Scientists at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Meghalaya and the North Eastern Space Applications Centre (NESAC) are embarking on a pioneering project to utilize Sohra’s extreme rainfall for enhancing 5G and 6G connectivity systems. In its initial phase, this research aims to analyze how the region’s substantial raindrops and heavy downpours impact high-frequency communication signals.
Following their move to a permanent campus earlier this year, researchers noted that the size and intensity of raindrops in Sohra-known as one of the wettest places on Earth-frequently disrupt signal transmission. The team is now determined to convert this challenge into a unique research opportunity.
“The rainfall here is unlike anything we’ve seen elsewhere,” stated Dr. Anup Dandapat, the Dean of Academic Affairs at NIT Meghalaya. “We want to treat Sohra as a natural laboratory to study how rainfall interacts with high-frequency signals and ultimately design networks that can withstand such conditions.”
While the groundwork for the project is underway, researchers caution that concrete results will take time. Nevertheless, as the study progresses, it could lead to the development of rain-resilient networks, which would greatly benefit hilly and remote areas frequently affected by monsoon disruptions.
Sohra, previously known as Cherrapunji, continues to be both a scientific and natural awe. For the teams at NIT Meghalaya and NESAC, every rain shower presents a potential source of data for technology that can adapt to nature’s extremes.
In another significant achievement, NIT Meghalaya has recently designed and manufactured the state’s first integrated chip (IC) as part of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology’s Special Manpower Development Programme (SMDP). A team led by Dr. Prabir Saha, along with Dr. Shubhankar Majumdar, Dr. Pradeep Kumar Rathore, and PhD candidates Geetima Kachari, Parishmita Goswami, and Deibaphira Suchiang, produced the Finite State Machine (FSM) chip at the Semiconductor Laboratory (SCL) foundry using 180-nanometer process technology.
This chip, designed for precise control in irrigation systems and tensiometers, was showcased to Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the SEMICON India 2025 summit, underscoring the integral role of academic research in advancing India’s semiconductor goals.
Dr. Dandapat emphasized that both initiatives-the rain-impact study and the chip design-demonstrate how research institutions in Northeast India are increasingly aligning with national objectives for technological innovation. “Our goal is to transform regional challenges into solutions that can benefit the entire country,” he added.
The NIT team is also working on a second chip aimed at examining environmental factors affecting plant growth, which could further enhance agricultural technology in the region.
Original Source: https://www.indiatodayne.in/meghalaya/story/meghalaya-scientists-study-sohras-record-rainfall-to-boost-5g-6g-networks-1294600-2025-10-24?utm_source=rssfeed
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Publish Date: 2025-10-24 13:57:00
