Research
Latest academic paper digests, data charts, and research insights from the 6G and AI research community.
16 papers
STAR-RIS: Simultaneous Transmitting and Reflecting for Full-Space Coverage
Dr. Jiayi Zhang, Prof. Derrick Wing Kwan Ng — University of New South Wales
We present the first comprehensive study of Simultaneous Transmitting And Reflecting RIS (STAR-RIS) for 6G full-space coverage. Unlike conventional RIS that only reflects signals, STAR-RIS serves users on both sides of the surface. We develop optimal beamforming algorithms for three STAR-RIS protocols (energy splitting, mode switching, time switching) and show that STAR-RIS improves sum-rate by 40-70% over conventional RIS in multi-user scenarios where users are distributed on both sides.
Orbital Angular Momentum Multiplexing for 6G Capacity Enhancement
Dr. Bo Thide, Prof. Fabrizio Tamburini — Uppsala University / University of Padova
We demonstrate orbital angular momentum (OAM) multiplexing as an additional degree of freedom for increasing wireless channel capacity in 6G systems. By generating and detecting multiple OAM modes simultaneously, we achieve 4x spectral efficiency improvement over conventional MIMO at 28 GHz over a 100-meter link. Our custom antenna array generates 8 orthogonal OAM modes, and we develop a neural network-based detector that separates modes with less than 1% inter-mode crosstalk.
6G Positioning: Centimeter Accuracy with Joint Communication and Sensing
Dr. Henk Wymeersch, Dr. Gonzalo Seco-Granados — Chalmers University / Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona
We present a 6G positioning system achieving centimeter-level accuracy by jointly exploiting communication signals and sensing returns. Our multi-band approach combines sub-6 GHz for coarse positioning with mmWave for fine refinement, using a deep learning fusion framework. Field experiments in an indoor environment demonstrate 2.3 cm median positioning error, a 10x improvement over 5G NR positioning. The system simultaneously provides communication service with negligible throughput degradation.
Fluid Antenna Systems: A New Paradigm for 6G MIMO
Dr. Kai-Kit Wong, Prof. Kin-Fai Tong — University College London
We introduce fluid antenna systems (FAS) as a new paradigm for 6G MIMO where antenna positions can be dynamically reconfigured in real time. Unlike fixed antenna arrays, FAS uses liquid metal or electronically switchable pixel antennas to optimize antenna placement for current channel conditions. Our prototype demonstrates that FAS achieves 50% higher capacity than fixed arrays with the same number of elements by exploiting spatial diversity through position optimization.
Wireless Power Transfer for 6G Massive IoT: System Design and Optimization
Dr. Bruno Clerckx, Prof. Rui Zhang — Imperial College London / National University of Singapore
We present a comprehensive system design for wireless power transfer (WPT) in 6G massive IoT networks. Our approach uses multi-antenna energy beamforming to charge thousands of IoT sensors simultaneously using 6G base station infrastructure. We develop an AI-based scheduling algorithm that jointly optimizes energy transfer and data communication, demonstrating that 95% of IoT devices within 20 meters can maintain perpetual operation without batteries.
Extremely Large Aperture Arrays (ELAA) for 6G: Near-Field MIMO
Prof. Luca Sanguinetti, Dr. Andrea de Jesus Torres — University of Pisa
We study extremely large aperture arrays (ELAA) for 6G systems where the array size is so large that many users fall within the near-field region. In this regime, the traditional far-field plane-wave assumption breaks down, and spherical wave propagation must be considered. We derive new capacity expressions for near-field MIMO and show that ELAA provides 2.5x higher spectral efficiency than conventional massive MIMO by exploiting distance-dependent focusing in addition to angular beamforming.
Intelligent Reflecting Surfaces Aided Cell-Free Networks: A Unified Framework
Dr. Trinh Van Chien, Prof. Emil Bjornson — Linkoping University
We develop a unified analytical framework for RIS-aided cell-free massive MIMO networks, combining two of the most promising 6G technologies. Our framework jointly optimizes access point beamforming and RIS phase shifts in a distributed manner suitable for practical deployment. Simulations show that adding RIS to cell-free networks improves energy efficiency by 60% and extends coverage to previously unreachable areas, with the combined system outperforming either technology alone by a significant margin.