PRIN 2022 CALL. DECREE NO. 104 OF 2 FEBRUARY 2022
PROJECT TITLE: Integrated Terrestrial/Space wireless networks for broadband connectivity and IoT services (INSPIRE)
CUP CODE: D53D23001150006
Budget: € 72.000
P.I.: Prof. Giuseppe Piro - Polytechnic University of Bari
Other Research Units or any Sub-Units:
University of Parma (U.R. Coordinator: Prof. Amina Piemontese)
University of Cassino and Southern Lazio (U.R. Coordinator: Prof. Stefano Buzzi)
Brief project description
The PRIN INSPIRE project aimed to study, design, and validate innovative solutions for integrated communication networks capable of enabling three-dimensional connectivity through cooperation between terrestrial infrastructures and non-terrestrial platforms, such as low-Earth-orbit satellites, high-altitude platforms, and unmanned aerial vehicles. The project addressed advanced application scenarios, including the extension of coverage in underserved or poorly served areas and support for large-scale IoT services, contributing to the development of future beyond-5G/6G networks. In this context, INSPIRE focused on the design and evaluation of network architectures capable of supporting high-capacity communications, massive access, and ubiquitous coverage, analyzing the synergistic interaction among different enabling technologies. These include beyond-5G waveforms robust to mobility, Doppler effect, phase noise, and nonlinearity, also with integrated sensing functionalities; infrastructures for tropospheric communications; advanced physical-layer techniques and beamforming for virtual and distributed massive MIMO systems; hierarchical orchestration mechanisms for virtualized functions and services based on software-defined paradigms; proactive algorithms for the optimal allocation of communication and computing resources, including network slicing approaches integrated across terrestrial and non-terrestrial segments; as well as performance evaluation and analysis of innovative architectural solutions for integrated terrestrial-non-terrestrial networks.
Purpose
The main objectives of the INSPIRE project are: to develop advanced solutions at the physical and system levels for integrated terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks; to design flexible and scalable network architectures to support heterogeneous services and highly dynamic scenarios; to define innovative techniques for the joint management of radio and computational resources; to develop orchestration mechanisms based on software-defined networking and virtualization paradigms; and to create simulation and validation tools for performance analysis in realistic scenarios.
Expected results
The U.R. of the Polytechnic University of Bari aimed to contribute to the development of innovative solutions for integrated terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks, with particular reference to telecommunications technologies serving as benchmarks for beyond-5G/6G, the development of intelligent algorithms for the joint management of radio and computational resources, the definition of software-defined orchestration mechanisms, and the implementation and extension of simulation tools and experimental platforms for the evaluation of integrated terrestrial and non-terrestrial architectures.
Achieved results
The Research Unit of the Polytechnic University of Bari has achieved numerous and significant scientific results, fully aligned with the project objectives, thereby contributing to the development and validation of advanced solutions for integrated terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks. In particular, innovative physical-layer techniques for beyond-5G systems were designed and tested, including integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) solutions implemented on SDR platforms and analyses of security aspects related to radio fingerprinting. Intelligent algorithms were also developed for the joint management of communication and computing resources, based on artificial intelligence and digital twin technologies, and applied to heterogeneous and dynamic scenarios (for example UAV-assisted services and multimedia applications). The unit also contributed to the definition of software-defined orchestration frameworks for the efficient and sustainable management of network services and functions. Finally, simulation tools and experimental platforms were developed, including extensions of the 5G-air-simulator and testbeds for UAV communications, used to evaluate the developed solutions in realistic scenarios. The results obtained were discussed in scientific contributions published in journals of recognized international prestige and/or presented in proceedings of international public conferences. More information on the results obtained (including final deliverables and publication PDFs) is available on the INSPIRE project website https://telematics.poliba.it/prin-inspire/.
