WS1: Workshop on Optical Wireless communication Systems (WOWS)

 

Workshop ORGANIZERS

• Rishu Raj, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
• Anand Singh, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, India
• Anand Srivastava, Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology Delhi, India

SCOPE AND MOTIVATION

The field of wireless communication is constantly advancing, with a focus on achieving faster speeds, lower latency, improved reliability, and widespread coverage. The tremendous growth in the number of mobile devices has provided us with an unparalleled level of connectivity, surpassing our expectations from just a few decades ago. However, the escalating demand for wireless connectivity has put strain on the limited radio frequency (RF) resources, prompting the exploration of alternative parts of the electromagnetic spectrum to enhance and expand wireless communication capabilities. Wireless optical communication (WOC) has emerged as a leading contender for future wireless technologies, thanks to advancements in solid-state light sources and detectors. Both academia and industry have invested significant research and implementation efforts into WOC.

By utilizing different optical spectra, WOC can alleviate the burden on traditional RF systems like cellular and Wi-Fi networks. Various WOC technologies exist, including free-space optical (FSO) communications, ultraviolet communications (UVC), optical camera communications (OCC), visible light communications (VLC), and light fidelity (Li-Fi). Each of these technologies offers unique advantages in different implementation scenarios, such as access to a vast unregulated spectrum, higher cell density, enhanced physical layer security, high transmission speeds, and immunity to electromagnetic interference.

However, WOC systems present their own set of challenges due to the distinct properties of optical wave propagation. These challenges encompass channel impairments, susceptibility to weather conditions, mobility management, handover support, compatibility and integration with existing RF networks, and more. Addressing these challenges necessitates the establishment of accurate and tractable models for the optical transmission channel and associated performance boundaries. Additionally, innovative data transmission schemes, medium access control protocols, interference mitigation approaches, and physical layer security techniques must be developed to exploit the full potential of WOC. These solutions need to be tailored to the specific channel models and optical front-end characteristics.

TOPICS OF INTEREST

The objective of this workshop on WOC is to bring together researchers and developers from academia and industry to share their latest work on WOC systems and networks. The workshop invites high-quality technical paper submissions based on original research. A selection of suitable papers will be presented during the workshop, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange in the field of WOC. We cordially invite original contributions in, but not limited to, the following topical areas:

• Underwater WOC networks and system
• WOC for underwater, vehicular, satellite, and UAV applications
• Integration of WOC in 5G/6G and beyond
• WOC for the Internet of Things (IoT)
• Applications of artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) for WOC networks
• Hybrid Wi-Fi/mm-wave/THz/WOC links
• Intelligent reflecting surface (IRS)-aided WOC
• WOC testbeds and experiments
• Coding, modulation, channel modelling, network security, and signal processing for WOC
• Energy harvesting, beam steering, and alignment techniques for WOC
• Optics design, transceiver design, and optimization for WOC
• Multiple access techniques, including NOMA, RSMA, etc., for WOC
• Integrated light-based communication and sensing

WORKSHOP PAPER SUBMISSION

All workshop papers should be submitted via EDAS, WS1: Workshop on Optical Wireless communication Systems (WOWS) track. Full instructions on how to prepare the paper are provided on the lEEE ANTS 2023 website: https://ants2023.ieee-ants.org/submission-guidelines