COMET: Communications Enabled, AI/ML based Digital Twins for Smart city Logistics and Last Mile applications

智慧城市中的数字孪生是管理城市物流基础设施和提高人们生活质量的创新和突破性概念。无线网络数字孪生（Wireless Network Digital Twins， WNDT）作为实现上述愿景的重要组成部分之一，受到了业界和学术界的广泛关注。然而，它面临着几个技术挑战（tc）：1)在5G/6G用例（如最后一英里智能物流）中部署WNDT面临巨大挑战，因为关键组件和关键绩效指标（KPI）在很大程度上是未知的。2)最后一英里的物流场景很复杂。目前，还没有3D真正的基于多路径射线的无线电传播工具来预测无线电波在这些情况下的传播方式，特别是在6G确定的次太赫兹频段。3)缺乏高分辨率最后一英里物流环境的数字模型和6G设备，如可重构智能表面（RIS），以及超大MIMO天线阵列，这些在最后一英里物流用例中可能非常有用。4)最后一英里物流用例的无线接入网（RAN）规划和优化算法复杂且计算量大，很难找到快速准确的算法来促进离线网络规划和在线实时网络优化。为应对上述挑战，COMET （Communications Enabled，基于AI/ML的智能城市物流和最后一英里应用数字双胞胎）项目团队已成立，包括无线通信，系统建模，性能分析，软件开发，人工智能和智慧城市相关领域的世界级专业知识，以应对上述挑战并抓住巨大的商业机会。该项目的成功将提供一个创新的、全面的、基于数字孪生的解决方案，用于管理无线基础设施和智慧城市最后一英里物流用例，实现5G/6G通信。该项目将有助于改善数字经济并创造新的就业机会，这将对智能生活和医疗保健等广泛的垂直行业产生巨大影响。该项目还将有助于加强英国在未来无线通信领域和智慧城市领域的地位。

Digital Twins in smart cities are an innovative and breakthrough concept for managing the city logistics infrastructure and improving people's quality of life. Wireless Network Digital Twins (WNDT) as one of the most important components for achieving the above vision, have attached huge attentions from both industry and academia. However, it faces several technical challenges (TCs):1) The deployment of WNDT in 5G/6G use cases (e.g., last-mile smart logistics) faces huge challenges, as the key components and key performance indicators (KPI) are largely un-known.2) The last-mile logistics scenarios are complex. Currently, there is no 3D true multiple-path ray-based radio propagation tool to predict how radio waves propagate in these scenarios, especially in the sub-Terahertz band identified for 6G.3) There lacks digital models of high-resolution last-mile logistics environment and 6G devices such as Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RIS), and extremely large MIMO antenna arrays, which could be extremely useful for last-mile logistics use case.4) Radio access network (RAN) planning and optimization algorithms for last-mile logistics use cases are complex and computationally intensive, it is challenging to find fast and accurate algorithms to facilitate off-line network planning and online real-time network optimisation.To address the above challenges, COMET (Communications Enabled, AI/ML based Digital Twins for Smart city Logistics and Last Mile applications) project team has been assembled comprising world-class expertise in wireless communications, system modelling, performance analysis, software development, AI, and smart city related areas to address the above challenges and seize the large commercial opportunity.The success of the project will enable the provisioning of an innovative and comprehensive, digital twins-based solution for managing wireless infrastructure and the smart city last-mile logistics use case, enabled by 5G/6G communications. The project will contribute to the improvements in the digital economy and creating new jobs, which will have a huge impact in a wide range of vertical industries, e.g., smart living, and health care, etc. The project will also help strengthen the UK's position in the future wireless communications domains and smart city areas.