WiPy-RT: A Fast Ray Tracing Modeling Platform for RIS-Assisted Wireless Channels

Recent advancements in wireless technologies, particularly in the context of the sixth generation (6G) mobile communications and Internet of Things (IoT) systems, have introduced a wide range of requirements and challenges in wireless communication. These developments necessitate comprehensive channel information, encompassing the three-dimensional (3D) features of electromagnetic (EM) signals. Such signals are now typically transmitted by antenna arrays, manipulated by Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface (RIS) structures, and received by another set of antenna arrays. This complex propagation environment demands sophisticated modeling techniques to accurately capture and predict channel behavior, essential for the design and optimization of next-generation wireless systems. Ray tracing (RT) based simulators have gained significant traction in recent years, proving their worth in accurately and efficiently simulating EM propagation environments. These simulators have demonstrated remarkable accuracy in modeling complex wireless scenarios, making them invaluable tools for researchers and engineers. However, the intricate interactions between EM waves and the physical environment in three-dimensional space can still render the simulation process time-consuming, especially for scenarios with high complexity. Fortunately, recent state-of-the-art developments in Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) and Central Processing Unit (CPU) technologies have substantially mitigated this challenge. These hardware advancements have dramatically reduced the computational overhead associated with complex environmental simulations, making it feasible to conduct comprehensive and realistic RT-based analyses of sophisticated wireless environments. This paper introduces WiPy-RT, a high-performance ray tracing simulator designed for modeling RIS-enabled wireless environments. WiPy-RT features an interactive interface that leverages highly configurable and open-source Python libraries for 3D structures, including PyVista, Trimesh, and PyTorch3D. This GPU-accelerated simulator excels in simulating first-order diffraction and multi-reflection (up to 6 orders of reflection) ray tracing scenarios, while being capable of modeling RIS behavior with large-scale unit cell arrays. Benchmarking against the state-of-the-art WiThRay simulator, WiPy-RT demonstrated an average simulation time of 0.8 seconds, compared to WiThRay’s 16 minutes, achieving over 98% reduction in simulation time. Additionally, WiPy-RT provided higher resolution and accuracy in power distribution modeling for complex 3D urban environments. WiPy-RT introduces several novel features, including an intelligent ray launching method using Gaussian Kernel Density Estimation (KDE) and an efficient RIS modeling approach employing Random Forest Regression. Comparative analysis shows that WiPy-RT achieves up to 1000x speedup over existing solutions while maintaining high accuracy. WiPy-RT’s fast execution and ability to handle complex 3D environments make it particularly suitable for advanced wireless communication research, including the simulation of massive MIMO systems and intelligent reflecting surfaces. The interdisciplinary nature of WiPy-RT, combining techniques from machine learning and computational electromagnetics, represents a significant step forward in addressing the challenges of modeling next-generation wireless systems.