Decoding Multiple Interfering Signals in a Macroscopic Air-based Molecular Communication System

Molecular communication (MC) prevails as a preferred scheme in environments where electromagnetic waves are not feasible such as tunnels, mines, or pipes. Air-based molecular communication (MC) promises an increased data rate compared to fluid-based implementations, particularly for distances of a few meters. In this paper, we investigate the communication performance of a 2-sender-1-receiver transmission model. We propose a mechanism with low complexity that allows to decode multiple overlaying signals modulated using On-Off-Keying (OOK). In particular, our receiver interprets the signal as an Quadrature Concentration Shift Keying (QCSK) modulated waveform. We conducted experiments to study the impact of parameter changes, especially concerning a distance offset between the emitters and the receiver and the timing offset on the emitter's side. The key metric used is the bit error rate (BER). Our results indicate that an adequate parameter setup and sampling point allows achieving a quasi-error-free transmission.