6G Hardware Enablers for Cell Free Coherent
Communications and Sensing

6G-REFERENCE envisions a future where urban areas are equipped with sustainable solutions
that can cope with the ever-increasing traffic demands and population densification, while
providing disruptive capabilities like the materialization of the internet of sense.

6G-REFERENCE will:

DEVELOP

Develop integrated circuit and antenna component solutions, including dynamic frequency filtering and modulated radiation, to enable efficient spectrum coexistence schemes.

DEVELOP

Develop integrated circuit and antenna component solutions, including dynamic frequency filtering and modulated radiation, to enable efficient spectrum coexistence schemes.

DEPLOY

Deploy practical hardware enablers in terms of low complexity, cost and power consumption that could end up constituting a reference design for future 6G-distributed radios.

DEPLOY

Deploy practical hardware enablers in terms of low complexity, cost and power consumption that could end up constituting a reference design for future 6G-distributed radios.

Objectives

6G-REFERENCE will develop hardware enablers constituting a reference design of distributed
radios for a cell-free communication and sensing system operating in the 10-15 GHz range.

The project targets low complexity and low power, in other words, practical integrated circuits
(IC) and antenna systems for 6G applications. It aims at enabling new functionalities addressing D-MIMO communication scenarios but extended to support distributed sensing and accurate localization and positioning.

Objectives

6G-REFERENCE will develop hardware enablers constituting a reference design of distributed
radios for a cell-free communication and sensing system operating in the 10-15 GHz range.

The project targets low complexity and low power, in other words, practical integrated circuits
(IC) and antenna systems for 6G applications. It aims at enabling new functionalities addressing D-MIMO communication scenarios but extended to support distributed sensing and accurate localization and positioning.

Challenges

Accurate
synchronization
among distributed
radio units (cell-free
deployments)

Fronthaul data distribution

Integration of sensing capabilities

Low complexity/cost/
consumption radios

Coexistence with
other services

Methodology

Explore radio system
operation in the
10-15GHz range

Develop hardware
concepts and show
feasibility in CMOS

Use additive
manufacturing for
antenna arrays and
nanotechnology for
sensors

Complementary Microelectronics Hardware Concepts: Highlights of the First 6G-REFERENCE Webinar Co-Organised with FirstTo6G

On the 29th of January 2026 we hosted the first 6G-REFERENCE webinar, a session co-organised with the FirstTo6G project, to speak about “Complementary Microelectronics Hardware Concepts” for one and a half hours. The webinar was a success, attended by a total of 61 participants who stayed until the end for the panel discussion. 6G-REFERENCE and FirstTo6G...

6G-REFERENCE Project Newsflash #4 – January 2026: Join our First Webinar on Complementary Microelectronics Hardware Concepts

The 29th of January is an important date for 6G-REFERENCE: we are hosting our first webinar, co-organised with FirstTo6G to speak about “Complementary Microelectronics Hardware Concepts” at 11:00 CET. This webinar brings together leading researchers and innovators to explore how complementary hardware approaches can accelerate the development of future 6G systems, highlighting the goals and...

Join our First Webinar on Complementary Microelectronics Hardware Concepts Co-Organised with FirstTo6G

REGISTER HERE! We are pleased to invite you to our first 6G-REFERENCE Webinar Series, a joint session organised in collaboration with FirstTo6G, titled “Complementary Microelectronics Hardware Concepts: FirstTo6G and 6G-REFERENCE” on 29 January 2026 at 11:00 CET.  This webinar brings together leading researchers and innovators to explore how complementary hardware approaches can accelerate the development...

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