UC3M leads European project to create 6G networks that interact intelligently with their surroundings
3/10/25
Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) is coordinator on MultiX, a European scientific project involving seventeen research centres and technology companies from seven countries, which aims to revolutionize future 6G communication networks by transforming their design and operation. Using an innovative system that integrates multisensory perception, MultiX aims to make networks capable of observing their surroundings and interacting with them intelligently in real time. The innovation seeks to transform sectors as important as healthcare facilities or the autonomous vehicle industry.
“What we want to achieve through the development of this technology is for networks to stop being simple communication providers and become active observers of reality, capable of interacting with it,” explains the project coordinator, Antonio de la Oliva, professor in the UC3M Telematics Engineering Department. “To do this, we want to use multiple tools, such as cameras, sensors and communications networks acting as humidity sensors simultaneously. In this way we will be able to have a broader vision of what is happening around us and design a new access network in which everything is connected.”
The people behind this project have explained that one of the many applications of this new technology is to make networks capable of recognizing if there is a higher concentration of people in a certain area, if an elderly person has suffered a fall at home, or to optimize the distribution of coverage by dynamically adapting to the needs of users.
Other potential uses that MultiX is currently working on are industrial automation processes and home-connected healthcare. “On the one hand, we want networks to be able to coordinate the movement of robots in real time, detecting obstacles and enabling more efficient task management,” explains Antonio de la Oliva. “On the other hand, the project is working on contactless health monitoring in the domestic environment. That is, through connected home devices, it will be possible to monitor vital signs such as heart rate or respiration. In fact, the network could even detect emergency situations, such as a heart attack, and potentially alert health services.”
MultiX is also notable with regard to its focus on sustainability, a key challenge for 6G technology. Therefore, in order to maximize energy efficiency and reduce resource consumption, the project uses artificial intelligence to implement low-power solutions and thus adapt to the requirements of future networks.
The project will substantiate its progress through two proof-of-concepts designed to demonstrate practical applications of the technologies developed. The first consists of a multilayer digital network twin, aimed at optimizing processes in the field of industrial manufacturing. The second proof will focus on contactless health monitoring in the home environment, with the aim of transforming home healthcare. These technologies, combined with AI, could optimize diagnosis and treatment in health-related matters even from home, according to the researchers.
The MultiX project has been funded by the European Commission under the Horizon Europe programme (GA 101192521) and involves: Apple Technology Engineering BV&CO (Germany), BubbleRAN (France), Siemens AG (Germany), Telefónica S.A. (Spain), Networks (Italy), INTEL Deutschland GmbH (Germany), InterDigital Europe Ltd. (United Kingdom), Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Telecommunicazioni (Italy), the Leibniz Institute for High Performance Microelectronics (Germany), the Fundació Privada i2CAT - Internet i Innovació Digital a Catalunya (Spain), the IMDEA Networks Foundation (Spain), the Institute for Acceleration Systems and Applications (Greece), NEC Laboratories Europe GmbH (Germany), Hellenic Telecommunications Organization S.A. OTE (Greece), Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Belgium), Universidad de Cantabria and Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (Spain). Within this organizational structure, Professor Antonio de la Oliva (UC3M) acts as Principal Researcher, Valerio Frascolla (INTEL) as Innovation Director and Xi Li (NEC) as Technical Director. The project began in January 2025 and is expected to complete its work in June 2027.
MultiX project website:
