ETSI identifies first 6G sensor use cases

A recent report from the European standards group has outlined 18 potential applications for 6G wireless technology in the realm of next-generation sensing. These use cases cover a wide range of scenarios, from human motion recognition and emergency response to autonomous vehicle navigation and industrial robotics. Each example in the report delves into the specifics of deployment, enabling technologies, sensing modes, and the necessary system capabilities.

The document, known as ETSI GR ISC 001, was crafted by the ETSI integrated sensing and communications (ISAC) group. It represents a significant milestone in defining the essential functional and performance requirements needed to support these cutting-edge use cases. The analysis put forth by ETSI introduces three levels of integration—tight, intermediate, and loose—along with six sensing modes and key performance indicators (KPIs).

One of the key distinctions made in the report is between tight, intermediate, and loose integration levels. Loose integration involves implementing the two functions separately with some degree of coordination, such as at the application level or by combining dedicated sensors and communication hardware on a site. Tight integration, on the other hand, refers to a joint waveform or signal design that is suitable for both tasks. Intermediate integration falls somewhere in between these two extremes.

These definitions play a crucial role in a proposed framework aimed at standardizing sensing capabilities within future 6G networks. Alain Mourad, Chair of ISAC ISG at ETSI, expressed his satisfaction with the release of the report, stating that it lays the groundwork for forthcoming specifications in the realm of 6G technology.

The 18 identified 6G use cases outlined in the report encompass a variety of environments, including indoor, outdoor, and mixed settings, with diverse mobility and sensing targets such as people, vehicles, drones, and robots. The use cases span across different frequency bands, from low to high, often combining RF sensors with non-RF sensors like cameras or environmental detectors.

Furthermore, the report emphasizes the importance of both 6G System and non-6G System data fusion, highlighting the architectural implications for system design and trust management. It also underscores the critical need for secure, private, and sustainable ISAC implementations, particularly in scenarios that are human-centric.

In addition to outlining functional requirement categories, the ETSI Report introduces new Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) like fine motion accuracy and sensing services. These KPIs aim to establish a performance evaluation framework for 6G sensing services. The report is already being leveraged in the development of other ETSI reports focusing on channel modeling, system and RAN architecture, security, privacy, trustworthiness, sustainability, and the integration of computing with ISAC.