The PREDICT-6G project has made remarkable progress in advancing its mission to develop deterministic, predictable and time-sensitive network systems, positioning ourselves at the forefront of the research and technology development that will shape the future of wireless and fixed networks.

Achievements of the Past Year

Over the past year, PREDICT-6G has evolved from fundamental research to actionable technological innovation, as we moved from 6G use case analysis and system architecture definition to the actual development of the data plane and control plane technology. 

These are some of the key accomplishments during this period:

  • Use Case Analysis and Architecture Development

In the past months, we focused on the in-depth analysis of potential 6G use cases covering areas that require extreme reliability, such as industrial automation and critical communications. These provided essential information on network determinism requirements for a novel architecture capable of supporting 6G’s time-sensitive services. Security implications were carefully considered, recognising that 6G networks will be heavily integrated into critical infrastructure. We also laid the groundwork for business analyses that would ensure the economic feasibility and sustainability of the developed solutions.

  • Advancements in Data Plane Technology – The MDP

A core focus of our work has been the enhacement of existing network technologies, specifically 3GPP and IEEE 802.11, to meet the demands of time-sensitive communication. To reduce network jitter – a crucial requirement for many real-time applications – we developed new mechanisms at the Radio Access Network (RAN) level, for 3GPP and IEEE 802.11. In addition, we have designed and implemented bridging systems to connect IEEE 802.1 Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) and 3GPP networks. This interconnection is essential to provide seamless end-to-end support for time-sensitive services, especially in mixed technology environments that integrate wireless and wired communication systems. 

Our most significant accomplishment in the Data Plane area has been the integration of various networking technologies into a unified Deterministic Networking (DetNet) based data plane. To achieve this, we developed multiple encapsulation mechanisms that allow different network standards to operate cohesively. This integration guarantees the transmission of deterministic data flows with strict latency and reliability,  key features for applications requiring real-time responses. Open APIs were defined to facilitate interaction between the Data Plane and the Control Plane, enabling a more efficient and dynamic network management.

  • Control Plane and Management Functions – The AICP

The Control Plane, which orchestrates and manages the highly diverse technologies of the Data Plane, has been another critical area of development. Our efforts over the past year involved creating new abstractions that allow the different technologies comprising our Data Plane – 3GPP, IEEE 802.11, and IEEE 802.1 TSN – to interoperate seemessly. Moreover, the necessary management functions identified are now being translated into the implementation of essential services and corresponding APIs.

These management functions and abstractions enable greater flexibility and scalability in controlling time-sensitive services across heterogeneous networks, ensuring that the necessary quality of service (QoS) parameters are met.

Looking ahead – Demonstrating the technologies in the real-world

As we approach the final stage of the project, PREDICT-6G is focused on the implementation, demonstration and refinement of the technologies developed in real-world environments in collaboration with leading European research labs in Spain and Hungary. 

In the 5TONIC lab, located in Madrid, we are working towards a fully integrated Data Plane demonstration that includes the IEEE 802.11, IEEE 802.1 TSN, and 3GPP domains. This demonstration will show the real-world capabilities of our technologies, focusing on a specific use case: gesture-based remote control of a robot. This application is particularly demanding in terms of latency and reliability, making it an ideal candidate to test the performance of our deterministic network solutions. The successful implementation of this use case will demonstrate how 6G networks can facilitate advanced human-machine interaction in highly time-sensitive environments.

At the Budapest Nokia Lab, we are working on a complementary demonstration focused on critical services enabled by digital twins. This demonstration will show how deterministic networks can support highly sensitive and mission-critical applications, such as industrial automation and remote operation, by ensuring that the digital twin remains perfectly synchronised with its physical counterpart.

We anticipate that these demonstrations will validate the unique capabilities of the PREDICT-6G technologies, providing evidence of their applicability to future 6G networks. By the end of this project, we expect to have made significant advances that will shape the future of 6G, not only in terms of technology, but also in supporting critical real-time applications across multiple sectors.

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