W16: Multi-Functional 6G Networks: Solutions Shaped by Smart Radio Environments

Co-Organizer: Kangda Zhi, Technical University of Berlin, Germany
Co-Organizer: Qihao Peng, University of Surrey, UK
Co-Organizer: Xiaopeng Yuan, RWTH Aachen University, Germany
Co-Organizer: Guangji Chen, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, China

Abstract: The sixth-generation (6G) wireless networks envision a seamlessly interconnected ecosystem, integrating such as ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC), integrated sensing and communication (ISAC), and massive, stable connectivity for the Internet of Everything (IoE). Achieving this ambitious vision requires a fundamental transformation across multiple dimensions, including wireless propagation, network architectures, and emerging technologies. At the physical layer, new electromagnetically programmable materials—such as reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISs) and dynamic metasurface antennas (DMAs)—are redefining wireless environments by enabling real-time, dynamic phase-shift control. Simultaneously, cell-free massive MIMO and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-enabled networks eliminate traditional cellular boundaries, utilizing distributed cooperative transmission to achieve ubiquitous, high-capacity coverage. Collectively, these innovations mark a paradigm shift, transforming static wireless channels into intelligent, adjustable, and reconfigurable radio environments. Beyond physical-layer advancements, AI-driven network architectures are revolutionizing wireless intelligence by integrating sensing information, communication signals, and control mechanisms into a cohesive and adaptive system. AI-powered dynamic scheduling leverages real-time environmental feedback to optimize radio propagation, ensuring massive IoT connectivity and ultra-reliable performance for mission-critical applications. As a result, combining these technologies with emerging paradigms can lay a solid foundation for the next generation of Smart Radio Environments (SREs). This workshop aims to explore fresh opportunities, address critical challenges, and propose cutting-edge solutions for multi-funtional 6G shaped by smart radio environment. It will serve as a bridge between the digital world and physical radio environments, thereby unlocking the full potential of programmable wireless systems and paving the way for next-generation, highly adaptive communication infrastructures.

Co-Organizer’s Bios:

Kangda Zhi

Kangda Zhi received the Ph.D. degree from the School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, Queen Mary University of London, U.K., in 2023. He is currently a Marie Curie Research
Fellow with the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Technical University of Berlin, Germany. His research interests include reconfigurable intelligent surface, dynamic metasurface antennas, massive MIMO, and near-field communications. He received the Exemplary Reviewer Certificate of the IEEE WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS LETTERS in 2021 and 2022 and the IEEE COMMUNICATIONS LETTERS in 2023. He is now serving as an Editor for Transactions on Communications and guest editor for EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking.

Qihao Peng

Qihao Peng received the Ph.D. degree from the School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, Queen Mary University of London, U.K., in 2024. He is currently a Research Fellow with the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Surrey, UK. His research interests include reconfigurable intelligent surface, cell-free massive MIMO, and URLLC.

Xiaopeng Yuan

Xiaopeng Yuan received his B.Sc. degree in automation from Beijing University of Aeronautics & Astronautics, China, in 2016, his M.Sc. degree and his Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering,
information technology and computer engineering from RWTH Aachen University, Germany, respectively in 2019 and in Mar. 2023. He is currently working as a senior researcher at INDA Chair in RWTH Aachen University, Germany. His research interests are in UAV-assisted wireless network, wireless power transfer technique and ultra-reliable low-latency communication network. He is now serving as an editor for EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking.

Guangji Chen

Guangji Chen received the Ph.D. degree in information and communication engineering from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Hefei, China, in 2020. From 2020 to 2021, he was a Senior Engineer at Huawei Technologies Company Ltd., Nanjing, China. From 2021 to 2023, he was a Post-Doctoral Researcher with the State Key Laboratory of Internet of Things for Smart City, University of Macau, Macau, China. Since Jul. 2023, he has been with the School of Electronic and Optical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology as an associate professor. His current research interests include intelligent reflecting surface (IRS), non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA), multi-user MIMO, edge computing/learning, and stochastic geometry. He received the Exemplary Reviewer Certificate of the IEEE Open Jounal of Vehicular Technology.