Visit of high-level representatives from the Ministry for Digital Transformation to IMDEA Networks

Authorities from the Ministry, ICEX, and the Nuclear Safety Council learn about IMDEA Networks' innovative initiatives in the field of communication networks, guided by its research team

21 January 2025

IMDEA Networks welcomed today the visit of prominent figures from the Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Administration, ICEX, and the Nuclear Safety Council. Among the attendees were Juan Santaella, Head of the Cabinet of the Secretary General for Telecommunications; Marta Serrano, Secretary General for Telecommunications and Digital Infrastructure Inspection; and Juan Antonio de la Torre, Secretary of the National Aerospace Security Council, along with other high-ranking institutional representatives.

The Deputy Director of IMDEA Networks and the research team guided the visitors through a detailed presentation of the cutting-edge initiatives we are leading in the field of communication networks. The visit also included a tour of our facilities.
The visit began with a tour of 5TONIC, presented by Dr. Antonio de la Oliva (UC3M), a pioneering laboratory aimed at creating a global, open environment for collaboration between industry and academia, focused on developing 5G/6G technologies. The visitors were able to witness an integrated demonstration of digital twins, integrated sensing systems, and 5G-enabled robotic control.

Next, they visited the LiFi laboratory, led by Professor Domenico Giustiniano, whose team investigates the transmission and reception of data through light, a method that enables energy-efficient consumption. This innovative work is applied in vertical farms, where key parameters such as plant temperature and humidity are measured. The demonstration was conducted by Dayrene Frómeta.

The tour continued at the IoT and Cybersecurity laboratory, where Dr. Guillermo Suarez presented the research conducted on digital security and privacy. His work ranges from detecting the dissemination of personal data and malicious programs in emerging consumer devices (smartphones, Metaverse, IoT in smart homes) to identifying vulnerabilities in critical infrastructures and combating online fraud and disinformation.

The last laboratory visited was the Millimeter Wave lab, where Dr. Jesús Omar Lacruz explained his group’s work on the development of advanced platforms for ultra-high-speed wireless networks, with a focus on 6G networks. These technologies aim not only to maximize communication performance but also to integrate sensing capabilities, expanding the range of applications. In this regard, they have designed integrated communication and sensing (ISAC) systems capable of operating in both single-node and multi-node environments. Among their achievements is an innovative patent for extracting sensing information from communication systems subjected to burst traffic.

To conclude the day, the Deputy Director of IMDEA Networks, Arturo Azcorra, gave a presentation about the cutting-edge projects and research areas in which we are involved, as well as the future vision of our institution.