IIIT-Bangalore Spearheads 5G-Advance & 6G R&D and Product Lines Project

BANGALORE:
The International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore (IIIT-B) has NM-ICPS project from DST, Government of India that focuses on 5G-Advance and 6G research, Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), and product to promote start-ups in the niche areas of Advanced Communication Systems. IIIT-B is working with leading institutions and organizations. This strategic partnership aims to create cutting-edge research facilities equipped with the latest technology, enabling Indian researchers to lead global advancements in wireless communication.

Announcing this at a press conference on the sidelines of the 23rd Convocation ceremony at the institute campus, Prof. Debabarata Das, Director of IIIT-Bangalore, said “In IIIT-Bangalore COMET Foundation, professors in the Networking and Communication domain are actively involved in, 5G, Open Radio Access Network (ORAN), 5G-Advanced and 6G-related R&D and standardization efforts, in collaboration with premier academic institutions across the country. One of the important challenges in realizing Smart Radio Environments (SREs) using Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RIS) is Channel Estimation which will allow us to dimension the unpredictable wireless environment. IIIT-Bangalore professors are at the forefront of developing such intelligent Channel Estimation algorithms, ML-based MAC scheduling in case of Multi Input Multi Output (MIMO) ORAN.”

Others addressing the Press Conference were Cmde. SR Sridhar, Registrar, Prof. Chandrashekar Ramanathan, Dean of Academics, Prof. Srinath Srinivasa, Dean of Research and Development, Prof. Jyotsna Bapat, Dean of Faculty, Dr Milind Gandhe, CEO of IIIT-B COMET Foundation, and Prof. TK Srikanth, Convenor of EHRC.

As the world ventures into the era of 5G and 6G wireless networks and higher frequency bands, the coverage range of traditional base stations undergoes a reduction. To address this challenge, IIIT-Bangalore is at the forefront of exploring an innovative solution called Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RIS). RIS holds immense potential to extend the communication range and enhance the quality of base stations, not only in 5G-Advanced but also in the forthcoming 6G networks.

RIS technology also enables the creation of Smart Radio Environments (SREs), which can be tailored to specific use cases such as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). Furthermore, by combining RIS technology with other futuristic advancements such as Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access (NOMA), Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) communication, and cell-free massive MIMO systems, IIIT-Bangalore envisions significant enhancements in data rates, coverage, and energy efficiency.

Advancing RIS-Aided Communication
In addition, IIIT-Bangalore is actively engaged in the development and design of a novel prototype for RIS-aided communication. Their faculty, scientific staff, and students are collaborating with multiple institutes to create a practical RIS-aided communication system. This involves working on both algorithmic and hardware aspects, including the ORAN 5G base station. Furthermore, IIIT-B is leading efforts to establish a 5G use-case testbed lab, focusing on Urban Management and Health. This lab will serve as a learning environment for approximately 150 students and start-ups annually. It will be integrated into advanced graduate-level courses covering various topics like Mobile Computing, Wireless Communication, and Network Function Virtualization.

Driving Innovation with CADS-CODR Project
Driving Innovation with CADS-CODR Project, IIIT-B has made significant developments in the technological approach and methodology. This approach harnesses the power of Data Science and AI to implement analytical tools for policy formulation and evaluation. By utilizing evidence-based analysis of open data from diverse sources within the Government of Karnataka, IIIT-B aims to support socio-economic growth.

Tele-MANAS
The National Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States (Tele-MANAS) helpline of the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare that was launched on 10th October 2022, is now providing tele-mental health services through 43 Tele-Manas Cells spread across 31 States and Union Territories. The count of calls handled so far using the platform has crossed 1.7 lacs, with a daily average of more than 1000 calls being handled using the platform now. The platform’s capabilities are also being extended from voice-counselling to video-based consultations by psychiatrists through integration with the eSanjeevani national telemedicine platform. IIIT-B team and its collaborators are working on several other technological enhancements and optimizations of platform in coordination with apex centre NIMHANS and NHSRC towards expanding the coverage and scope of the services under this initiative.