ITRI Partners with EU 6G-SANDBOX for Advanced 6G R&D

At the 2024 EU-TW 6G SNS Joint Workshop in Taipei, the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), alongside its Taiwanese partners and the EU 6G-SANDBOX, presented the outcomes of their collaboration, showcasing advancements in the 6G trial network, including ISAC technology and reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) solutions.

Under the 6G-SANDBOX project, ITRI has partnered with LITEON, Auray, Groundhog, National Sun Yat-sen University, Keysight, IS-Wireless, Siradel, University of Málaga, and Queen's University Belfast to establish the world's largest 6G trial network. This collaboration leverages advanced O-RAN communication and integrated sensing technologies, such as AI-based human posture recognition and 3D sensing imaging techniques, to create a testing environment for a wide range of vertical applications.

The RISFORCE team, which includes ITRI, BenQ Materials, TMYTEK, YTTEK, and National Chung Cheng University, is also part of the 6G-SANDBOX project. In February 2025, four RIS solutions from the RISFORCE team will be validated in real-world scenarios in Spain, together with Keysight, Nokia, Telefonica, and the University of Malaga, to enhance the ecosystem for 6G R&D collaboration between the EU and Taiwan.

Since 2016, ITRI has been an active participant in European communications R&D initiatives, successfully completing six projects along with more than 30 teams from 10 countries. These efforts have focused on areas such as smart manufacturing and disaster relief drones. Looking forward, ITRI remains committed to deepening its collaboration with European partners in 6G R&D, with a focus on three key pillars: openness, sustainability, and intelligence. The Institute invites partners from both home and abroad to join its 6G trials and foster innovations that support global sustainability objectives.

By leveraging digital twin technology for large-scale network simulations, ITRI aims to significantly enhance intelligent 6G network operations. This continued collaboration between Taiwan and the EU is expected to provide both regions with a strategic advantage in the commercialization of 6G technology and the shaping of global standards.

The workshop was co-hosted by the Department of Industrial Technology (DoIT), the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) and the European Commission's Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content, and Technology (DG CNECT). Opening remarks were delivered by Dr. Chyou-Huey Chiou, Director General of DoIT, MOEA; Pearse O'Donohue, Director of Future Networks at DG CNECT; and Dr. Colin Willcock, Chairman of 6G-IA.

Other key figures included Erzsebet Fitori, Executive Director of the EU 6G SNS Project Office; Harald Haas, Van Eck Professor of Engineering at the University of Cambridge; Emilio Calvanese Strinati, 6G-GOALS and 6G-DISAC project coordinator and Scientific Innovation Director of Smart Devices, Telecommunications and Security at CEA-Leti; Rahim Tafazolli, Head of the Institute for Communication Systems at the University of Surrey; Navid Nikaein, CEO and Founder of BubbleRAN (6G-SENSES partner); and Michael Dieudonné, Senior Director of Keysight (coordinator for 6G-SANDBOX). There were also representatives from Taiwanese entities, including Chunghwa Telecom, Compal, LITEON, BenQ Materials, Auden, Groundhog, TMYTEK, YTTEK, CTOne, ITRI, National Taiwan University, and National Tsing Hua University. Participants exchanged insights and explored significant future 6G collaboration opportunities.