TUTORIAL

Abstract: Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) is emerging as a foundational capability for 6G systems, enabling wireless networks to go beyond data transmission and actively perceive their environment. By integrating sensing and communication within shared waveforms, spectrum, and hardware, ISAC enables new applications such as localization, environmental awareness, and intelligent connectivity.

This tutorial presents a comprehensive overview of ISAC, combining system-level concepts with practical hardware prototyping workflows. It introduces key architectural principles, where shared RF front ends, antenna arrays, and OFDM-based waveforms support both communication and sensing functions. The session demonstrates how communication signals can be repurposed for sensing by extracting parameters such as range, Doppler, and direction from channel estimates.

Using representative examples, the tutorial covers communication-centric ISAC systems based on MIMO-OFDM designs, radar-centric approaches, and implementations with cellular waveforms. It highlights how these systems can detect and track targets while maintaining communication performance. The tutorial also presents practical workflows for prototyping ISAC systems on SDR platforms, including waveform generation, over-the-air transmission, capture, and post-processing. The tutorial uniquely emphasizes end-to-end workflows from system-level modeling to real-time SDR and FPGA deployment, demonstrated through practical UAV detection scenarios.

Keywords: 6G,5G, RADAR, MATLAB, USRP, ISAC

1. Motivation and Relevance

Wireless communication has evolved from basic 1G voice to 5G’s high-speed, low-latency connectivity enabling IoT, autonomous systems, and smart infrastructure. While 5G deployment continues, the academia and industry is actively shaping 6G, shifting focus from peak data rates to intelligent, context-aware networks. A key enabler is Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC), which unifies communication and environmental sensing within a single system.

Unlike traditional approaches where sensing and communication operate independently, ISAC enables simultaneous data transmission and environment perception, improving spectrum efficiency and enabling new capabilities. Emerging applications span AI-driven radio networks, Industry 4.0 automation, healthcare monitoring, UAV systems, immersive XR, and smart city infrastructure.

This topic aligns strongly with IEEE ANTS, 2026 focus on next-generation networking technologies, 6G research, and real-world deployment challenges in emerging regions. ISAC addresses critical themes such as spectrum efficiency, AI-native networks, and integrated services, making it highly relevant for academia, industry practitioners, and policymakers driving future wireless innovation.

2. Target Audience and Learning Outcomes

Target Audience

•  • Researchers, engineers, and practitioners in wireless communications and sensing systems
•  • Graduate students, academic researchers, and industry professionals working on 5G/6G technologies
•  • Professionals focused on signal processing, RF systems, and SDR-based prototyping
•  • Individuals exploring system-level integration of communication and sensing
•  • Practitioners working on emerging applications such as autonomous systems, smart cities, and industrial automation
•  • Participants with a basic understanding of wireless communication concepts (e.g., OFDM, MIMO)

3. Proposed duration and Justification

Participants will develop a practical understanding of ISAC principles, system trade-offs, sensing parameter extraction, and end-to-end prototyping workflows for 6G systems.

The tutorial follows a structured model to ensure participants gain both conceptual understanding and practical insight within a half day (3 hours) session. After a focused introduction to ISAC fundamentals, architectures, and key signal processing concepts, the tutorial transitions into guided, step-by-step demonstrations that illustrate how communication signals can be used to extract sensing information such as range and Doppler. This approach helps participants understand the complete end-to-end workflow—from waveform generation and channel estimation to target detection, making the learning experience more intuitive and application-driven.

Software Requirements: MATLAB 2026a.

4. Biography of Tutorial Presenters

Saumya Chaturvedi Customer Success Engineer, Mathworks, Delhi, India Saumya Chaturvedi is an Engineer in the Education Team at MathWorks (2025–present). She holds a PhD in Wireless Communications from IIIT Delhi, along with an M.Tech. in Microwaves from NIT Delhi and a B.E. from UIT RGPV Bhopal. Her technical expertise lies in wireless communication systems, with a focus on multiple access and resource allocation techniques

Anand Mukhopadhyay  Senior Customer Success Engineer, Mathworks, Bangalore, India Anand is a Senior Engineer on the Education Team at MathWorks, Bangalore, where he has been contributing since August 2020. He collaborates with academic institutions and educators to enhance their curriculum and research initiatives. Before joining MathWorks, Anand completed his Ph.D. in neuromorphic computing applications at IIT Kharagpur (2015–2020). He also holds an M. Tech. in VLSI Design and Embedded Systems from NIT Rourkela (2012–2014) and a B.Tech. in Electronics and Communication Engineering from Techno India College of Technology (2008–2012). Anand has authored and co-authored research articles in various journals and conferences. His interests focus on digital VLSI, HDL code generation workflows, artificial intelligence applications.