KEYNOTE 1: Prof. Nei Kato
Title: Emerging WLANs Technology: Future Directions and Open Challenges
Abstract：
The 802.11 IEEE standard aims to update current Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) standards to meet the high demands of future applications, such as 8K videos, augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR), the Internet of Things, telesurgery, and more. Two of the latest developments in WLAN technologies are IEEE 802.11be and 802.11ay, also known as Wi-Fi 7 and WiGig, respectively. These standards aim to provide Extremely High Throughput (EHT) and lower latencies. IEEE 802.11be includes new features such as 320 MHz bandwidth, multi-link operation, Multi-user Multi-Input Multi-Output (MIMO), orthogonal frequency-division multiple access, and Multiple-Access Point (multi-AP) cooperation (MAP-Co) to achieve EHT. With the increase in the number of overlapping Access Points (APs) and inter-AP interference, researchers have focused on studying MAP-Co approaches for coordinated transmission in IEEE 802.11be, making MAP-Co a key feature of future WLANs. Additionally, the high overlapping AP densities in EHF bands, due to their smaller coverage, must be addressed in future standards beyond IEEE 802.11ay, specifically with respect to the challenges of implementing MAP-Co over 60GHz bands. In this talk, the state-of-the-art in MAP-Co features and their drawbacks concerning emerging WLAN, several novel future directions and open challenges will be provided.
Bio:
Nei Kato is a full professor and the Dean with Graduate School of Information Sciences, Tohoku University. He has researched on computer networking, wireless mobile communications, satellite communications, ad hoc & sensor & mesh networks, UAV networks, AI, IoT, and Big Data. He is the Editor-in-Chief of IEEE Internet of Things Journal, the fellow committee chair of IEEE VTS. He is a Fellow of the Engineering Academy of Japan, a Fellow of IEEE, and a Fellow of IEICE.
KEYNOTE 2: Prof. Shiwen Mao
Bio:
Prof. Mao’s research interest includes wireless networks, multimedia communications, and smart grid. He is a Distinguished Lecturer of IEEE Communications Society and IEEE Council of RFID, and the editor-in-chief of IEEE Transactions on Cognitive Communications and Networking. He was the General Chair of IEEE INFOCOM 2022, a TPC Chair of IEEE INFOCOM 2018, and a TPC Vice-Chair of IEEE GLOBECOM 2022. He received the IEEE ComSoc MMTC Outstanding Researcher Award in 2023, the SEC (Southeastern Conference) 2023 Faculty Achievement Award for Auburn, the IEEE ComSoc TC-CSR Distinguished Technical Achievement Award in 2019, the Auburn University Creative Research & Scholarship Award in 2018, and the NSF CAREER Award in 2010, and several service awards from the IEEE. He is a co-recipient of the 2022 Best Journal Paper Award of IEEE ComSoc eHealth Technical Committee, the 2021 Best Paper Award of Elsevier/KeAi Digital Communications and Networks Journal, the 2021 IEEE Internet of Things Journal Best Paper Award, the 2021 IEEE Communications Society Outstanding Paper Award, the IEEE Vehicular Technology Society 2020 Jack Neubauer Memorial Award, the 2018 Best Journal Paper Award and the 2017 Best Conference Paper Award from IEEE ComSoc MMTC, and the 2004 IEEE Communications Society Leonard G. Abraham Prize in the Field of Communications Systems. He is a co-recipient of the Best Paper Awards from IEEE GLOBECOM 2023 (two), 2019, 2016, and 2015, IEEE ICC 2022 and 2013, and IEEE WCNC 2015, and the Best Demo Awards from IEEE INFOCOM 2022 and IEEE SECON 2017.
KEYNOTE 3: Prof. Tony Q.S. Quek
Title: A Pathway towards Future Network Intelligence: RAN Intelligent Controller meets Digital Twin Networks
Abstract：
The RA intelligent controller (RIC) is cloud native and a central component of an AI and virtualized RAN network. The RIC enables to deployment of machine learning and AI techniques to optimize resources and services in the RAN. Thus, it is an important component that brings intelligence, agility, and programmability to the radio access network. On the other hand, digital twin networks (DTW) are real-time replicas of physical networks. They are emerging as a powerful technology for design, diagnosis, simulation, what-if-analysis, and AI-driven real-time optimization and control of 6G wireless networks. In this talk, we will share our journey in building up AI RAN networks that allow us to bring together RIC and DTW to better understand how to design future wireless networks. Furthermore, we will also share Singapore’s first national Future Communications Research and Development Programme (FCP), which funds our work in this area.
Bio：
Tony Q.S. Quek received the B.E. and M.E. degrees in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Tokyo Institute of Technology, respectively. At Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he earned the Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Currently, he is the Cheng Tsang Man Chair Professor with Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) and ST Engineering Distinguished Professor. He also serves as the Head of ISTD Pillar, Director for Future Communications R&D Programme, Sector Lead for SUTD AI Program, and the Deputy Director of SUTD-ZJU IDEA. His current research topics include wireless communications and networking, 6G, network intelligence, non-terrestrial networks, and open radio access network.
Dr. Quek is currently serving as an Area Editor for the IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications. He was an Executive Editorial Committee Member of the IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications, an Editor of the IEEE Transactions on Communications, and an Editor of the IEEE Wireless Communications Letters. He received the 2008 Philip Yeo Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Research, the 2012 IEEE William R. Bennett Prize, the 2016 IEEE Signal Processing Society Young Author Best Paper Award, the 2017 CTTC Early Achievement Award, the 2017 IEEE ComSoc AP Outstanding Paper Award, the 2020 IEEE Communications Society Young Author Best Paper Award, the 2020 IEEE Stephen O. Rice Prize, the 2020 Nokia Visiting Professorship, and the the 2022 IEEE Signal Processing Society Best Paper Award. He is a Fellow of IEEE and a Fellow of the Academy of Engineering Singapore.