IIT Kharagpur, Ericsson join forces for groundbreaking research in AI, Compute, 6G Networks

Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT Kharagpur) has forged a significant collaboration with Ericsson, marking a long-term commitment to joint research in the fields of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Compute, and Radio. The partnership aims to advance research towards 6G networks, with two milestone agreements formalized to facilitate collaboration between researchers from both institutions.

The signing ceremony took place alongside a symposium on Radio and Network research at GS Sanyal School of Telecommunications (GSSST). Leaders from Ericsson Research and IIT Kharagpur engaged in discussions on the future of networks and communication, showcasing the shared commitment to driving innovation in these critical domains.

Prof. Virendra Kumar Tewari, Director of IIT Kharagpur, emphasized the collaboration’s role in contributing to Digital India and positioning the country as a technological innovation hub. The focus on 6G networks integrated with AI is expected to enhance the efficiency of AI-powered applications. IIT Kharagpur aims to play a pivotal role in various aspects, including Radio Access Technology, Core Network, RF & Device Technologies, VLSI Design, Neuromorphic Signal Processing, and more.

Prof. Rintu Banerjee, Dean of Research and Development at IIT Kharagpur, provided insights into the ongoing sponsored research and industrial consultancy activities at the institute. The collaboration aligns well with the dynamic management of compute offload at the edge, driven by AI policies, crucial for Ericsson’s 6G networks.

Dr Magnus Frodigh, Head of Ericsson Research, expressed excitement about the collaboration, describing it as pivotal to Radio, Compute, and AI research. He presented Ericsson’s vision for 6G, emphasizing the fusion of the physical and digital worlds to improve the quality of life.

Nitin Bansal, Managing Director of Ericsson India, highlighted Ericsson’s leadership in 5G and its commitment to significant R&D investments in India.

The collaboration aims to make strides in affordable network platforms for widespread connectivity across the country.

Key initiatives finalized between the two organizations include projects focused on compute offload and resource optimization at edge compute. This project explores resource optimization, dynamic observability, and sustainable distributed and edge computing technologies.

Another initiative delves into Reinforcement Learning (RL) based Beamforming for Joint Communication and Sensing (JCAS), aiming to employ causal AI methods for JCAS.

The symposium featured notable speakers and panelists from both institutions, underlining the collaborative spirit and shared dedication to pushing the boundaries of research in AI, Compute, and 6G networks.

The partnership is poised to contribute significantly to India’s technological landscape and global advancements in the telecommunications sector.