6G-Multiband Wireless and Optical Signalling for Integrated Communications, Sensing and Localization

ongoing

6G-MUSICAL is a ground-breaking project that merges radio sensing and communication technologies to create new paradigms in RF communication. It aims to equip edge infrastructure nodes of 6G with integrated RF/radar-based radio-sensing elements that co-work with communication components. This enables localization, object tracking and 3D imaging, with cm-level precision and resolution. As such, the project will investigate new spectrally and energy efficient system architectures and signals, to facilitate high-rate communication across multi-frequency bands integrated with accurate sensing and localization. Compared to other joint communication and sensing research, 6G-MUSICAL stands out in two ways. First, it considers sensing for both connected and non-connected objects, which is important given the trend towards connecting everything. Second, it addresses the synchronization of edge nodes, which is critical to achieving extreme levels of accuracy and resolution. The project will combine optical and electronic technologies to generate precise and stable references, enabling a network of smart cooperative multi-static radars, within future 6G, bringing new services, high accuracy localization and high-resolution 3D object reconstruction. In the wireless domain, the project will define new waveforms suitable for radio-sensing and communications, exploit compressive sensing techniques and define cooperative multimode sensing and localization algorithms. In the network domain, focus will be on procedures for synchronization/calibration among edge nodes and on compression techniques to enable low overhead transport to a data fusion center of the collected information. The optical/electrical technology will develop and distribute the reference signals and will create novel antennas to address 6G requirements. Machine learning will be used to jointly optimize the system and services. Key technologies will be demonstrated in labs to meet a stringent set of predefined KPIs.