Cross-layer Integrated Sensing and Communication: A Joint Industrial and Academic Perspective

Henk Wymeersch; Nuutti Tervo; Stefan Wänstedt; Sharief Saleh; Joerg Ahlendorf; Ozgur Akgul; Vasileios Tsekenis; Sokratis Barmpounakis; Liping Bai; Martin Beale; Rafael Berkvens; Nabeel Nisar Bhat; Hui Chen; Shrayan Das; Claude Desset; Antonio de la Oliva; Prajnamaya Dass; Jeroen Famaey; Hamed Farhadi; Gerhard P. Fettweis; Yu Ge; Hao Guo; Rreze Halili; Katsuyuki Haneda; Abdur Rahman Mohamed Ismail; Akshay Jain; Sylvaine Kerboeuf; Musa Furkan Keskin; Emad Ibrahim; Bilal Khan; Siddhartha Kumar; Stefan Köpsell; Apostolos Kousaridas; Pekka Kyösti; Simon Lindberg; Mohammad Hossein Moghaddam; Ahmad Nimr; Victor Pettersson; Aarno Pärssinen; Basuki Priyanto; Athanasios Stavridis; Tommy Svensson; Sonika Ujjwal

arXiv · 2505.10933

Cross-layer Integrated Sensing and Communication: A Joint Industrial and Academic Perspective

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Abstract

Integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) enables radio systems to simultaneously sense and communicate with their environment. This paper, developed within the Hexa-X-II project funded by the European Union, presents a comprehensive cross-layer vision for ISAC in 6G networks, integrating insights from physical-layer design, hardware architectures, AI-driven intelligence, and protocol-level innovations. We begin by revisiting the foundational principles of ISAC, highlighting synergies and trade-offs between sensing and communication across different integration levels. Enabling technologies (such as multiband operation, massive and distributed MIMO, non-terrestrial networks, reconfigurable intelligent surfaces, and machine learning) are analyzed in conjunction with hardware considerations including waveform design, synchronization, and full-duplex operation. To bridge implementation and system-level evaluation, we introduce a quantitative cross-layer framework linking design parameters to key performance and value indicators. By synthesizing perspectives from both academia and industry, this paper outlines how deeply integrated ISAC can transform 6G into a programmable and context-aware platform supporting applications from reliable wireless access to autonomous mobility and digital twinning.

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Henk Wymeersch, Nuutti Tervo, Stefan Wänstedt, Sharief Saleh, Joerg Ahlendorf, Ozgur Akgul, Vasileios Tsekenis, Sokratis Barmpounakis, Liping Bai, Martin Beale, Rafael Berkvens, Nabeel Nisar Bhat, Hui Chen, Shrayan Das, Claude Desset, Antonio de la Oliva, Prajnamaya Dass, Jeroen Famaey, Hamed Farhadi, Gerhard P. Fettweis, Yu Ge, Hao Guo, Rreze Halili, Katsuyuki Haneda, Abdur Rahman Mohamed Ismail, Akshay Jain, Sylvaine Kerboeuf, Musa Furkan Keskin, Emad Ibrahim, Bilal Khan, Siddhartha Kumar, Stefan Köpsell, Apostolos Kousaridas, Pekka Kyösti, Simon Lindberg, Mohammad Hossein Moghaddam, Ahmad Nimr, Victor Pettersson, Aarno Pärssinen, Basuki Priyanto, Athanasios Stavridis, Tommy Svensson, Sonika Ujjwal. 2025-07-31. Cross-layer Integrated Sensing and Communication: A Joint Industrial and Academic Perspective. https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.10933

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