SIM/FIM-Empowered Signal Processing for Integrated Communication, Sensing, and Computing in 6G Networks

Dear Colleagues,

As 6G networks evolve toward ubiquitous intelligence, native sensing, massive connectivity and distributed computing, wireless systems are expected to move beyond conventional communication-centric designs. Integrated communication, sensing and computing has emerged as a key paradigm for enabling future networks to simultaneously transmit information, perceive physical environments and support edge intelligence. In this context, intelligent metasurfaces are no longer regarded merely as passive reflecting devices, but are becoming programmable electromagnetic platforms capable of participating in signal transformation, wave-domain processing and environment-aware network optimization.

This Special Issue focuses on stacked intelligent metasurfaces/flexible intelligent metasurfaces-empowered signal processing for integrated communication, sensing and computing in 6G networks. Stacked intelligent metasurfaces, with multi-layer programmable electromagnetic structures, provide a promising approach to performing wave-domain signal processing before conventional baseband operations. Flexible intelligent metasurfaces, enabled by deformable, conformal, or mechanically reconfigurable surfaces, introduce new degrees of freedom in geometry, deployment and environment adaptation. By integrating stacked intelligent metasurfaces and flexible intelligent metasurfaces with advanced signal processing, future 6G systems may achieve more efficient beamforming, sensing, interference management, semantic extraction and distributed computing with reduced hardware complexity and energy consumption.

Although existing studies on RIS, MIMO, ISAC and AI-native wireless networks have made significant progress, the unique capabilities and challenges of stacked intelligent metasurfaces/flexible intelligent metasurfaces-enabled integrated communication, sensing and computing remain insufficiently explored. In particular, fundamental questions remain regarding cross-domain modeling between the electromagnetic, spatial, baseband and computing domains; task-oriented signal processing for simultaneous communication, sensing and computation; learning-based control of high-dimensional metasurface parameters; robust optimization under practical hardware constraints; and deployment in dynamic scenarios such as low-altitude networks, vehicular networks and edge-intelligent systems. This Special Issue aims to supplement existing literature by providing a focused forum for theories, algorithms, architectures and experimental studies that reveal how stacked intelligent metasurfaces and flexible intelligent metasurfaces can reshape the signal processing foundations of next-generation 6G networks.

Both original research articles and review papers are welcome. Topics include, but are not limited to:

• Stacked intelligent metasurfaces/flexible intelligent metasurfaces-enabled integrated communication, sensing and computing systems;
• Signal processing, beamforming and precoding for stacked intelligent metasurfaces/flexible intelligent metasurfaces-empowered 6G networks;
• Electromagnetic-domain and wave-domain computing with stacked intelligent metasurfaces;
• Flexible, conformal, movable, or mechanically reconfigurable intelligent metasurface designs;
• Cross-domain modeling and optimization across electromagnetic, spatial, baseband and computing domains;
• AI-driven resource allocation and metasurface control for integrated communication, sensing and computing;
• Robust signal processing under hardware impairments, imperfect CSI and practical deployment constraints;
• Stacked intelligent metasurfaces/flexible intelligent metasurfaces-assisted edge computing, semantic communications and distributed intelligence;
• Stacked intelligent metasurfaces/flexible intelligent metasurfaces-enabled sensing, localization, tracking and environment reconstruction;
• Applications of Stacked intelligent metasurfaces/flexible intelligent metasurfaces-empowered integrated communication, sensing and computing in low-altitude networks, UAV networks, vehicular networks and smart environments.

Dr. Enyu Shi
Dr. Wei Shi
Dr. Jiancheng An
Dr. Qingchao Li
Dr. Zhe Wang
Guest Editors

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• stacked intelligent metasurfaces
• flexible intelligent metasurfaces
• signal processing
• integrated communication sensing and computing