T8 – Multi-functional Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces for 6G and Beyond

Co-organizer: Yuanwei Liu, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
Co-organizer: Xidong Mu, Queen’s University Belfast, UK
Co-organizer: Jiguang He, Great Bay University, China

Abstract: Reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISs) and their diverse variants have emerged as promising techniques for sixth-generation (6G) wireless networks. Comprising of a large number of low-cost reconfigurable elements, both the phase and even the amplitude of the incident signals can be beneficially adjusted, thus realizing the smart radio environment. Given the rapidly increasing trend of capacity demands shows no sign of slowing down in the next decade as well as additional stringent and diverse requirements (e.g., sensing, localization, and computing) imposed by 6G and beyond (B6G) wireless networks, the novel concept of multi-functional reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (MF-RISs) has been recently proposed. This tutorial will introduce MF-RISs from two aspects. (1) Beyond Reflection – STARS: Simultaneously transmitting and reflecting surfaces (STARS) can transmit (refract) and reflect at the same time to provide full-space coverage compared to conventional reflection-only RISs ; (2) Beyond Communications – Sensing-RIS: By being equipped with sensor components or assisting sensing links, sensing-RIS can be deployed to support integrated sensing and communications (ISAC). For each aspect, the tutorial will introduce their basic principles, fundamental designs, recent advances, and open problems.

Co-organizer’s Bios:

Yuanwei Liu

Yuanwei Liu (https://www.eee.hku.hk/~yuanwei/) is a tenured full Professor in Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE) at The University of Hong Kong (HKU) and a visiting professor at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL). Prior to that, he was a Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) (2021-2024) and a Lecturer (Assistant Professor) (2017- 2021) at QMUL, London, U.K, and a Postdoctoral Research Fellow (2016-2017) at King’s College London (KCL), London, U.K. He received the Ph.D. degree from QMUL in 2016. His research interests include non-orthogonal multiple access, reconfigurable intelligent surface, near field communications, integrated sensing and communications, and machine learning. Yuanwei Liu is a Fellow of the IEEE, a Fellow of AAIA, a Web of Science Highly Cited Researcher, an IEEE Communication Society Distinguished Lecturer, an IEEE Vehicular Technology Society Distinguished Lecturer, the rapporteur of ETSI Industry Specification Group on Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces on work item of “Multi-functional Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RIS): Modelling,
Optimisation, and Operation”, and the UK representative for the URSI Commission C on “Radio communication Systems and Signal Processing” (2023-2024). He was listed as one of 35 Innovators Under 35 China in 2022 by MIT Technology Review. He received IEEE ComSoc Outstanding Young Researcher Award for EMEA in 2020. He received the 2020 IEEE Signal Processing and Computing for Communications (SPCC) Technical Committee Early Achievement Award, IEEE Communication Theory Technical Committee (CTTC) 2021 Early Achievement Award. He received IEEE ComSoc Outstanding Nominee for Best Young Professionals Award in 2021. He is the co-recipient of the 2024 IEEE Communications Society Heinrich Hertz Award, the Best Student Paper Award in IEEE VTC2022-Fall, the Best Paper Award in ISWCS 2022, the 2022 IEEE SPCC-TC Best Paper Award, the 2023 IEEE ICCT Best Paper Award, and the 2023 IEEE ISAP Best Emerging Technologies Paper Award. He serves as the Co-Editor-in-Chief of IEEE ComSoc TC Newsletter, an Area Editor of IEEE Transactions on Communications and IEEE Communications Letters, an Editor of IEEE Communications Surveys & Tutorials, IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications, IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology, IEEE Transactions on Network Science and Engineering, and IEEE Transactions on Cognitive Communications and Networking. He serves as the (leading) Guest Editor for Proceedings of the IEEE on Next Generation Multiple Access, IEEE JSAC on Next Generation Multiple Access, IEEE JSTSP on Intelligent Signal Processing and Learning for Next Generation Multiple Access, and IEEE Network on Next Generation Multiple Access for 6G. He serves as the Publicity Co-Chair for IEEE VTC 2019-Fall, the Panel Co-Chair for IEEE WCNC 2024, Symposium Co-Chair for several flagship conferences such as IEEE GLOBECOM, ICC and VTC. He serves the academic Chair for the Next Generation Multiple Access Emerging Technology Initiative, vice chair of SPCC and Technical Committee on Cognitive Networks (TCCN) (2023-2024).

Xidong Mu

Xidong Mu is a lecturer (assistant professor) with the Centre for Wireless Innovation (CWI), Queen’s University Belfast, U.K. since August 2024. His research interests include non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA), IRSs/RISs-aided communications, integrated sensing and communications, semantic communications, and optimization theory. He received the IEEE ComSoc Outstanding Young Researcher Award for the EMEA region in 2023 and is the recipient of the 2024 IEEE Communications Society Heinrich Hertz Award, the Best Paper Award in ISWCS 2022, the 2022 IEEE SPCC-TC Best Paper Award, and the Best Student Paper Award in IEEE VTC2022-Fall. He also serves as an Editor of IEEE Transactions on Communications, a Guest Editor for the IEEE Internet of Things Journal Special Issue on “Next Generation Multiple Access for Internet-of-Things”, and the “Mobile and Wireless Networks” symposium co-chair of IEEE GLOBECOM 2025.

Jiguang He

Jiguang He Mu received his Ph.D. in Communications Engineering from the University of Oulu, Finland, in 2018. He serves currently as an Associate Professor at Great Bay University in Dongguan, Great Bay Area, China, and holds a Docentship (a.k.s adjunct professor) at the University of Oulu. He conducted research in multiple universities and institutes, such as Chalmers University of Technology, Macau University of Science an Technology, and Technology Innovation Institute. He has actively contributed to numerous international and national projects, including EU FP7 RESCUE, EU H2020 ARIADNE, the 6G Flagship, and FDCT-GDST joint research project. He is recognized as an Exemplary Reviewer for IEEE Transactions on Communications and IEEE Communications Letters, and he serves as a Technical Program Committee (TPC) member for various IEEE conferences. Currently, he serves as an Associate Editor for IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology. He received the Best Paper Award from IEEE ICCT 2023 and IEEE ICC workshop 2024. His research interests span integrated sensing and communications, reconfigurable intelligent surfaces and its variants, mmWave/THz communications, and AI for communications and networking.