Advancing 6G Technology: FNS RIS Testbed Collaboration with ITRI
In the framework of the Future Network Services program, TNO is collaborating with the Taiwanese research institute ITRI in testbed development on two major 6G technologies: Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RIS) and Joint Communication and Sensing (JCAS).
What Are RIS and JCAS?
RIS refers to a wireless communication technology that involves a surface composed of configurable elements, with the ability to passively reflect or manipulate electromagnetic waves. JCAS, also termed as Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC), is the use of the same network infrastructure for both wireless communication and radar sensing.
A Milestone in Collaboration
After six months of preparation, the collaboration recently reached a significant milestone when two ITRI experts joined TNO’s RIS team—comprising Sakshi Agarwal, Stan Nieuwamerongen, Meerten Versluis, and Haibin Zhang—for an intensive week of team work. Together, they successfully set up the RIS testbed, which combines ITRI’s custom-built RIS hardware operating at a challenging mmWave frequency of 26 GHz with TNO’s intelligent RIS control algorithms.
The result?
A live internal demonstration showcasing how automatically controlled RIS can “follow” the movement of the receiver and enhance radio network coverage and performance. This achievement also highlights TNO’s advanced hardware measurement capabilities for conducting continuous wave experiments at mmWave frequencies.
Looking Ahead
Building on this success, The ITRI and TNO RIS teams will work towards further enhancements of the testbed and external demo’s at FNS and other events in 2026.
