Keynotes

Machine Learning Protecting GNSS against Intentional Interference

 Abstract

As society becomes increasingly dependent on GNSS to secure critical operations, the threat of intentional interference also grows. Such interference includes jamming, which degrades or denies GNSS signals, and spoofing, which deceives the receiver into outputting false location or timing information. Machine learning, currently the most actively researched subfield of AI and a powerful computational paradigm, has been applied to navigation for decades. Recent breakthroughs, especially in deep learning, have produced highly promising results. In this talk, I will explore recent efforts to protect GNSS infrastructure and highlight the most promising applications of deep learning for interference detection, localization, and device fingerprinting to help prevent these harmful disruptions.

 Bio: Laura Ruotsalainen is a Professor of Computer Science at the University of Helsinki and leads the Spatiotemporal Data Analysis (SDA) research group. The group conducts research on machine learning for forming and analyzing spatiotemporal data to advance sustainability science. She has built a long-standing research career in navigation technologies, with expertise in vision-aided navigation, GNSS sensor fusion, and the mitigation of GNSS interference. She is a member of the steering group for the Finnish Center for Artificial Intelligence (FCAI) and the vice-chair of the ELLIS Institute Finland.

Network-Centric Perspectives on Integrated Sensing and Communication

Abstract

This talk explores advancements in Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC), a cornerstone of emerging 6G networks, focusing on its transformative potential for integrated mobile networks. Foundational system models for monostatic and bistatic ISAC setups are detailed, along with methodologies for target parameter estimation and system-level analyses. Cooperative ISAC is examined, highlighting multistatic configurations and data fusion strategies to enhance target detection and tracking accuracy. Emphasis is placed on the trade-offs between sensing and communication resources, presenting innovative approaches to optimize subcarrier, power, and time allocations. Case studies in urban scenarios illustrate the real-world application of these principles, showcasing the synergy of multibeam MIMO-OFDM technologies. The pivotal role of mobile radio networks in enabling ubiquitous sensing capabilities is underlined, charting a path for future research and implementation in integrated 6G frameworks.

Bio: Andrea Giorgetti (Senior Member, IEEE) received the Dr.-Ing. degree (summa cum laude) in electronic engineering and the Ph.D. degree in electronic engineering and computer science from the University of Bologna, Italy, in 1999 and 2003, respectively. From 2003 to 2005, he was a Researcher with the National Research Council of Italy. In 2006, he joined the Department of Electrical, Electronic, and Information Engineering “Guglielmo Marconi,” University of Bologna, as an Assistant Professor and became an Associate Professor in 2014. During Spring 2006, he was with the Laboratory for Information and Decision Systems, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA, USA. He is the co-author of Cognitive Radio Techniques: Spectrum Sensing, Interference Mitigation, and Localization (Artech House, 2012). His research interests include ultra-wideband communication systems, active and passive localization, wireless sensor networks, cognitive radio, and integrated sensing and communications. He has served as Technical Program Committee Co-Chair for several symposia at IEEE ICC and IEEE GLOBECOM. From 2017 to 2018, he was the Elected Chair of the IEEE Communications Society’s Radio Communications Technical Committee. He is a former Editor of IEEE Communications Letters and IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications.

Motivating Open Science and Reproducibility in Localization Research

Abstract

Scientific research is grounded on foundational principles, such as transparency and verifiability. While these values are often taken for granted, they are increasingly challenged by systemic shortcomings in the way research is conducted, reported, and disseminated. This keynote revisits these core assumptions and examines their relationship to the frameworks of Open Science and Research Reproducibility. Particular attention is given to how questionable research practices (such as selective reporting, HARKing, restricted access to data and code, and insufficient methodological detail) undermine these principles, and to the ways they can be tackled. These crucial elements will be explicitly linked to practices within localization research. Drawing on recent meta-research and open science assessments in the field of localization research and beyond, the talk identifies critical gaps as well as concrete opportunities for methodological improvement. It is argued that the adoption of best practices facilitating open and fully reproducible workflows is not only a matter of scientific integrity and rigor but also a strategic imperative. A systemic commitment to these practices has the potential to catalyze a paradigm shift, one that can significantly accelerate innovation in the wider field of localization research.

Bio: Grigorios G. Anagnostopoulos has been a Senior Research Associate at the Geneva School of Business Administration (HEG Geneva), University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Western Switzerland (HES-SO), since 2018. He received his PhD in Information Systems from the University of Geneva (UNIGE), Switzerland, in 2017. His research interests include localization systems, sports analytics, Open Science, and research reproducibility.

Dr. Anagnostopoulos is an active advocate of Open and Reproducible Science and serves as the local node leader of the Swiss Reproducibility Network at HES-SO. He is a member of the expert reviewer pool for the Open Science I and II programs of Swissuniversities, the umbrella organization of Swiss universities, evaluating funding proposals submitted to these initiatives. Moreover, he has been a Technical Program Committee (TPC) member for the ICL-GNSS and IPIN conferences since 2021 and serves as a reviewer for several scientific journals.