Next Generation Terahertz Communications: A Rendezvous of Sensing, Imaging, and Localization

TL;DR

This paper envisions the transformative potential of Terahertz band communications, emphasizing the integration of sensing, imaging, and localization to enhance environment-aware systems for beyond-5G applications.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive vision of how THz sensing, imaging, and localization can coalesce, highlighting their combined impact on next-generation wireless systems.

Findings

THz applications have unique characteristics at the band.

Integration of sensing, imaging, and localization enhances system performance.

Machine learning plays a key role in resource allocation for THz systems.

Abstract

Terahertz (THz)-band communications are celebrated as a key enabling technology for next-generation wireless systems that promises to integrate a wide range of data-demanding and delay-sensitive applications. Following recent advancements in optical, electronic, and plasmonic transceiver design, integrated, adaptive, and efficient THz systems are no longer far-fetched. In this paper, we present a progressive vision of how the traditional "THz gap" will transform into a "THz rush" over the next few years. We posit that the breakthrough that the THz band will introduce will not be solely driven by achievable high data rates, but more profoundly by the interaction between THz sensing, imaging, and localization applications. We first detail the peculiarities of each of these applications at the THz band. Then, we illustrate how their coalescence results in enhanced environment-aware system performance in beyond-5G use cases. We further discuss the implementation aspects of this merging of applications in the context of shared and dedicated resource allocation, highlighting the role of machine learning.