ISAC - Integrated Sensing and Communication Concept in 6G

6G
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  • Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) is a concept in IMT-2030 for new 6G mobile communication systems capability that combines wireless signal sensing and communication in a single system.

  • ISAC enables the use of higher frequency bands, wider bandwidth, and massive antenna arrays for high-accuracy and high-resolution sensing.

  • The capabilities of ISAC include high-accuracy localization and tracking, simultaneous imaging, mapping, and localization, augmented human sensing, and gesture and activity recognition.

  • ISAC can be used in various industries and applications, such as biomedical and security imaging, pollution and natural disaster monitoring, and flaw and material detection.

  • ISAC utilizes the mobile communication network to support synchronized, collaborative multi-node sensing, which improves localization performance.

  • Sensing-assisted communication is another benefit of ISAC, where the information obtained through sensing can be used to improve communication performance, such as more accurate beamforming and faster beam failure recovery.

  • Hardware challenges in ISAC include limited transmitter-receiver isolation, proper design of integrated RF architecture, and compensation for non-ideal distortion.

  • Sensing-assisted communication provides a more deterministic and predictable propagation channel, improving channel estimation accuracy and reducing overhead.

  • ISAC can be used for environment characterization, passive object detection and tracking, imaging and environment reconstruction, and 3D indoor imaging and mapping.

  • ISAC opens up possibilities for future applications and services, enabling the integration of wireless signal sensing and communication for mutual benefit.

ISAC - Integrated Sensing and Communication Concept in 6G
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LinkedIn: :point_down:

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The forthcoming generations of wireless network technologies are poised to do more than just connect physical and digital realms; they will serve as the cornerstone for an intelligent world where every facet is interconnected, perceptible, and imbued with intelligence. Beyond their conventional role in facilitating communication, these future networks will possess the ability to perceive and decipher the physical world.

This evolution necessitates a reimagining of the current communication infrastructures and devices. It calls for a consideration of essential factors like inherent limitations and trade-offs, cutting-edge information extraction and processing technologies, concerns related to public safety and privacy, and the emergence of a multitude of novel applications.

This area of study is referred to as Integrated Sensing and Communications (ISAC), and it represents a paradigm shift towards the ubiquity of radio devices.

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Watch Dr. Thorsten Wild, Head of Next Generation Wireless research at Nokia Bell Labs explain how the network will become the sensor in the 6G communications era.

6G will give our networks the ability to sense. By bouncing signals off objects, the network will determine what’s there, how things are moving – and potentially even what they’re made of. The network becomes our sixth sense, extending our awareness beyond our immediate surroundings.

This sensing capability can be used to map a digital version of the physical world. By interacting with this ‘digital twin’, we could extend our senses to every point the network touches.

YouTube: :point_right: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCKQHQY7hMI

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A technical report on he topic was already issued at 3GPP, https://portal.3gpp.org/desktopmodules/Specifications/SpecificationDetails.aspx?specificationId=4044, and ISAC may be available even before 6G. The competition is fierce, and WiFi will have sensing capabilities first with IEEE 802.11bf

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I think ISAC will start to roll in 5G-Advanced era, maybe a couple releases before the initial release of 6G, and will continue to develop in 6G and beyond.