Robot-oriented 6G satellite-UAV networks: Requirements, paradigm shifts, and case studies

Abstract

Networked robots can perceive their surroundings, interact with each other or humans, and make decisions to accomplish specified tasks in remote/hazardous/complex environments. Satelliteunmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) networks can support such robots by providing on-demand communication services. However, under traditional open-loop communication paradigm, the network resources are usually divided into user-wise mostly-independent links, via ignoring the task-level dependency of robot collaboration. Thus, it is imperative to develop a new communication paradigm, taking into account the highlevel content and values behind, to facilitate multirobot operation. Inspired by Wiener's Cybernetics theory, this article explores a closed-loop communication paradigm for the robot-oriented satellite-UAV network. This paradigm turns to handle group-wise structured links, so as to allocate resources in a taskoriented manner. It could also exploit the mobility of robots to liberate the network from full coverage, enabling new orchestration between network serving and positive mobility control of robots. Moreover, the integration of sensing, communications, computing and control would enlarge the benefit of this new paradigm. We present a case study for joint mobile edge computing (MEC) offloading and mobility control of robots, and finally outline potential challenges and open issues.