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Integrated Sensing and Communication in IoT Applications
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Integrated Sensing and Communication in IoT Applications

A special issue of Sensors (ISSN 1424-8220). This special issue belongs to the section "Communications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2025) | Viewed by 3616

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Rafael Berkvens

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Applied Engineering, IDLab, IMEC, University of Antwerp, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium
Interests: joint communication and Sensing; passive sensing; localization; wireless communication; sensor processing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Constantinos Angelis

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Informatics and Telecommunications, University of Ioannina, Campus of Arta, 47100 Arta, Greece
Interests: wireless sensor networks; wireless telecommunication systems; designs and implementations; structural health monitoring; LTE; signal processing for communication; electronics and communication engineering; antennas and propagation; radio propagation; RF technologies; telecommunications engineering; antennas; semiconductor
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Gianmarco Romano

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Engineering, University of Campania “L. Vanvitelli”, 81031 Aversa, CE, Italy
Interests: signal processing for wireless multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO); code division multiple access (CDMA) channels (see underdetermined MIMO Systems); multiple description coding (MDC); packet networks modelling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) is an innovative approach that unifies sensing and communication functions within a shared framework, paving the way for efficient, high-performing Internet of Things (IoT) applications. As demands for connected environments grow in fields like smart cities, autonomous vehicles, and healthcare, ISAC offers the unique potential to streamline resource usage, improve spectrum efficiency, and lower hardware requirements. This Special Issue invites research that explores ISAC advancements, especially as they relate to the enhanced connectivity and intelligence expected in the upcoming 5G and 6G eras. Critical to the deployment of ISAC systems are challenges such as interference management, real-time signal processing, and advanced algorithms that can adapt to dynamic environments. Furthermore, the interplay between humans and IoT signals provides valuable insights, allowing us to interpret activities and detect environmental changes through pattern analysis. We welcome contributions addressing these technical hurdles, alongside discussions on security and privacy, to advance ISAC applications in real-world IoT contexts.

Dr. Rafael Berkvens
Prof. Dr. Constantinos Angelis
Dr. Gianmarco Romano
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. Sensors is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2600 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

  • integrated sensing and communication (ISAC)
  • IoT applications
  • spectrum efficiency
  • 5G and 6G networks
  • signal processing
  • human-influenced signals
  • privacy and security in IoT
  • environmental sensing
  • autonomous systems

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

27 pages, 2847 KB  
Article
Hierarchical Beamforming Optimization for ISAC-Enabled RSU Systems in Complex Urban Environments
by Zhiyuan You, Na Lv, Guimei Zheng and Xiang Wang
Sensors 2025, 25(21), 6803; https://doi.org/10.3390/s25216803 - 6 Nov 2025
Viewed by 741
Abstract
Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC)-enabled Roadside Units (RSUs) encounter significant performance trade-offs between target sensing and multi-user communication in complex urban environments, where conventional optimization methods are prone to converging to local optima and joint optimization methods often yield sub-optimal results due to [...] Read more.
Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC)-enabled Roadside Units (RSUs) encounter significant performance trade-offs between target sensing and multi-user communication in complex urban environments, where conventional optimization methods are prone to converging to local optima and joint optimization methods often yield sub-optimal results due to conflicting objectives. To address the challenge of trade-off between sensing and communication performance, this paper proposes a hierarchical beamforming optimization solution designed to tackle joint sensing–communication problems in such scenarios. The overall optimization problem is decomposed into a two-level “leader-follower” structure. In the leader layer, we introduce a max–min strategy based on the bisection method to transform the non-convex Signal-to-Interference-plus-Noise Ratio (SINR) optimization problem into a second-order cone constraint problem and solve the communication beamforming vector. In the follower layer, the Signal-to-Clutter-plus-Noise Ratio (SCNR) maximization problem is converted into a Semi-Definite Programming (SDP) problem solved via the CVX toolbox. Additionally, we introduce a “spatiotemporal resource isolation” mechanism to project the sensing beam onto the null space of the communication channel. The hierarchical optimization solution jointly optimizes communication SINR and sensing SCNR, enabling an effective balance between sensing accuracy and communication reliability. Simulation results demonstrate the proposed method’s effectiveness in simultaneously improving sensing accuracy and communication reliability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrated Sensing and Communication in IoT Applications)
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24 pages, 2132 KB  
Article
DL-AoD Estimation-Based 5G Positioning Using Directionally Transmitted Synchronization Signals
by Ivo Müürsepp and Muhammad Mahtab Alam
Sensors 2025, 25(20), 6372; https://doi.org/10.3390/s25206372 - 15 Oct 2025
Viewed by 1087
Abstract
This paper introduces a method for estimating the Downlink Angle of Departure (DL-AoD) of 5G User Equipment (UE) from measured signal strengths of directionally transmitted synchronization signals. Based on estimated DL-AoD values, from two or more anchor nodes, the position of the UE [...] Read more.
This paper introduces a method for estimating the Downlink Angle of Departure (DL-AoD) of 5G User Equipment (UE) from measured signal strengths of directionally transmitted synchronization signals. Based on estimated DL-AoD values, from two or more anchor nodes, the position of the UE was estimated. Unlike most prior work, which is simulation-based or relies on custom testbeds, this study uses real measurements from an operational 5G network in an industrial factory environment. A deterministic estimator was derived, but multipath and unknown beam characteristics limit its accuracy. To address this, machine learning was applied to automatically adapt to the environment. Previous simulation studies reported 90th-percentile DL-AoD estimation errors below 2°, while experimental works achieved best-case accuracies of 5–6°. In this study, the experimental DL-AoD estimation error remained below 4° for 90% of the measurements, indicating improved real-world performance. Reported positioning errors in the literature range from 3.8 m to 140 m, whereas the 13.2 m error obtained here lies near the midpoint of this range, confirming the practicality of the proposed method in industrial environments. Compared to existing approaches, this work demonstrates high angular accuracy using only sub-6 GHz beams in a realistic industrial scenario without detailed knowledge of antenna beam patterns and channel state. The findings demonstrate that standard 5G signals can provide accurate indoor localization without additional infrastructure, offering a practical path toward cost-effective positioning in industrial IoT and automation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrated Sensing and Communication in IoT Applications)
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20 pages, 3754 KB  
Article
Secrecy Outage Performance Analysis of Wirelessly Powered IoT System with Randomly Moving Receiving Nodes
by Vesna Blagojević, Nadica Kozić, Aleksandra Cvetković and Predrag Ivaniš
Sensors 2025, 25(5), 1386; https://doi.org/10.3390/s25051386 - 24 Feb 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1019
Abstract
Due to the need for the implementation of various IoT services, novel generation networks are often characterized by a constant requirement for their expansion and a rising number of nodes. The IoT network nodes are usually low power, so security becomes a challenging [...] Read more.
Due to the need for the implementation of various IoT services, novel generation networks are often characterized by a constant requirement for their expansion and a rising number of nodes. The IoT network nodes are usually low power, so security becomes a challenging issue as conventional cryptographic techniques are hard to implement due to power and computational limitations. Besides, wireless power transfer is an appealing approach for powering IoT systems in scenarios where many nodes are placed in hardly accessible areas. Finally, due to a variety of applications, network nodes are often mobile. Motivated by these facts, in this paper, we investigate physical layer security in IoT systems powered by means of a power beacon, where a legitimate user or eavesdropper can be mobile. The closed-form approximate secrecy outage probability expressions are derived for the Nakagami-m fading environment and three scenarios of receiving node mobility, described by using a random waypoint model with mobility patterns in one, two or three dimensions. The accuracy of the obtained analytical expressions is corroborated by an independently developed simulation model. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrated Sensing and Communication in IoT Applications)
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