Performance Evaluation of Massive MIMO with Over-the-Air Methods

Massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) is seen as an enabling technology to fulfill dramatic improvements in spectral efficiency for 5G deployment in 2020. For massive MIMO systems, the current learning loop from early-stage prototype design to final-stage performance validation in field trials is slow and ineffective. This project proposes to evaluate massive MIMO performance with over-the-air (OTA) methods, unlike state-of-art techniques. Up to now, such OTA solutions have not been investigated due to lack of suitable channel models and few existing practical massive MIMO solutions. This situation is rapidly changing due to scientific advance in massive MIMO research. In the coming few years, the proposed OTA methods will provide a significant leap in evaluating radio performance of massive MIMO systems.