In months 1 to 18, the work carried out encompassed three levels. At the management level, processes were established to ensure an efficient workflow, including coordination, reporting, and data management. At the technical planning level, main specifications were defined, providing a coherent foundation for partner progress. At the system design level, the overall architecture was established alongside the initial development of algorithms and subsystems, fully aligned with the project plan and enabling transition to integrated system development.
The main selected achievements can be summarized as:
Scenarios and use cases – Scenarios and proof-of-concepts were defined, combining communications and sensing with societal impact. Applications include industrial automation (cm-level localisation of automated guided vehicles), mobility (smart convoys), safety/security (intruder and UAV detection, railway monitoring, road faults), environmental monitoring (hyperlocal weather sensing), and smart living (fall detection, gesture recognition). Each scenario is mapped to KPIs (accuracy, latency, detection) and KVIs (safety, trust, inclusiveness).
Architecture – A unified 6G architecture integrates communication, localisation, and sensing. Building on 5G and early standardisation, it introduces a synchronisation plane for edge nodes. Multistatic setups were the most scalable, requiring ultra-precise synchronisation, with over-the-air techniques explored. Deployment costs, efficiency, and operator needs were assessed.
Sustainability – A framework linked business models with environmental, social, and economic sustainability pillars. ICT was seen as both an enabler and a source of environmental challenges. Eco-design, circular economy principles, energy-aware KPIs, and trust-oriented KVIs form the baseline for life-cycle assessment, business prototypes, and policy alignment.
Signal Processing and Multistatic Sensing – Novel algorithms included a signalling method for JCAS and over-the-air synchronisation at cm-level accuracy. Hybrid beamforming combined energy efficiency with precise localisation. Blind channel estimation achieved DoA accuracy near theoretical limits, and network-level orchestration was advanced via the Sensing Clustering Interface Manager (SCIM).
Resource Allocation – Trade-offs in joint communication/sensing were analysed, showing that separating receivers reduces estimation bounds but requires extra hardware.
Precise References & Synchronisation – Experimental optical–RF systems achieved world-record phase noise and frequency stability, generating signals from sub-6 GHz to 40 GHz with RMS jitter below 25 fs. Testbeds with bespoke hardware and a dedicated MAC layer ensured synchronous clock and data delivery. Fibre tests over several kilometres showed integrated jitter below 90 fs for carrier frequencies up to 25 GHz, confirming long-term stability for cm-level localisation.
To maximise impact, a solid dissemination policy was implemented, leading to 20 conference papers, 15 journal publications, 11 invited talks, and contributions to 3GPP.
