New lab infrastructure to investigate extra-large MIMO and digital twins for 6G 

Ico_CTTC

As part of the EMERGE6G and IMMERSE6G projects, CTTC has secured nearly €4 million to acquire a cutting-edge infrastructure for advanced 6G experimentation.  

On one hand, the infrastructure will feature up to three SDR-based modules, each equipped with 32 Radio Frequency (RF) chains, enabling the evaluation of key technical scenarios such as distributed base stations, cell-free architectures, and XL-MIMO (with 96 RF chains in a centralized setup) at sub-6 GHz frequencies. A special focus will be placed on near-field communications, leveraging multiple polarizations for enhanced performance.  

On the other hand, addressing complex research challenges requires increased computational capacity. The IMMERSE6G infrastructure is designed to support:  

  1. AI-intensive computing, powered by state-of-the-art GPUs for deep learning and intelligent network optimization.  
  1. Non-AI-intensive computing, utilizing low-power GPUs, CPUs, and FPGAs for efficient processing.  
  1. Metaverse and digital twin applications, advancing virtual environments for 6G research. 

The infrastructure will integrate up to 24 NVIDIA H200/H100 GPUs, 16 NVIDIA L40S, and high-performance servers, providing unprecedented computational power for 6G experimentation. These resources will enable CTTC to develop disruptive learning and computing techniques, implement digital twins, and explore metaverse applications for next-generation wireless networks.

Contact us: mwc25@cttc.es