Samsung Electronics and US carrier Verizon Communications Inc. have successfully applied integrated sensing and communication (ISAC), a core 6G technology, to a large-scale real-world event to analyze crowd density in real time. The implementation was achieved using existing telecommunications infrastructure and software, without adding separate sensors or network equipment.
Samsung Electronics announced on Sept. 15 that it conducted a field demonstration of virtualized network-based AI ISAC technology with Verizon at a global sports event held in Texas in July. This marks the industry's first verification of ISAC based on a virtualized network in an actual event environment.
ISAC is a key 6G technology that integrates communication and sensing capabilities into a single network. By analyzing the reflection data of radio signals transmitted and received by base stations, it determines the location, speed, and movement direction of people or objects without separate sensors. It can also be utilized in dark places or blind spots of existing sensors.
In this demonstration, ISAC detected the movements and density of people gathered at the event venue, and AI analyzed the data in real time. The analysis results were visualized as a heatmap showing regional congestion levels. This can be used to identify congested areas at large events such as sports games or concerts, or to guide visitors to relatively clear movement routes.
Samsung Electronics' AI radio access network (AI-RAN) solution, 'Network in a Server' (NIS), was applied to the demonstration. NIS is a solution that implements network functions such as AI, base stations, and core networks in software and integrates computing resources including CPUs and GPUs into a single platform.
By using NIS, new features like ISAC can be introduced simply through software implementation, without replacing existing network equipment or adding separate hardware. Through this demonstration, Samsung Electronics verified the applicability of adding AI and 6G technologies to virtualized networks.
“Amid fierce global competition to take the lead in network AI, Samsung will open the horizon for a new era brought by AI and 6G based on advanced technological capabilities,” said Seol Ji-yoon, vice president and head of the product strategy team for the network business at Samsung Electronics.
