Accurate Massive MIMO Validation in the Lab with an RF Digital Twin
Videos
As 5G-Advanced networks evolve and the industry prepares for 6G, engineers need more efficient ways to understand RF performance before deploying new technologies in the field. In this demonstration, Keysight Technologies showcases a repeatable validated workflow that connects high-fidelity digital modeling, lab-based emulation, and real-world measurements.
Keysight Channel Studio RaySim creates a detailed RF digital twin of a massive MIMO (mMIMO) deployment at a San Diego company’s campus. The site-specific model incorporates accurate building geometry and material properties to reproduce their effects on signal propagation. The resulting channel characteristics from the digital twin are fed into a network simulator that predicts mMIMO precoding and beamforming decisions.
The precoding vectors and channel data are reproduced in real time with a Keysight PROPSIM channel emulator. A Keysight UXM 5G network emulator provides the complete protocol stack, while a mobile test device enables end-to-end validation using real hardware. RaySim Python API and the Keysight automation framework synchronize the digital twin with the lab test bed and automate real-time KPI collection.
Comparisons of simulated, lab, and field results—including reference signal receive power (RSRP) and throughput across four MIMO layers—demonstrate close correlation. The hardware-in-the-loop workflow helps engineers evaluate mMIMO designs efficiently under realistic, safe, and repeatable conditions, while providing a scalable foundation for testing emerging 5G-Advanced and 6G technologies.