6G waves magazine : autumn 2024

Abstract

Foreword

Since the early stages of the 6G Flagship proposal, technologies and hardware have been identified as key research areas. In the early days of 4G and even 5G research, these were not obvious priorities. However, the importance of hardware has become clear in recent years, with specialised processors driving huge data computations for AI solutions, and systems-on-chip (SoC) and RF transceivers powering large telecom antenna arrays. Securing technological sovereignty requires initiatives such as ChipActs and skilled professionals. Global developments have also highlighted the strategic importance of dual-use technologies.

This issue of 6G Waves presents compelling stories of success in device and circuit research, from antenna innovations to 300 GHz amplifiers and silicon-based receivers - breakthroughs I couldn’t have imagined contributing to earlier in my career. Research does more than support industry; it pushes the boundaries of both technology and thought. Both are essential to progress. Our future will be shaped by well-trained engineers capable of tackling complex, sometimes seemingly impossible challenges.

International collaboration is also essential, and this issue shows that in action. Our Amatera project with Panasonic is an example of how initial collaborations can develop with trust, breaking down barriers between industry and academia and fostering both local and global connections.

It has been some time since the first visions of 6G emerged. The early targets were ambitious, even talking about THz communications. Some of the more grounded visions initiated serious research into the upper mmW frequency range, now known as sub-THz. Meeting future data rate demands will likely require bandwidths beyond the mmW frequencies of 5G. This has led us to investigate the feasibility of technologies that once seemed like science fiction. In many cases, we’ve made the leap from concept to concrete development, taking the first step towards commercial solutions. However, there is still a long way to go. As we turn our attention to 6G, researchers in academia and industry will focus on ambitious but achievable goals at slightly lower frequencies. Far from being wasted, the lessons we’ve learned can be applied to technologies with broader, more viable commercial applications.

The cumulative expertise gathered so far has laid the foundations for future sensing and high-speed applications that would be impossible without this fundamental research.

6G Waves Magazine offers a window into these exciting technologies, with additional scientific insights for those seeking more detail. And as a highlight, this issue features the story of industry pioneer, Honorary Doctor Veijo Kontas. I hope his journey inspires us all to look beyond the obvious, to embrace challenges and to consider every opportunity with care

Prof. Aarno Pärssinen Professor of Radio Engineering, Head of Devices and Circuits Research Area, University of Oulu, Finland