Project description
Replacing power-hungry electronics with smart metasurfaces for more efficient wireless networks
Beyond data rate, energy consumption represents a major challenge for future 6G wireless networks. Conventional transceivers rely on numerous power-hungry electronic components for signal processing, limiting their energy efficiency and scalability. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the SIMPACT-6G project explores shifting part of the signal processing from the digital domain to the electromagnetic wave domain. The idea involves vertically stacking intelligent metasurface layers within the transceiver front-end, enabling the system to process wireless signals directly as they propagate through the electromagnetic environment. This wave-domain processing approach could enable parallel communication, localisation and sensing functions while substantially reducing reliance on conventional electronic processing, contributing to more energy-efficient and sustainable 6G networks.
Objective
The emergence of sixth-generation (6G) networks demands transceiver architectures that jointly enable communication, localization, and sensing while supporting societal goals of sustainability and inclusiveness. Conventional digital and hybrid multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) approaches rely on numerous RF chains and power-hungry components, making them costly, energy-inefficient, and difficult to scale for large-array deployments. Stacked intelligent metasurfaces (SIMs), formed by vertically stacking multiple reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) layers within the transceiver front-end, offer a compelling alternative by shifting signal processing from the baseband to the wave domain, enabling parallel operations at the speed of light. Yet their potential in integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) systems remains largely unexplored. The SIMPACT-6G project addresses this gap through three work packages: (i) developing physically consistent models that capture electromagnetic interactions in SIM-based ISAC transceivers, (ii) designing a unified wave-domain framework for parallel signal processing, and (iii) validating performance in the FR3 band (7–24 GHz) under emerging 6G scenarios, in line with societal objectives. These advances will deliver scalable, energy-efficient ISAC transceivers, strengthen Europe’s leadership and strategic autonomy in 6G, accelerate standardization efforts, and enable affordable deployments in underserved regions, thereby advancing digital inclusion and supporting the EU’s Green Deal and Digital Decade objectives.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
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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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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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.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF
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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.
412 96 Goteborg
Sweden
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.