Project description
Smart radio waves for enhanced indoor communications
Based on the free-space communication (FSC) paradigm, radio waves occupy the entire space, naturally propagate in all directions, and are reflected, refracted and scattered after hitting objects. Current wireless networks based on reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISs) are based on FSC. In this context, the EU-funded SURFER project will pioneer the theoretic foundation and experimental validation of surface wave communication (SWC) for indoor communications. In contrast with FSC-based RISs, SWC enables reliable, energy-efficient and interference-free communications in indoor environments. Surface waves glide at the interface of materials and their propagation is inherently confined on their surfaces. Compared with FSC, SWC offers much easier interference management and an inherent low probability of intercept.
Objective
Reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISs) have emerged as the new wireless communication research frontier with the goal of realizing smart and reconfigurable radio propagation environments via passive and tunable signal transformations. Featured by orders-of-magnitude lower hardware and energy cost than traditional active arrays and yet superior performance, RISs are the new driving technology for future 6G wireless networks, especially for enabling them to migrate to higher frequency bands. RISs will fundamentally transform today’s wireless networks with active nodes solely to a new hybrid network comprising active and passive components co-working in an intelligent way, so as to achieve a sustainable capacity growth with low and affordable cost and power consumption. Current wireless networks based on RISs are, however, based on the free-space communication (FSC) paradigm: The radio waves occupy the entire space, naturally propagate in all directions, and are reflected, refracted, and scattered after hitting objects.
In contrast with FSC-based RISs, an emerging technology for enabling reliable, energy-efficient, and interference-free communications in indoor environments is surface wave communication (SWC). Surface waves glide at the interface of materials and their propagation is inherently confined on their surface. Compared with FSC, the unique advantages of SWC are a much more favorable pathloss, a much easier interference management, and an inherent low probability of intercept if appropriate anti-wiretapping schemes are used, since the radio waves propagate along surfaces without leaving them and creating unwanted interference.
Supervised and trained by a team of five internationally renowned researchers from academia and industry, Surfer’s experienced researcher aims to pioneer the theoretic foundation and experimental validation of SWC for indoor communications and to unveil its ultimate performance limits, optimized design, and integration with FSC.
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2020
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
75794 PARIS
France
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.