What is "mimo"

MIMO is multiple-input and multiple-output, a method for multiplying the capacity of a radio link using multiple transmit and receive antennas to exploit multipath propagation.

MIMO may also refer to:

• Multiple-input multiple-output systems, a characterization of control system in system analysis
• Miami Modern Architecture, an architectural style
  • MiMo District, Miami, Florida, United States
• Vicente Reynès (born 1981), cyclist
• Musical Instrument Museums Online, a project; see Hornbostel–Sachs
• "Mimo-", a prefix used in taxonomy

In radio, multiple-input and multiple-output, or MIMO (pronounced or ), is a method for multiplying the capacity of a radio link using multiple transmit and receive antennas to exploit multipath propagation. MIMO has become an essential element of wireless communication standards including IEEE 802.11n (Wi-Fi), IEEE 802.11ac (Wi-Fi), HSPA+ (3G), WiMAX (4G), and Long Term Evolution (4G). More recently, MIMO has been applied to power-line communication for 3-wire installations as part of ITU G.hn standard and HomePlug AV2 specification.

At one time, in wireless the term "MIMO" referred to the use of multiple antennas at the transmitter and the receiver. In modern usage, "MIMO" specifically refers to a practical technique for sending and receiving more than one data signal simultaneously over the same radio channel by exploiting multipath propagation. MIMO is fundamentally different from smart antenna techniques developed to enhance the performance of a single data signal, such as beamforming and diversity.