A visionary EU 6G research project, called RISE-6G, will create next-generation wireless connectivity. RISE-6G will design, prototype and test smart and energy-sustainable technological advances based on reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS) that will enable programmable control and shaping of the wireless propagation environment. They expect to deploy by 2030.
They will use surfaces of diode-based antennas or metamaterials for coating objects in the environment, such as walls, ceilings, mirrors and appliances, and they will operate as reconfigurable reflectors or transceivers for massive access when equipped with active radio-frequency (RF) elements.
The RISE-6G objectives are to:
* define novel network architectures and operation strategies incorporating multiple reconfigurable intelligent surfaces,
* characterize the new system’s fundamental limits capitalizing on the proposed realistic and validated radio-wave propagation models,
* design solutions to enable online trade between high-capacity connectivity, energy efficiency, EMF exposure and localization accuracy based on dynamically programmable wireless propagation environments, while accommodating specific legislation and regulation requirements on spectrum use, data protection, and electromagnetic field (EMF) emission, and,
* prototype-benchmark proposed innovation via two complementary trials with verticals (Fiat Industry 4.0 production site and SNCF train station).
SOURCES- CEA -Leti
Written by Brian Wang, Nextbigfuture.com

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So, software defined antennas for 6G, as the followon to software defined radios (SDR) for 5G. Metasurface controls plus a boatload of diodes/transistors make for fancy phased arrays. I think Fractenna might be one of the leaders in the diode controlled variable antenna space?
Though even in 5G we are starting to see the phased array approach with datacenter baseband controls working the tower radios and antennas as a coordinated cognitve radio system. Certainly cuts down on the cost of towers by obviating the need to deploy baseband processors at each tower, and makes the network smarter.
Same sort of tech used in Lunar Solar Power or other power beaming plans. Of course, this is for signal, not power transmission. We could replace the 60Hz grid with power beams and H running in CH4 pipelines. Grids are a problem.