Guest Editorial Signal Processing for XR Communications and Systems

Future wireless networks are expected to support ubiquitous extended reality (XR) with human-to-human communications. XR is a term that refers to all real-and-virtual combined environments and human-machine interactions generated by computer technology and wearables, where the 'X' represents any current or future spatial computing technology. XR includes augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), and virtual reality (VR) that all are immersive at different levels and entail distinct degrees of sensory inputs. The ultra-high resolution, detailed representation, panoramic scenery, and multi-stimuli of XR provide a unique immersive experience, allowing users to interact within an alternative world. Transmitting XR video, with its ultra-high bit rate and low latency, presents critical challenges to wireless networking.