Dynamic coverage Extension and Distributed Intelligence for human Centric applications with assured security, privacy and trust: from 5G to 6G

About the project: In future 6G wireless networks, it is imperative to support more dynamic resourcing and connectivity to improve adaptability, performance, and trustworthiness in the presence of emerging human-centric services with heterogeneous computation needs. DEDICAT6 aims to develop a smart connectivity platform using artificial intelligence and blockchain techniques that will enable 6G networks to combine the existing communication infrastructure with novel distribution of intelligence (data, computation, and storage) at the edge to allow not only flexible, but also energy efficient realisation of the envisaged real-time experience. DEDICAT 6G takes the next vital step beyond 5G by addressing techniques for achieving and maintaining an efficient dynamic connectivity and intelligent placement of computation in the mobile network. In addition, the project targets the design and development of mechanisms for dynamic coverage extension through the exploitation of novel terminals and mobile client nodes, e.g., smart connected cars, robots, and drones. DEDICAT also addresses security, privacy, and trust assurance especially for mobile edge services and enablers for novel interaction between humans and digital systems. The aim is to achieve (i) more efficient use of resources; (ii) reduction of latency, response time, and energy consumption; (iii) reduction of operational and capital expenditures; and (iv) reinforcement of security, privacy, and trust. DEDICAT 6G focuses on four use cases: Smart warehousing, Enhance experiences, Public Safety and Smart Highway. The use cases will pilot the developed solutions via simulations and demonstrations in laboratory environments, and larger field evaluations exploiting various assets and testing facilities. The results are expected to show significant improvements in terms of intelligent network load balancing and resource allocation, extended connectivity, enhanced security, privacy and trust and human-machine interactions.

WINGS Role: WINGS is the project coordinator and therefore leads the project activities, including quality assurance activities. WINGS contributes to the elaboration of the use case scenarios, the derivation and analysis of requirements, as well as the design of the functional and system architecture for DEDICAT 6G. WINGS also contributes to the specification and development of the mechanisms that will enable the dynamic distribution of intelligence (data, computation, storage), so as to optimally address service requirements but also handling an encountered or anticipated situation. WINGS participates in the design, development and validation of mechanisms for deciding on the creation and set-up of dynamic coverage and connectivity extensions based on mobile access points (MAP) for mobile client nodes. Dynamic coverage and connectivity extension networks will be formed in an ad hoc manner and will be dynamically reconfigured through the suitable self-organisation and adjustment of the position and coordination of MAPs so as to provide appropriate Quality of Service (QoS) levels towards mobile client nodes. Various types of MAPs will be considered such as cars, robots, and drones. WINGS contributes to the design and implementation of anomaly detection mechanisms and federated learning for distributed training of machine learning models for threat detection and classification. WINGS also participates in the design and implementation of the blockchain enabled trust management platform. WINGS contributes to the design and set-up of the pilots and the integration of mechanisms, as well as to the evaluation of project solutions via experimentation and validation activities. WINGS will mainly focus on the Smart warehousing and public safety use cases and pilots. In the Smart warehousing use case WINGS plans to exploit robots/small scale AGVs in conjunction with its STARLIT platform. In the Public Safety use case WINGS plans to exploit and extend its STARLIT platform, combined with mechanisms and functionality developed in the scope of serving underserved areas through 5G, coupled with IoT and Big Data and utilizing drones. Finally, WINGS assists in the design and implementation of the project Impact and Exploitation strategies and contributes to the dissemination of project results through publications in highly impactful journals and conferences and demonstrations of implemented prototypes at relevant events.

Website: https://dedicat6g.eu/

Duration: 01.2021-12.2023