6G research continued as part 6GEM+ transfer hub
- News
- News
Through innovative technologies and close collaboration with industry, 6GEM+ aims not only to improve the efficiency and reliability of communication systems, but also to unlock new application opportunities across various sectors. The objective is to overcome the limitations of the current mobile communications standard and usher in a new era of connected communication.
Further development of the current mobile communications standard
The current 5G mobile communications standard must be further developed in order to promote the use of mobile technologies, AI computing, and extended reality in industrial applications. In particular, integrated AI computing and real-time transmission, extremely low latency, and high reliability are key requirements that cannot yet be fully met by 5G systems. The 6GEM+ Transfer Hub has set itself the goal of actively addressing these challenges.
Also involved at the Dortmund site is the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IML. In addition, Ruhr University Bochum, RWTH Aachen University (coordinator), and the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT are participating in the 6G transfer hub. Since 2026, the project has been funded for up to four years by the Federal Ministry for Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) under the “6G Transfer Hubs” funding program, with up to 25 million euros.
Collaboration with industry partners
To realize the project’s vision, research within 6GEM+ will focus on innovative 6G technologies that will be tested in laboratory environments and large-scale testbeds. The project partners will be supported by additional associated partners from industry, who will act as use-case mentors. These partners are crucial to ensuring that the developed technologies are practical and meet the specific requirements of industry by providing valuable insights from real-world applications. With a clear focus on efficiency, security, and resilience of mobile communication systems, 6GEM+ will offer a unique platform that combines research with practical validation.
The research team can build on the work of the predecessor project 6GEM, which was also funded by the German federal government until June 2025 and has established itself in recent years as an internationally leading research hub for the key technology 6G. Since as early as 2021, TU Dortmund University and Ruhr University Bochum—jointly participating in the Excellence Strategy as the Ruhr Innovation Lab—have been working together on innovative technologies and their transfer, contributing to a future-ready and resilient society and industry in the digital age.
The 6GEM+ Transfer Hub is part of the BMFTR’s 6G research roadmap. This roadmap outlines the ministry’s anticipated steps toward the new mobile communications standard through the end of this decade.
Further information: