussed. In particular, a three-level precoding scheme is proposed, and simulation results verify its considerable spectral and energy efficiency advantages compared to traditional mMIMO systems. Finally, we discuss the challenges, insights, and prospects of deploying reconfigurable mMIMO, along with the associated hardware, algorithms, and fundamental theory.