The European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) has unveiled a pivotal report on the sensing capabilities of upcoming 6G networks, foreseeing a transformative impact on various industries. This report, focusing on Integrated Sensing And Communications (ISAC), outlines 18 advanced use cases that merge communication and sensing technologies to create an intelligent and more responsive digital environment.
Alain Mourad, Chair of ISAC ISG at ETSI, emphasized their commitment to developing ISAC specifications, remarking, “This first report on advanced ISAC use cases and requirements sets the foundations for ISAC’s forthcoming specifications in 6G.”
ISAC marks a significant shift in wireless networks, blending communication with environmental perception through integrated sensing capabilities. This breakthrough is anticipated to unlock several innovative applications across critical sectors such as healthcare, public safety, transportation, robotics, smart factories, and cities.
In healthcare, 6G networks could monitor vital statistics such as heart rate and breathing patterns in public spaces. This capability could alert emergency services when incidents like falls or medical emergencies occur. Robots controlled remotely for elderly care are another use case, offering companionship and health monitoring through advanced sensing.
Transportation could benefit considerably from the sensing potential of future 6G networks. ISAC could revolutionize traffic management, augmenting traditional sensors with RF sensing and visual data to improve traffic efficiency and safety. UAV operations could also become safer with secondary verification of position data through ISAC, improving safety for Beyond Visual Line of Sight operations.
The industrial sector stands to gain from enhanced automation. With collaborative robots, precision in manufacturing and construction tasks can be vastly improved. Real-time Cyber-Physical Systems (R-CPS) could enable remote operation of robots in hazardous settings, supported by reliable, low-latency communication.
Achieving these visions involves hurdles such as fine-scale motion detection, low latency, and operating in diverse conditions. Multi-sensor data fusion and the application of artificial intelligence and machine learning are essential for progress.
To bring these technologies to life, the ETSI report outlines necessary requirements and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for 6G systems. These parameters span positioning accuracy, velocity estimation, sensing resolution, latency, and reliability. New metrics, like ‘Fine Motion Accuracy’, are proposed to address needs in various deployments from urban to industrial environments.
The report also raises issues of security and privacy, noting that a significant number of use cases involve human sensing. Ensuring data protection, user consent, and trustworthiness will be crucial for public acceptance and regulatory compliance.