April 15–18, 2024, Bari, Italy | Paolo Testolina, Michele Polese, Pedram Johari, Tommaso Melodia
**BostonTwin: The Boston Digital Twin for Ray-Tracing in 6G Networks**
This paper introduces BostonTwin, a comprehensive dataset and toolchain designed to facilitate the design and deployment of 6G networks. BostonTwin combines a high-fidelity 3D model of Boston, Massachusetts, with geospatial data on cellular base station deployments, enabling accurate electromagnetic propagation simulations. The dataset is available in a ray-tracing-ready format, allowing for real-time rendering and programmatic access to building models and detailed electromagnetic environments.
Key contributions of BostonTwin include:
1. **High-Fidelity 3D Model**: The 3D model of Boston is converted to a metric-based format (PLY) suitable for ray tracing, ensuring fast and accurate rendering.
2. **API for Interaction**: An API is provided to interact with the 3D model, allowing users to deploy and geolocate nodes, adjust the level of detail, and extract sub-scenes.
3. **Integration with Base Station Data**: The dataset includes locations of wireless cellular base stations, enhancing the realism of the digital twin.
4. **Ray Tracing Capabilities**: The dataset can be integrated with tools like NVIDIA Sionna for detailed propagation analysis, supporting 6G multimedia applications such as XR and immersive communications.
The paper also discusses the workflow for using BostonTwin, including scene loading, radio device deployment, and RF characterization through ray tracing. A use case is presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of BostonTwin in evaluating immersive communications in a simplified 6G scenario, showing its potential for network planning and optimization.
Overall, BostonTwin offers a powerful tool for researchers and engineers to study and design 6G networks in a risk-free environment, leveraging the detailed and accurate representation of the Boston cityscape.**BostonTwin: The Boston Digital Twin for Ray-Tracing in 6G Networks**
This paper introduces BostonTwin, a comprehensive dataset and toolchain designed to facilitate the design and deployment of 6G networks. BostonTwin combines a high-fidelity 3D model of Boston, Massachusetts, with geospatial data on cellular base station deployments, enabling accurate electromagnetic propagation simulations. The dataset is available in a ray-tracing-ready format, allowing for real-time rendering and programmatic access to building models and detailed electromagnetic environments.
Key contributions of BostonTwin include:
1. **High-Fidelity 3D Model**: The 3D model of Boston is converted to a metric-based format (PLY) suitable for ray tracing, ensuring fast and accurate rendering.
2. **API for Interaction**: An API is provided to interact with the 3D model, allowing users to deploy and geolocate nodes, adjust the level of detail, and extract sub-scenes.
3. **Integration with Base Station Data**: The dataset includes locations of wireless cellular base stations, enhancing the realism of the digital twin.
4. **Ray Tracing Capabilities**: The dataset can be integrated with tools like NVIDIA Sionna for detailed propagation analysis, supporting 6G multimedia applications such as XR and immersive communications.
The paper also discusses the workflow for using BostonTwin, including scene loading, radio device deployment, and RF characterization through ray tracing. A use case is presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of BostonTwin in evaluating immersive communications in a simplified 6G scenario, showing its potential for network planning and optimization.
Overall, BostonTwin offers a powerful tool for researchers and engineers to study and design 6G networks in a risk-free environment, leveraging the detailed and accurate representation of the Boston cityscape.