Communication Infrastructure Technologies and Devices

The scope covers the design of new systems and components for 6G networks. The focus of this Strand is on several complementary issues mentioned below and applicants may select one or more of these issues:

• Troposphere Networking: The work addresses Tropospheric Networking as the new network serving all the “things” between the ground and ~20 km altitude and focus on control and communication services for the drone, urban air mobility (future urban transportation systems that move people by air), balloon, aircraft, etc. Application scenarios covering both airplanes and UAVs should be defined and both data and control requirements identified. Solutions that rely on novel device to device (D2D), mesh, and cellular solutions for different types of mobility nodes may be considered, including approaches for unified RAN cellular (or cell free) coverage for both air and ground coverage, including high altitude dynamic beam steering, and efficient network level mobility management. This topic has a transformative potential for the infrastructure strand in general and is considered particularly challenging if supported only by terrestrial technologies.
• Integration of Optical and Wireless Technologies of advanced light related technologies such as LEDs (light-emitting diodes), lasers, outdoor point-to-point devices (FSO — Free Space Optics), point-to-multipoint commercial applications (Li-Fi — Light Fidelity) or between devices (OCC – Optical Camera Communication) and Fiber Wireless (Fi-Wi), for the design of novel communication schemes, system architectures and protocols, in order to fully integrate these technologies in the communication infrastructure. Hybrid RF/FSO communications and sensing techniques to underpin selected verticals and applications are in scope.
• Nano-Things Networking: The work addresses technologies to extend connectivity towards micro things, towards the realisation of nano-communications extending the reach of smart control to the level of small/tiny things, including molecules and cells. Materials with software-defined electromagnetic behaviour enable applications, paving the way for programmable wireless environments. The focus is on nanomaterials and nano-network architecture components (nodes, controllers, gateways) opening new prospects of usage of nano-scale things. At the PHY Layer, graphene antennas enable nano-communication within the 0.1 - 10 THz spectral window, which promises unprecedented communication data rates despite the nano-scale. At the MAC Layer, pivotal protocols could target Body Area Network (BAN) applications notably for health and self-monitoring and adapting industrial materials. This research topic should lead to potential transformative impact across the communication ecosystem.
• Development of low-energy communication solutions: This includes system solutions that consider zero-energy, battery-free and/or disposable devices. The solutions should be able to present system and device integrated solutions relying on the principles of minimising the environmental impact of the expected billions of sensors, including concepts as RF and environmental energy harvesting, simultaneous power transfer and communications systems, eco-friendly and degradable devices (and the optimisation of the 6G system required to fully exploit these devices notwithstanding their expected limitations, providing a joint network/device design paradigm).
• Packet optical technologies for 6G radio networks: Solutions for optical networks to support 6G cellular networks are being pursued, targeting high-speed, fast reconfigurable, optical enabled radio systems considering integrated solutions for backhaul and fronthaul communication. The focus should be on technologies which will be effective in operational conditions in highly dynamic and customizable environments, guaranteeing its programmability while minimising unnecessary opto-electronics transitions. The research scope covers devices for RAN, including optical processing as an enabling technology, programmable devices, wavelength selectable optical switches, tuneable lasers and filters, as well as an efficient utilisation of packet and optical (spectrum and spatial) resources. It also includes the integration of the aforementioned solutions in an intelligent software management system, able to simplify and optimize the network (e.g. by avoiding IP routing, and low power consumption reconfiguration). It may also include novel switching paradigms.