Sensing and Communication Orchestration Protocols Enhancing Sustainability

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Future wireless networks will be the cornerstone of smart cities, providing ubiquitous connectivity to countless devices capable of communicating, sensing, and processing vast amounts of environmental data. These capabilities will enhance urban life by improving safety and sustainability by monitoring energy use, natural hazards, and public health factors while coordinating traffic via precise localization and tracking. While 5G faces challenges with inconsistent connectivity and limited sensing, 6G is poised to overcome these limitations through Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC). Cell-free massive multiple-input multiple-output (CF-mMIMO) networks, which eliminate fixed cellular architecture, offer scalable orchestration of access points, significantly enhancing connectivity and sensing capabilities. Yet, the research in network protocols enabling ISAC within CF-mMIMO networks is still in its early stages, requiring a sophisticated approach to harmonize physical layer signal processing with higher-layer access and resource management. SCOPES, leveraging the expertise of the University of Pisa in communication and Chalmers University of Technology in sensing, aims to fill this gap by designing sustainable cross-layer protocols. The project will focus on three key areas: investigating Medium Access Control functions to integrate sensing as a 6G feature; developing energy-efficient resource allocation for ISAC CF-mMIMO networks, and designing a cross-layer protocol to minimise energy consumption while meeting both sensing and communication performance requirements. The outcomes will be validated using open-source simulation tools, supporting future research and driving innovation in sustainable wireless technologies. SCOPES will position the researcher as a pioneer in protocol design and generate interest from the telecom industry for pre-standardisation activities and potential investment in cell-free architecture.