6G-MUSICAL - 6G MUltiband Wireless and Optical Signalling for Integrated CommunicAtions, Sensing and Localization

6G-MUSICAL is a ground-breaking project that merges radio sensing and communication technologies to create new paradigms in RF

communication. It aimsto equip edge infrastructure nodes of 6G with integrated RF/radar-based radio-sensing elementsthat co-work with

communication components. This enables localization, object tracking and 3D imaging, with cm-level precision and resolution. As such,

the project will investigate new spectrally and energy efficient system architectures and signals, to facilitate high-rate communication

across multi-frequency bands integrated with accurate sensing and localization. Compared to other joint communication and sensing

research, 6G-MUSICAL stands out in two ways. First, it considers sensing for both connected and non-connected objects, which is

important given the trend towards connecting everything. Second, it addresses the synchronization of edge nodes, which is critical to

achieving extreme levels of accuracy and resolution. The project will combine optical and electronic technologies to generate precise and

stable references, enabling a network of smart cooperative multi-static radars, within future 6G, bringing new services, high accuracy

localization and high-resolution 3D object reconstruction. In the wireless domain, the project will define new waveforms suitable for

radio-sensing and communications, exploit compressive sensing techniques and define cooperative multimode sensing and localization

algorithms. In the network domain, focus will be on procedures for synchronization/calibration among edge nodes and on compression

techniques to enable low overhead transport to a data fusion center of the collected information. The optical/electrical technology will

develop and distribute the reference signals and will create novel antennas to address 6G requirements. Machine learning will be used

to jointly optimize the system and services. Key technologies will be demonstrated in labs to meet a stringent set of predefined KPIs.