FAU helps shape new national 6G transfer hub

Open6GHub+ launched – funding strengthens the path from research to application

With Open6GHub+, a new national transfer hub for the upcoming 6G mobile communications generation has begun its work – and Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) is part of it. The aim is to transfer scientific findings more quickly into concrete applications, technical standards, and marketable products. FAU is to receive 1.65 million euros in funding for taking on key tasks in the areas of security, reliability, and modem technology.

FAU takes on key missions

At FAU, Prof. Dr. Norman Franchi from the Chair of Smart Electronics and Systems (LITES) and Prof. Dr. Martin Vossiek from the Chair of Microwaves and Photonics (LHFT) are leading the research and transfer activities. Within Open6GHub+, FAU coordinates the topics of trustworthiness and security of 6G networks as well as developing a 6G radio modem “Made in Europe.”

FAU focuses on the strong integration of autonomous networks and modern communication protocols to ensure the reliability and efficiency of the networks even in crisis situations. To test the technologies developed and their feasibility, the two chairs operate open labs on FAU’s Campus Erlangen South. In addition, the chairs work closely with international standardization bodies to actively shape future communication standards.

“Our goal is to make a decisive contribution towards implementing 6G technology in real-world scenarios.” It’s not just about increasing speed and stable connectivity for communication, but also about developing networks that are secure, resilient, and trustworthy,” explains Prof. Dr. Norman Franchi, who coordinates the project at FAU. “We also want to contribute the expertise we have already acquired to develop a European modem to promote independence in communications technology. Through our practice-oriented research and close collaboration with partners from science and industry, we at Open6GHub+ are making a decisive contribution to the application-oriented implementation of 6G technology.”

6G: More than just fast mobile communications

The sixth generation of mobile communications, 6G, is expected to enable significantly higher data rates in the future. Not only that, it should also form the basis for networked industrial facilities, autonomous vehicles, digital agriculture, or smart energy grids. The requirements for security, fail-safe protection, and reliability of the networks are correspondingly high.

One focus of Open6GHub+ is integrating artificial intelligence into 6G. The consortium develops AI-based network functions and uses generative and hybrid AI to design, implement, and specify future mobile communications technologies more quickly. In addition, AI-based digital twins of networks and applications are being created to test and optimize new services before they are rolled out into the real world.

In addition, Open6GHub+ connects ground-based networks with drones and non-terrestrial platforms to form 3D networks. This creates ubiquitous, resilient connectivity that continues to function reliably even when traditional mobile networks reach their limits – for example, in agriculture, logistics, or critical infrastructure. Other focal points include laying the groundwork for intelligent 6G modems “Made in Europe” in the areas of end devices and NTN, as well as for autonomous 6G subnets. Depending on the area of application, these meet very high requirements regarding resilience, security, and trustworthiness.

Strong consortium for future technology

Open6GHub+ is funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) and is part of the German government’s national 6G program. The project builds on the work of the successfully completed Open6GHub research project and now focuses on practical implementation. The aim is to ensure that new findings from research flow into industrial applications at an early stage. The project is supplemented by 6G-SENSORIA, which is funded by the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs and incorporates regional specifications and partners.

In addition to FAU, the consortium includes the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI), the Fraunhofer Institute for Open Communication Systems FOKUS, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), and the universities of Darmstadt, Bremen, Stuttgart, and Kaiserslautern-Landau.