Upcoming Issues May 20, 2024
Guest Editor:
- Moeness Amin, Villanova University, USA
Description:
As the wireless industry evolves toward next-generation standards, the traditional boundaries between
communications and sensing are rapidly dissolving, driving the emergence of Integrated Sensing and
Communications (ISAC). This convergence leverages shared hardware and radio-frequency resources to
enable simultaneous data transmission and environmental perception, transforming conventional user
equipment—and more critically, base stations—into multifunctional radar-capable nodes capable of
detecting, localizing, and tracking objects in their surroundings. This novel integration presents numerous
new opportunities and use cases for both network operators and users. This special section on ISAC will
highlight recent advancements centered on single base station architectures equipped with multiple-input
multiple-output (MIMO) antenna arrays. The focus will include key technical areas such as clutter
modeling and mitigation, interference suppression and opportunistic exploitation, near-field sensing, and
the development of dynamically reconfigurable platforms. It will also examine the role of Reconfigurable
Intelligent Surfaces (RIS) in supporting ISAC tasks and enhancing overall system functionality.