The Development of a Virtual-Reality Wireless Signal Propagation Simulator in Unreal Engine: A Device and Performance Testing

The wireless communication industry and research community has focused on developing accurate and efficient models for signal propagation extensively over the past years. High-fidelity simulation software often comes with high costs and relies heavily on offline computations, limiting flexibility, and scalability. This article introduces a low-cost prototype for simulating signal propagation, leveraging advancements in gaming technologies, virtual reality (VR), and digital twins. The system is capable of conducting ray tracing simulations of wireless signal propagation through various configurable parameters and fidelity levels, generating signal strength heatmap and real-time ray visualization in immersive VR and 3-D desktop modes. Thorough device and performance testing validated the prototype’s development and assessed its implementation feasibility. The findings establish its operational capabilities and performance metrics, providing insights and guiding further development and refinements, ensuring its reliability and effectiveness in simulating complex wireless propagation.