IMDEA Networks is collaborating on the MultiX project, a European initiative that aims to develop next-generation 6G networks capable of interacting intelligently with the environment. The project brings together 17 research centers and tech companies from seven countries, with coordination from Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M). The goal of MultiX is to revolutionize 6G networks by incorporating advanced perception and communication technologies. These networks will be designed to seamlessly observe and respond to their surroundings in real time, creating new possibilities for sectors like healthcare, industrial automation, and autonomous vehicles.
“What we want to achieve through the development of this technology is that the networks stop being simple communication providers and become active observers of reality, capable of interacting with it,” explains the project coordinator, Antonio de la Oliva, professor in the UC3M Telematics Engineering Department. “To do this, we want to use multiple tools, such as cameras and communication networks acting as sensors simultaneously. In this way we will be able to have a broader vision of what is happening around us and design a new access network in which everything is connected”.
Within the project, IMDEA Networks is specifically focusing on the MultiX energy-efficient network perception system, with perception enablers that allow for localization and multi-static sensing across different radio technologies. IMDEA Networks is further involved in the development of machine-learning based algorithms to integrate all the different sensing modalities to derive fine-grained information about objects in the environment. “Multi-static, multi-band integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) with coherent integration is key to high-precision perception of the environment,” explains Joerg Widmer, Research Director at IMDEA Networks. “Capturing signals from multiple viewpoints improves spatial diversity, enhances micro-Doppler extraction, and provides richer motion signatures, while coherent processing fuses information across bands to improve accuracy, which enables real-time, intelligent interaction with the environment.”
The promoters of this project have explained that one of the many applications of this new technology is to make networks capable of recognizing if there is a higher concentration of people in a certain area, if an elderly person has suffered a fall at home, or to optimize the distribution of coverage by dynamically adapting to the needs of users.
Other potential uses MultiX is working on right now are industrial automation processes and home connected health. On the one hand, we intend that the networks can coordinate the movement of robots in real time, detecting obstacles and enabling more efficient task management,” explains Antonio de la Oliva. “On the other hand, the project is working on contactless health monitoring in the domestic environment. That is, through connected home devices, it will be possible to monitor vital signs such as heart rate or respiration. In fact, the network could even detect emergency situations, such as a heart attack, and potentially alert health services”.
MultiX also stands out for its commitment to sustainability, a key challenge for 6G technology. Thus, in order to maximize energy efficiency and reduce resource consumption, the project leverages artificial intelligence to implement low-power solutions and thus adapt to the requirements of future networks.
The project will validate its progress through two proof-of-concepts designed to demonstrate practical applications of the technologies developed. The first consists of a multilayer digital network twin, aimed at optimizing processes in the field of industrial manufacturing. The second proof will focus on contactless health monitoring in the home environment, with the aim of transforming home healthcare. These technologies combined with AI could optimize diagnosis and treatment in health-related matters even from home, according to the researchers. To support these proof-of-concepts, IMDEA Networks is developing a powerful multi-band integrated sensing and communication platform for 6G.
