A Comprehensive Review on ISAC for 6G: Enabling Technologies, Security, and AI/ML Perspectives

Integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) has received significant attention over the past five years as a key component of the 6G vision for next-generation communication systems. Starting with the fundamentals of ISAC, we present strategies focused on sensing-centric and communication-centric IS...

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Main Authors: Sultan Aldirmaz-Colak, Mustafa Namdar, Arif Basgumus, Serdar Ozyurt, Selman Kulac, Nurullah Calik, Mehmet Akif Yazici, Ahmet Serbes, Lutfiye Durak-Ata
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IEEE 2025-01-01
Series:IEEE Access
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Online Access:https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/11015430/
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author Sultan Aldirmaz-Colak
Mustafa Namdar
Arif Basgumus
Serdar Ozyurt
Selman Kulac
Nurullah Calik
Mehmet Akif Yazici
Ahmet Serbes
Lutfiye Durak-Ata
author_facet Sultan Aldirmaz-Colak
Mustafa Namdar
Arif Basgumus
Serdar Ozyurt
Selman Kulac
Nurullah Calik
Mehmet Akif Yazici
Ahmet Serbes
Lutfiye Durak-Ata
author_sort Sultan Aldirmaz-Colak
collection DOAJ
description Integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) has received significant attention over the past five years as a key component of the 6G vision for next-generation communication systems. Starting with the fundamentals of ISAC, we present strategies focused on sensing-centric and communication-centric ISAC systems that satisfy both radar and communication objectives using the same physical hardware and waveform. The communication-centric ISAC focuses primarily on improving communication performance beyond 5G/6G cellular networks and Wi-Fi standards, while also performing additional processing required for detection. On the other hand, the sensing-centric ISAC prioritizes sensing and detection capabilities while incorporating communication functions in the most efficient way possible. In this survey, we present a comprehensive review of both ISAC systems along with new approaches for enabling technologies and highlight unique challenges and existing solutions that are already available. We explore the roles of innovative functions in enabling ISAC, including joint waveform design, edge computing, vehicular sensing and communications, and their practical applications. We then discuss 3GPP standardization efforts related to ISAC as a future direction for the 6G vision. We also outline possible future research directions, with a specific emphasis on security, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.
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spelling doaj-art-c121f07feaf84cbaa9a980a214d47d0d2025-08-20T02:39:37ZengIEEEIEEE Access2169-35362025-01-0113971529719310.1109/ACCESS.2025.357337111015430A Comprehensive Review on ISAC for 6G: Enabling Technologies, Security, and AI/ML PerspectivesSultan Aldirmaz-Colak0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7154-0723Mustafa Namdar1Arif Basgumus2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0611-3220Serdar Ozyurt3Selman Kulac4https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7737-1569Nurullah Calik5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7351-4980Mehmet Akif Yazici6https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9965-2329Ahmet Serbes7https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4658-928XLutfiye Durak-Ata8https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4368-2967Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Kocaeli University, Kocaeli, TürkiyeDepartment of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Kutahya Dumlupinar University, Kütahya, TürkiyeDepartment of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Bursa Uludag University, Bursa, TürkiyeDepartment of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University, Ankara, TürkiyeDepartment of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Duzce University, Düzce, TürkiyeDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Istanbul Medeniyet University, İstanbul, TürkiyeInformatics Institute, Istanbul Technical University, İstanbul, TürkiyeElectrical and Electronics Engineering Faculty, Yıldız Technical University, İstanbul, TürkiyeInformatics Institute, Istanbul Technical University, İstanbul, TürkiyeIntegrated sensing and communication (ISAC) has received significant attention over the past five years as a key component of the 6G vision for next-generation communication systems. Starting with the fundamentals of ISAC, we present strategies focused on sensing-centric and communication-centric ISAC systems that satisfy both radar and communication objectives using the same physical hardware and waveform. The communication-centric ISAC focuses primarily on improving communication performance beyond 5G/6G cellular networks and Wi-Fi standards, while also performing additional processing required for detection. On the other hand, the sensing-centric ISAC prioritizes sensing and detection capabilities while incorporating communication functions in the most efficient way possible. In this survey, we present a comprehensive review of both ISAC systems along with new approaches for enabling technologies and highlight unique challenges and existing solutions that are already available. We explore the roles of innovative functions in enabling ISAC, including joint waveform design, edge computing, vehicular sensing and communications, and their practical applications. We then discuss 3GPP standardization efforts related to ISAC as a future direction for the 6G vision. We also outline possible future research directions, with a specific emphasis on security, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/11015430/6Gartificial intelligenceDFRCedge computingISACmmWave
spellingShingle Sultan Aldirmaz-Colak
Mustafa Namdar
Arif Basgumus
Serdar Ozyurt
Selman Kulac
Nurullah Calik
Mehmet Akif Yazici
Ahmet Serbes
Lutfiye Durak-Ata
A Comprehensive Review on ISAC for 6G: Enabling Technologies, Security, and AI/ML Perspectives
IEEE Access
6G
artificial intelligence
DFRC
edge computing
ISAC
mmWave
title A Comprehensive Review on ISAC for 6G: Enabling Technologies, Security, and AI/ML Perspectives
title_full A Comprehensive Review on ISAC for 6G: Enabling Technologies, Security, and AI/ML Perspectives
title_fullStr A Comprehensive Review on ISAC for 6G: Enabling Technologies, Security, and AI/ML Perspectives
title_full_unstemmed A Comprehensive Review on ISAC for 6G: Enabling Technologies, Security, and AI/ML Perspectives
title_short A Comprehensive Review on ISAC for 6G: Enabling Technologies, Security, and AI/ML Perspectives
title_sort comprehensive review on isac for 6g enabling technologies security and ai ml perspectives
topic 6G
artificial intelligence
DFRC
edge computing
ISAC
mmWave
url https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/11015430/
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