Periodic Reporting for period 1 - Pathfinder (Harnessing multipath propagation in wireless networks: A meta-surface transformation of wireless networks into smart reconfigurable radio environments)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2021-05-01 al 2023-04-30
The project develops innovative designs for B5G (beyond 5G) and 6G cellular networks, compatible with the reconfigurable intelligent meta-surface (RIS) paradigm. This allows for the dynamic optimization of the wireless channels, and constitutes a turning point in the way we design wireless networks. In this course, the complementary nature of RISs with well entrenched wireless technologies such as Cognitive Radio Networks (CRNs), Long Range (LoRa) networks and Energy Harvesting techniques is investigated. The project also studies security engineering aspects of RIS where a signal initially reflected through objects to malicious eavesdroppers can be redirected through RISs only towards the intended users, demonstrating how this can be performed in practice. The main conclusion of the action is that the application of RISs has the potential of making future wireless networks sustainable and that it can readily complement key technologies of legacy 4G and 5G cellular networks (such as the aforementioned), paving the way for the advent of B5G and 6G networks.
The main scientific results of the project include a book chapter, 3 published journal articles and 2 journal articles under submission. The book chapter constitutes a comprehensive study of the technologies and potential applications of RIS on future wireless networks, corroborating the conclusion that the application of RISs has the potential of making future wireless networks sustainable. Hence, this work serves in the direction of setting the theoretical and algorithmic foundations of RIS enabled wireless 2.0 networks, which constitutes the overarching objective of Pathfinder. The 3 published journal articles investigate complementary wireless technologies, providing the system-level communication-theoretic models necessary for the project. The derived models arise as valuable tools, of significant practical value, for the optimization of the network deployment by the network operator. Subsequently, the journal article under submission, explores a practical aspect of RIS-assisted communications, that is, security engineering, where a signal initially reflected through objects to malicious eavesdroppers can be redirected through RISs only towards the intended users. This work answers whether this can be implemented in practice, with the employment of the RIS for the suppression of the wiretap signal or for the maximization of the main link, with a corresponding optimization of the RIS elements. Last but not least, the last journal article under submission, focuses on the energy harvesting aspects of RIS that is crucial for the commercial success of passive RISs.
The exploitation and dissemination of these results included, among others, an interview of the MSCA fellow by the OECD & European Commission as an expert in the field of information and communications technologies (ICT). The interview was aimed at a non-technical audience of stakeholders and policy makers, in the framework of a 2023 collaborative OECD & European Commission project. Moreover, the fellow was invited as speaker to the foresight OECD & European Commission workshop on digitalization & green value chains, to be held by the end of 2023. The workshop will comprise a non-technical audience of stakeholders and policy makers. Additionally, the fellow has been selected as the Secretary of the RIS Emerging Technology Initiative (ETI) of the IEEE Communications Society, the Secretary of the Special Interest Group (SIG) on Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces for Smart Radio Environments (RISE) of the IEEE Communications Society and the Secretary of the Special Interest Group (SIG) on REconFigurabLE Intelligent Surfaces for Signal Processing and CommunicatIONS (REFLECTIONS) of the IEEE Communications Society. Moreover, he participated in the organization of Globecom2022 and Globecom2023.
The exploitation and dissemination of these results included, among others, an interview of the MSCA fellow by the OECD & European Commission as an expert in the field of information and communications technologies (ICT). The interview was aimed at a non-technical audience of stakeholders and policy makers, in the framework of a 2023 collaborative OECD & European Commission project. Moreover, the fellow was invited as speaker to the foresight OECD & European Commission workshop on digitalization & green value chains, to be held by the end of 2023. The workshop will comprise a non-technical audience of stakeholders and policy makers. Additionally, the fellow has been selected as the Secretary of the RIS Emerging Technology Initiative (ETI) of the IEEE Communications Society, the Secretary of the Special Interest Group (SIG) on Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces for Smart Radio Environments (RISE) of the IEEE Communications Society and the Secretary of the Special Interest Group (SIG) on REconFigurabLE Intelligent Surfaces for Signal Processing and CommunicatIONS (REFLECTIONS) of the IEEE Communications Society. Moreover, he participated in the organization of Globecom2022 and Globecom2023.
The impact and main contributions beyond the state of the art of Pathfinder are:
1) New holistic communication-theoretic models and energy-efficient designs for sustainable B5G and 6G networks.
2) Comprehensive study of the technologies and potential applications of RIS on future wireless networks.
3) New algorithms for the design of sustainable wireless networks powered by energy harvesting under passive RIS operation.
4) New design approaches for secure communications under the RIS-assisted Physical Layer Security paradigm.
1) New holistic communication-theoretic models and energy-efficient designs for sustainable B5G and 6G networks.
2) Comprehensive study of the technologies and potential applications of RIS on future wireless networks.
3) New algorithms for the design of sustainable wireless networks powered by energy harvesting under passive RIS operation.
4) New design approaches for secure communications under the RIS-assisted Physical Layer Security paradigm.