Representatives from the 6G-life transfer hub gathered with leading American researchers for a high-profile, two-day joint workshop in Boston. Hosted in close collaboration with Northeastern University, the workshop fostered in-depth discussions on communications, quantum technologies, large-scale testbeds, and AI-native 6G entrepreneurship.
Prof. Frank Fitzek (TU Dresden/6G-life) and Prof. Tommaso Melodia (Northeastern University) opened the event with introductory remarks, setting the stage for an intensive research exchange between German and U.S. faculty members.
Contributions from our researchers:
- Bio-Inspired Architectures: Dr. Pit Hofmann gave a talk titled “6G and Beyond: Back to the Roots with Analog and Biological,” presenting fresh perspectives on integrating analog and biological concepts into future network designs.
- Quantum Communication: Professor Riccardo Bassoli discussed “Quantum Technologies for 6G: Challenges and Opportunities,” addressing how to integrate quantum systems to improve the security and processing power of 6G architectures.
The first day concluded with interactive lab tours and live technology demonstrations led by INSI researchers and faculty. These demonstrations provided delegates with hands-on insight into state-of-the-art wireless testbeds.
Keynotes, Startup Ecosystems, and Campus Insights
On the second day, the focus was on keynotes and strategic discussions about network infrastructure, AI integration, and commercialization strategies.
- Prof. Wolfgang Kellerer (TU München), co-chair of 6G-life, delivered a keynote titled “Wireless Wide Area 6G Research Infrastructure Run.” He illustrated how large-scale, open testbeds across Munich and Dresden enable reproducible, low-latency experimental research.
- In a dedicated fireside chat, Florian Sägebrecht (Coordinator of the 6G-life startup incubator launchhub42) joined Peter Kappel, Ted Werth, and Salvatore D’Oro to explore pathways for translating academic 6G and AI research into viable deep tech startups.
- Pioneering Perspectives: A standout keynote was delivered by Prof. Muriel Médard (MIT). Her influential research and leadership as a prominent female voice in information theory and networking inspired the international audience.
Additional contributions were made by renowned experts from both sides of the Atlantic, including Aydin Sezgin, Heiko Lehmann, Christian Wietfeld, Josep M. Jornet, Osvaldo Simeone, Stratis Ioannidis, Mallesham Dasari, and Francesco Restuccia.
Beyond the formal program, the delegation gained valuable technical and institutional insights during a guided visit to the MIT IBM Lab and the MIT and Harvard campuses, hosted by Hendrik Strobelt.
The successful two-day workshop underscored 6G-life’s strong commitment to international cooperation. By fostering collaboration between Germany and the United States, 6G-life continues to develop resilient, secure, and human-centric 6G infrastructure and accelerate deep tech innovation, “From Lab to Life.”
