Rotatable Array-Aided Hybrid Beamforming Enables Integrated Sensing and Communication for Next-Generation Networks

The increasing demand for both high-speed communication and detailed environmental awareness drives innovation in wireless technology, and researchers are now exploring ways to combine these functions into a single system. Zequan Wang, Liang Yin, Yitong Liu, and colleagues at Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications address a key challenge in this emerging field of Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) by investigating a novel antenna architecture that physically rotates to optimise performance. Their work focuses on ‘rotatable array-aided hybrid beamforming’, a technique that intelligently directs signals for both communication and sensing, and crucially, balances system effectiveness with practical hardware limitations. By developing an algorithm that optimises antenna rotation and signal direction, the team demonstrates a significant improvement in overall system performance compared to traditional fixed antenna designs, paving the way for more efficient and versatile wireless networks.

The architecture based on three-dimensional rotatable antennas currently faces limitations. Balancing system performance with hardware costs in challenging wireless environments remains a crucial issue. This research focuses on hybrid beamforming technology, leveraging rotatable antennas to optimise performance in multi-user integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) systems. Scientists address these complexities by developing a novel approach to optimise beamforming while managing computational demands.

Six-Dimensional Antennas Optimise Sensing and Communication

This research introduces a new approach to integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) systems, employing a six-dimensional movable antenna (6DMA) architecture to significantly improve performance. Scientists developed a beamforming design for multi-user ISAC, addressing the challenge of balancing performance with hardware costs in realistic wireless conditions. The team transformed a complex optimisation problem using mathematical techniques, then implemented an algorithm to efficiently solve it. A key achievement is the derivation of a formula to dynamically adjust the antenna’s rotation angle, using established mathematical principles and a two-stage optimisation method.

This allows the antenna to adapt to spatial variations in the wireless channel, enhancing both communication and sensing capabilities. Simulations demonstrate that this system improves overall performance compared to traditional fixed-position antennas. Researchers specifically investigated the integration of movable antennas, and particularly the 6DMA, to enhance communication capacity and sensing ability. Simulations confirm the effectiveness of the 6DMA in improving channel capacity, and the team derived detailed expressions for channel gain under both predictable and random channel conditions. This work establishes a foundation for customized sensing and communication services through flexible regulation of antenna position and rotation, offering a pathway to more efficient and adaptable wireless systems.

Rotatable Antennas Enhance Sensing and Communication

This research presents a new approach to integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) systems, focusing on the use of rotatable antennas to improve performance. The team developed a method for optimising beamforming in these systems, jointly adjusting the antenna’s rotation and the transmission of signals to maximise both communication speed and sensing accuracy. By transforming a complex optimisation problem using established mathematical techniques and an alternating optimisation framework, they derived efficient solutions for adjusting the antenna’s angle and signal transmission parameters. Simulation results demonstrate that this rotatable antenna-based system significantly outperforms traditional fixed-position antenna systems.

Notably, the research shows that a system with fewer antennas and radio frequency components can achieve comparable, and even superior, performance to a larger, more complex fixed system, offering potential for reduced hardware costs. The study also analysed the sensing beam pattern, confirming that the rotatable antenna effectively focuses sensing signals, improving accuracy. The authors acknowledge that performance gains depend on specific system parameters. Future work could explore the application of this method in more complex scenarios and investigate its performance in real-world environments, potentially paving the way for more efficient and cost-effective wireless networks that can simultaneously communicate and sense their surroundings.