Advanced IoT and Device Technologies

Proposals should address one of the following three areas (and clearly identify which area is being addressed):

1. Sensing and connectivity technologies and architectures to enable the advent of (closed to) zero energy devices: The technologies enabling the device to function without being battery powered are in scope as well as the networking protocols and the optimised connectivity operation enabling the overall energy budget to remain close to zero, in demanding IoT scenarios (e.g. for long-term unattended operations such as for the whole device lifecycle). This may also include passive and battery-less NTN IoT terminals and components allowing ultra-low power/unattended operation.
2. Communication technologies and architectures enabling 6G unlicensed operations for IoT: Related use-cases environments of interest are e.g. industrial environments, healthcare/hospital deployment, campus networks. Aspects of (fast) deployment in these contexts should be considered as well as the related data processing over a computing continuum that may span multiple domains and service requirements.
3. IoT applications that can benefit from 6G characteristics, offering better performance compared to a 5G implementation: The scope includes both the optimization through 6G features of applications of diverse nature, with technologies enabling a wide range of versatility and intelligence for implementation/deployment of the needed service features required to serve the target use cases as well as the design of novel connected IoT devices that will enable new services and applications.

Note: To ensure a balanced portfolio within this cluster of activities focusing on IoT devices and technologies, grants will be awarded to proposals not only in order of ranking but at least also to one project that is the highest ranked within each of the above 3 areas/priorities, provided that the proposals attain all thresholds (and subject to available budget). Proposals may want to address several of the proposed priorities, but they should indicate clearly what is the centre of gravity of their proposal (i.e. the main covered priority). See General call conditions, section 3.F of Appendix 1.