Task-Oriented Communications for Future Wireless Networks
A special issue of Information (ISSN 2078-2489). This special issue belongs to the section "Information and Communications Technology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2026 | Viewed by 869
Special Issue Editors
Interests: information theory; B5G/6G communication technology; next-generation wireless communications; UAV communication; physical layer security
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: satellite communications; green communications; cognitive radios; physical layer security; integrated sensing and communication; multiple access; unmanned aerial vehicle; resource allocation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: deep learning for wireless communications; reinforcement learning; information fusion; UAV communication
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The evolution of future wireless networks is driven by increasingly diverse, task-specific demands. Traditional communication paradigms typically prioritize maximizing connectivity and throughput, often at the expense of addressing the unique requirements of individual tasks. This can result in inefficient resource utilization, excessive energy consumption and suboptimal performance in dynamic environments. To overcome these limitations, task-oriented communication has emerged as a transformative approach. This paradigm emphasizes task-specific objectives, such as latency, reliability or computational efficiency, by intelligently modeling task semantics, adaptively allocating resources and optimizing across different layers. In this situation, this transition from a “connection-centric” to a “task-centric” design is aligned with the core principle of entropy reduction in complex systems, which seeks to minimize uncertainty and maximize utility in future wireless networks. However, several critical challenges remain unresolved, including the lack of unified theoretical frameworks for task-performance metrics and scalable algorithms for coordinating multi-dimensional resources. Therefore, we can conduct interdisciplinary research by using information theory, machine learning and network science, thereby enhancing the service quality of future wireless networks.
This Special Issue seeks to establish a premier platform for advancing task-oriented communications in future wireless networks, bridging theoretical innovation with practical implementation. We invite original research articles and comprehensive reviews that address fundamental questions, algorithmic breakthroughs, system designs, experimental validations and real-world applications. Contributions are encouraged to explore the synergy between task-oriented principles and entropy-related concepts (e.g., information entropy, system complexity and energy efficiency), spanning topics from AI-driven task adaptation to secure and sustainable network architectures. By fostering collaboration among academia and industry, this issue aims to accelerate the transition toward intelligent, efficient and trustworthy wireless ecosystems tailored to evolving task demands.
Authors are encouraged to submit original research papers and review articles on a wide range of topics including, but not limited to, the following:
- Theoretical frameworks and entropy-based performance metrics for task-oriented communications
- AI-driven, context-aware networking for dynamic mission requirements
- Joint optimization of multi-modal tasks
- Integrated sensing and communication (ISAC)
- Edge intelligence-enabled architectures for task-oriented communication systems
- Energy-efficient task-driven resource management in low-power wireless scenarios
- Security, privacy and trust in task-oriented non-terrestrial networks
- Task-oriented resource allocation
Dr. Yixin He
Dr. Dawei Wang
Dr. Fanghui Huang
Dr. Yangfan Liang
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Information is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- Shannon theory
- information theory
- task-oriented communications
- future wireless networks
- signal processing
- application of information theory in wireless/multimedia applications
- application of information theory in image processing, computer graphics and visualization
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