FNS shares 6G vision in Taipei
What if a mobile network could not only send data, but also sense what is happening around it? That question was at the heart of the speech by Haibin Zhang, senior scientist at TNO and professor at TU/e, at the 6G Summit Taipei on 23 and 24 September. On behalf of FNS and TNO, he presented the vision and latest research results in 6G ISAC.
A network that senses
ISAC stands for Integrated Sensing and Communication. The network that carries data also uses its radio signals to sense its surroundings. That turns a mobile network into an intelligent perception platform. Three situations show what that could mean in practice: the use of 6G sensing capability for seamless UAV detection, for identification of on road for traffic safety and efficiency, for real-time monitoring of patients on move for better healthcare.
In his presentation, “6G ISAC: From Connecting the World to Understanding the World”, Haibin shared recent research results and showed how TNO approaches this technology. He also addressed the challenges that lie ahead: there is scientific, technological, and industry work to be done before 6G ISAC can be deployed at scale.
“With 6G ISAC, I envision wireless networks that go beyond connectivity, becoming more sustainable, intelligent, and capable of sensing and understanding the world around them.”
Prof. Dr. Haibin Zhang, TNO & TU/e
In conversation with Europe, Japan, and Taiwan
Alongside his speech, Haibin joined an international panel with experts from Europe, Japan, and Taiwan. The panel discussed the opportunities and challenges of three major 6G drivers: new spectrum, ISAC, and Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN), in which satellites and other airborne networks complement the mobile network on the ground.
A global 6G stage
The two-day summit at the Taipei International Convention Center focused on the roadmap toward an AI-native 6G future. Most of the audience came from across the Taiwanese 6G ecosystem, from research to industry and government. Speakers came from almost every 6G region in the world: the EU, the UK, the US, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan.
Europe made its voice heard too. The directors of the European Commission’s DG CONNECT and the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking (SNS JU) addressed the summit in recorded speeches. Their message was clear: the EU and Taiwan complement each other in expertise and strengths, which makes a strong case for closer collaboration.
What’s next
The speech was well received and led to many collaboration opportunities afterwards, with both Taiwanese and European parties.
