MOSS aims to develop rigorous and yet fast, macroscopic models for near- and far-field scattering from Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RIS), with particular focus on Large Intelligent Surfaces (LIS) also known as “Smart Skins”.
Moreover the project focues on validation of macroscopic models for RIS vs. measurements and demo of LIS in real environment.
MOSS is part of Spoke 5 – Industrial and Digital Transition Networks
Project PI: Vittorio Degli Esposti
- Literature review on the subject, with a focus on modelling techniques and terminology, which is not yet stable.
- Development of Huygens-based macroscopic models for Large Intelligent Surfaces (LIS).
- Development of ray-based macroscopic models for LIS.
- Organisation of the measurement setup for model validation.
- Survey of spectrum allocation and propagation characteristics in the potential measurement sites in URM2 and UBO
- Organization of the demo "Metacelestini" to be held in the fall of 2025
- Scientific: modification of Geometrical Optics and Geometrical Theory of Diffraction for the development of a fully ray-based model for reflective, finite-size metasurfaces.
- Industrial: integration of the ray-based macroscopic models for RIS into a ray tracing tool in order to allow link-level and system-level simulation of wireless systems making use of RIS/LIS (ongoing, collaboration with NVIDIA)
papers:
Vitucci EM, Fabiani M, Degli-Esposti V. “Use of a Realistic Ray-Based Model for the Evaluation of Indoor RF Coverage Solutions Using Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces,” MDPI Electronics, 12(5):1173, Feb. 2023. https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics12051173
E. M. Vitucci, N. Cenni, F. Fuschini, V. Degli Esposti, “A Reciprocal Heuristic Model for Diffuse Scattering from Walls and Surfaces,” IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, vol. 71, no. 7, pp. 6072-6083, July 2023. Print ISSN 0018-926X, DOI: 10.1109/TAP.2023.3278796.
E. M. Vitucci, M. Albani, S. Kodra, M. Barbiroli and V. Degli-Esposti, "An Efficient Ray-Based Modeling Approach for Scattering from Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces," in IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, vol. 72, no. 3, pp. 2673-2685, March 2024. doi: 10.1109/TAP.2024.3359288.
As already stated above, we had a collaboration with NVIDIA for the integration of the Huygens-based and ray-based macroscopic models for RIS into "Sionna Ray tracing" open-source software, which is becoming a reference for the scientific and industrial community. Another industrial parter, Telebit, just joined the project through Cascade Calls on June 1st, 2024 and will help us realise the PoC "Metacelestini".
Program partners:
Cascade calls Partners:
The first, fully ray-based macroscopic scattering model for large reflective metasurfaces has been developed.
The project will be extended to transmissive surfaces, improved, and validated vs. near-field and far-field measurements in the follow-on of the work.
There is an ongoing collaboration with NVIDIA corporation to implemented the model into the open-source tool "SIONNA Ray Tracing"
Novel large metasurfaces ("Smart Skins") are being designed and built to realise a PoC and to validate the foregoing macroscopic models
A simplified version of the ray-based model for metasurfaces has been implemented by NVIDIA into the open-source tool "SIONNA Ray Tracing"
The project will be extended to transmissive surfaces, improved, and validated vs. near-field and far-field measurements in the follow-on of the work.
There is an ongoing collaboration with NVIDIA corporation to implemented the model into the open-source tool "SIONNA Ray Tracing"
Novel large metasurfaces ("Smart Skins") are being designed and built to realise a PoC and to validate the foregoing macroscopic models
A simplified version of the ray-based model for metasurfaces has been implemented by NVIDIA into the open-source tool "SIONNA Ray Tracing"
- The project is on schedule for theoretical studies and publications: RL=1.
- The project plan is to publish at least 1 Journal paper and 1 Conference paper per year on the subject: MOSS has already published 2 journal papers, 2 conference papers
- For what concerns equipment, measurements, demos/PoC the project behind schedule due to delays in equipment purchase at UBO. RL=0.3
- Dissemination Events: 1 Training school (ESoA Course on "Short Range Radio propagation" @UBO, with 1 Lesson on Macroscopic Modeling for RIS), 1 Webinar on "Macroscopic ray based modeling of scattering from Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces" in collaboration with EU Projects TIMES and 6G-SHINE. RL=1
- The project is on schedule for project meetings, both online and f2f. RL=1
- The project is contributing to the NVIDIA open source ray tracing tool "SIONNA Ray Tracing" with the ray-based mode for scattering from metasurfaces. RL=1
All milestones (see list below) are due in the future, but readiness level is OK, except for some experimental activities.
- M1 Definition of scenarios and parameters of smart-skins and models 30/06/2024 not yet achieved. RL=1
- M2 Development of macroscopic models for smart skins 30/06/2024 not yet achieved. RL=1
- M3 Measurement chain setup realization 31/12/2025 not yet achieved. RL=0.3
- M4 Model validation vs. measurements 31/12/2025 not yet achieved. RL=0.3
- M5 Proof-of-concept and DEMO "Metacelestini" 31/12/2025 not yet achieved. RL=0.3
Researchers involved: 70 (PhD p/m not included)
Collaboration proposals
MOSS need to realize large metasurfaces at sub 6-GHz and FR2 (26-28 GHz) frequencies at reasonable prices for measurements and DEMO purposes. Transmissive, large meta surfaces would be very useful for the “Metacelestini” DEMO. When other RESTART projects (e.g. Structurral Project S12-SRE) or startups will be ready for LIS realisation we will collaborate with them for the purpose.
For any proposal of collaboration within the project please contact the project PI.