The International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore (IIIT-B) has reportedly developed reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) panels that function as ‘smart walls’ to redirect or concentrate radio signals. This enhances network speed and energy efficiency and is expected to be pivotal for forthcoming 6G systems while also improving today’s 5G-advanced networks.
A key advantage of RIS is ease of deployment on existing 5G-Advanced infrastructure, since panels can be mounted on walls or poles to patch coverage gaps in hotspots, operating like a plug-and-play upgrade without major civil or hardware changes.
Meanwhile, for future 6G rollouts, RIS can be integrated into network design from the outset to enable smarter beam management and optimised performance.
But for fast-moving users, channel conditions vary rapidly, making it difficult for panels to respond in time, which can cause delays or weaker links. To address this, researchers are developing predictive beamforming and artificial intelligence (AI)-based mobility tracking that anticipates user movement and adjusts beams automatically.
Additionally, RIS must coordinate with nearby base stations to work effectively, necessitating updates to current network protocols and control signalling. IIIT-B’s team is building AI-driven control systems that tune panels in real time to maintain performance without manual intervention.
The institute’s next steps include software-defined RIS with AI-based control and trials of multiple panels operating together to further enhance overall network performance.
