ultra-massive MIMO for future cell-free heterogeneous networks

Información del proyecto

MiFuture

Identificador del acuerdo de subvención: 101119643

DOI

10.3030/101119643

Fecha de la firma de la CE 12 Julio 2023

Fecha de inicio 1 Enero 2024

Fecha de finalización 31 Diciembre 2027

Financiado con arreglo a

• Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)

Coste total

Sin datos

Aportación de la UE

€ 4 038 994,80

Coordinado por

UNIVERSIDAD CARLOS III DE MADRID
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - MiFuture (ultra-massive MIMO for future cell-free heterogeneous networks)

Período documentado: 2024-01-01 hasta 2025-12-31

Resumen del contexto y de los objetivos generales del proyecto

The increasing demand of higher data rates while ensuring sustainability through reduced energy consumption levels call for a collective effort to define and set up the new generation of mobile communications. It is expected that some of the newly arising services will need to accurately map the environment for a seamless interaction of the physical and the digital worlds, and then require a combination of communications, positioning and sensing. The vision of MiFuture is that an evolution of massive multiple input – multiple output (MIMO), the technique that has provided the unprecedented spectral efficiency of 5G, towards ultra-massive MIMO (UmMIMO), will be a key ingredient in the future mobile radio access network. MiFuture will pave the path towards the implementation of heterogeneous cell-free networks with an ultra-massive number of antennas that will satisfy the throughput, energy efficiency, positioning accuracy and feasible complexity requirements that the evolution of mobile communications towards 6G demands.
This evolution will require a new generation of excellent researchers able to address the emerging complex engineering problems that the thriving area of mobile communications is facing. MiFuture will develop a high-level personalised multidisciplinary programme to provide 15 Ph.D. candidates, supervised by committed experts from industry and academia, with research competences and transferable skills (e.g. entrepreneurship, project management, IPR, open access) with the long-term goal to lead scientific advances in the new concepts arising in the field of wireless communications. These creative young researchers will face real world implementation, work across multiple European countries and organisations, become knowledgeable in standardisation activities, present at workshops in front of researchers and industrial stakeholders and interact with the general public to make them aware of how 6G can help in their daily lives.

Trabajo realizado desde el comienzo del proyecto hasta el final del período abarcado por el informe y los principales resultados hasta la fecha

During the reporting period, MiFuture has made substantial progress in its technical and scientific activities, consolidating the core research directions of the project and advancing the individual research projects of all recruited Doctoral Candidates (14 DCs).

All DCs have been fully integrated into their host institutions and have actively pursued their Individual Research Projects (IRPs), covering key topics related to ultra-massive MIMO and future cell-free heterogeneous networks. These include, among others, integrated sensing and communications (ISAC), OTFS-based waveform design, positioning-aided beamforming, AI-native procedures for UmMIMO, cell-free resource allocation, machine-learning-based localization, hybrid intelligent surfaces, and experimental validation of advanced 5G/6G antenna technologies. Several research contributions have already resulted in peer-reviewed conference publications and journal submissions, demonstrating early scientific impact.

At project level, several major technical deliverables have been successfully completed, providing the methodological and architectural foundations for the next research phases. These deliverables were prepared with broad participation from DCs and supervisors, fostering cross-work-package alignment and a shared technical vision across the consortium.

The Mid-Term Meeting, held in March, represented a major scientific milestone, enabling in-depth technical exchange, presentation of DC research objectives and results, and interaction with leading academic and industrial experts. Overall, the project is progressing according to plan and has successfully transitioned from initial setup to consolidated scientific production.

Avances que van más allá del estado de la técnica e impacto potencial esperado (incluida la repercusión socioeconómica y las implicaciones sociales más amplias del proyecto hasta la fecha)

MiFuture is generating results that go beyond the current state of the art in several strategic areas relevant to future 6G systems. Novel algorithms, analytical frameworks, and experimental methodologies are being developed to address limitations of existing massive MIMO, cell-free, and sensing-enabled communication systems.

Key advances include new channel estimation and tracking techniques for high-mobility and near-field scenarios, positioning-aided beamforming methods that reduce latency and overhead, AI-native approaches for resource management in ultra-dense networks, and hybrid intelligent surface–assisted sensing and localization frameworks. In addition, experimentally validated methodologies for assessing advanced antenna and RIS technologies contribute to bridging the gap between theoretical research and real-world deployment.

These results have strong potential impact on future wireless network design, standardization, and industrial adoption. To ensure further uptake and success, continued validation through large-scale simulations, experimental demonstrations, and field trials will be essential. Engagement with standardization bodies, further industry-driven secondments, and sustained open-science dissemination will support technology transfer, IPR generation, and long-term exploitation. Additional research will focus on scalability, robustness, and integration into future 6G architectures.