Partner search for research program on intelligent metasurfaces for resilient communication and education
The Agentur für Innovation in der Cybersicherheit GmbH (Cyberagentur) invites you to a virtual partnering event on April 16, 2026 for the research program “Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces for Resilient Communication and Sensing (InSuReCS)”. The focus is on a new research approach for secure and difficult-to-detect radio communication and reconnaissance in highly mobile deployment scenarios. The event is aimed at scientists, companies and other potential partners who want to find out about the content, aims and opportunities for cooperation at an early stage.
With the InSuReCS research programme, the Cyberagentur is addressing a challenge that is highly relevant in terms of security policy and technology: the protection of wireless communication and reconnaissance in an environment in which enemy electronic warfare systems can detect, disrupt or use their own transmissions for localization.
Wireless radio communication is indispensable, especially in the operational environment. At the same time, it is vulnerable and can contribute to endangering one’s own forces. In addition to protecting the transmitted content using modern cryptographic methods and securing available connections against interference, another aspect is of particular operational importance: the reduction of one’s own electromagnetic signature. Every direct radio link between two transmitting stations carries the risk of being intercepted, jammed or exploited for positioning purposes.
Up to now, this threat has mainly been countered with technical and tactical countermeasures, such as frequency hopping, burst transmissions, radio relay, short transmission cycles, radio discipline or high mobility. These measures are effective, but often limit the range, flexibility and usability of wireless communication in the field. At the same time, the need for broadband and resilient connections is increasing, for example for tactical data links, networked sensor systems or continuously updatable situational awareness in the “Military Internet of Things”.
This is where InSuReCS comes in. The aim of the research program is to develop an adaptively controllable transmission and reception technology based on intelligent metasurfaces, in particular so-called Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RIS). These are to be used in such a way that communication and reconnaissance can take place not only directly, but also indirectly via an intermediate or relay station. This allows the transmission path to be dynamically adapted, redirected in a targeted manner and, ideally, designed in such a way that one’s own position becomes much more difficult to reconnoitre.
The technological objective goes beyond traditional radio technology. The systems to be developed will aim to relay incoming, highly focused transmissions between transmitter and receiver and at the same time open up new possibilities for active and passive reconnaissance by using innovative methods of Joint Communication and Sensing (JSAC). InSuReCS thus combines the topics of secure communication and sensor technology in an approach that is intended both to supplement existing radio technology and to prepare new military-relevant communication applications.
The program is located in the field of trustworthy technical value chains and is designed as disruptive risk research. The focus is on the transfer of technologies that will also play a role in 6G mobile communications in highly dynamic military and crisis management scenarios. The central innovation goals are largely platform-independent usability, integration into existing and future radio applications and continuous adaptation of the RIS configuration in highly mobile deployment scenarios.
With the virtual partnering event on April 16, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., the Cyberagentur is creating a structured space for information and networking. Interested parties will gain in-depth insights into the content and objectives of the planned research program. At the same time, the event offers the opportunity to make specialist focal points visible and to enter into discussions with potential partners for the formation of suitable consortia at an early stage.
The agenda includes an introduction to the work of the Cyberagentur, a presentation of the InSuReCS research program and the planned award procedure, as well as short presentations by the participating partners, each lasting three minutes. Registration for the partnering event is possible until April 10, 2026 via the registration form(https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=3a31WqhnZkGkTqRruXzd4lVbTNUaWRFMn369W1WDBFFURFBJNkw4T0ZCM0FBU0VLWDFLTEMxWUlJSS4u&route=shorturl).
The virtual space will serve to bring together technical expertise, pool perspectives and develop viable approaches for the next generation of resilient communication and intelligence technologies.
If you have any questions regarding content, please contact the Trusted Communication program team at insurecs@cyberagentur.de is at your disposal.