ISI emerges as pan-European reference center for 6G technologies
12-04-2023
The Industrial Systems Institute (ISI) of "Athena" Research Center is evolving into a pan-European reference center and is leading Greece's dynamic entry into the development of 6th generation wireless communication technologies (6G). It participates in four funded research projects by the European Union in the broader area of 6G networks, with a total budget of 2.5 million euros (6G-BRICKS, ADROIT-6G, AC3, FIDAL), acting as the coordinator in three of them.
The vision of ISI is the development of new research infrastructures in 6G technologies and cloud computing to strengthen its role in the industrial systems sector and continue to be a reference point in Industry 4.0 matters.
The 6G-BRICKS project aims to create the first multi-dimensional experimental platform for 6G technology. The consortium (consisting of 17 partners) includes experts in cutting-edge 6G technologies such as cell-free networking, distributed processing, and reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS) while adopting the principles of explainable artificial intelligence (XAI), modularity, and softwarization. 6G-BRICKS will design and structure different architectural levels and provide reusable testbed nodes for experimental testing infrastructures. The research outcomes of the project will be tested in specific applications such as holographic communication, the metaverse, and digital twinning, demonstrating the benefits of innovative 6G technologies and architectures.
In the ADROIT-6G project, the research team of ISI will explore and propose disruptive innovations in the architecture of emerging 6G mobile networks, which are expected to bring fundamental changes in the design, implementation, operation, and maintenance of mobile networks. The goal is to design and implement a new 6G system architecture that incorporates a distributed artificial intelligence framework for integrated communication, computation, and control, and enhances the convergence of networks and information systems to enable new future digital services.
Within the AC3 project, the research team of ISI aims to invent and propose an innovative framework for managing the Cloud Edge Computing Continuum (CECC), heavily relying on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) for application lifecycle management and supporting IT and networking resources. It will function as an intelligent system over a federated infrastructure consisting of Cloud, Edge, and far edge technologies, while collecting and processing large volumes of data from multiple sources and stakeholders. AC3 is expected to surpass the existing state-of-the-art, ensuring the explainability of the utilized ML models, increasing trust in AI/ML results, and improving decision-making processes for CECC infrastructure management.
The goal of the fourth project, FIDAL, is to enhance capabilities, allowing vertical industry players to conduct large-scale field trials of highly innovative and advanced applications that exploit and go beyond 5G technologies. The FIDAL project will validate Beyond 5G technologies in a user environment to maximize their further utilization, preparing the ground for the upcoming 6G era and strengthening Europe's position in the global telecommunications market.
Overall, ISI is playing a crucial role in advancing Greece's involvement in the development of 6G technologies and contributing to the broader European research landscape.