The challenge
A world weighed down by wires
Before the 1990s, there were no smartphones, tablets or reliable wireless networks. Connecting to the internet meant relying on fixed cables, limiting mobility and flexibility.
Many companies around the world were trying to develop wireless networking systems that could transmit large amounts of data indoors. However progress was slow and performance was limited.
A key obstacle was reverberation. This occurs when radio waves bounce around the surrounding environment causing an echo that distorts the signal. Reverberation made it extremely difficult to achieve fast, reliable wireless communication indoors.
Our response
A solution from a different field
A team of researchers working in our Radiophysics Division at the time solved the issue of reverberation using complex mathematics known as 'Fast Fourier transforms' and their detailed knowledge of radio waves gained from radio astronomy and engineering.
Using this knowledge the team developed a novel way to enable clear, high-speed wireless communications indoors at a time when others had been unable to solve the problem effectively.
The breakthrough led to the invention and patenting of wireless local area network (WLAN) technology and laid the technical foundation for what would become modern WiFi.
The work was led by CSIRO researchers Dr John O'Sullivan, Dr Terry Percival, Mr Diet Ostry, Mr Graham Daniels and Mr John Deane.
The results
A global revolution in connectivity
Today, this Australian invention is embedded in more than 15 billion devices worldwide such as phones, televisions, cameras, laptops, printers, routers and games consoles. It powers connectivity in homes, offices, public buildings and cafes, enabling seamless access to information and communication almost anywhere.
Its myriad of applications have fundamentally changed how we think of and use technology in our daily lives. The discovery is one of our most successful inventions to date and is internationally recognised as a great Australian science success story.
WLAN technology has also delivered significant commercial and national value, with more than 20 international licence agreements and around A$430 million in licensing revenue. The innovation has received international recognition, including:
- The Australian Prime Minister’s Prize for Science (awarded to Dr John O’Sullivan in 2009)
- The European Patent Office’s Non-European Inventor Award (2012)
We are now building on our legacy in wireless research, developing innovative solutions for the next generation of wireless technologies.