• OWIN6G invited talk: Friday, September 19, 14:30 – 15:00 (room PALMA)
  • 15h – pitch introduction of posters – 20-25 mins (each author to have 2 mins max, 1 slide) (room PALMA)
  • till 16:00 – poster session – the first part (Hall ADRIATIC)
  • 16:00-16:30 – coffee break
  • 16:30-17:30 – poster session (Hall ADRIATIC)
  • 17:30-18:00 – Z. Ghassemlooy, S. Zvanovec: Optical Wireless Communication – Challenges it faces (room PALMA)

INVITED TALK: BRIDGING THE SPECTRUM INDOORS: HYBRID RF/OWC SOLUTIONS FOR SMART IOT SYSTEMS

Milica Petković, PhD

University of Novi Sad, Serbia

Abstract: As an innovative modern technology for both indoor and outdoor applications, the optical wireless communications (OWC) represent wireless connectivity using infrared, visible or ultraviolet bands. With its powerful benefits such as high bandwidth, low cost and operation in an unregulated spectrum, OWC have received an attention in research and industry areas as an appropriate alternative or complement to the traditional radio-frequency (RF) systems. To address the surging demand for wireless connectivity driven by the massive deployment of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, hybrid indoor networks that integrate RF and OWC technologies are emerging as a key enabler of next-generation connectivity. These heterogeneous networks combine the wide coverage and maturity of RF systems (e.g., WiFi, Bluetooth) with the high-capacity, interference-free characteristics of OWC technologies (e.g., LiFi, VLC). Such hybrid architectures offer enhanced throughput, reliability, energy efficiency, and spectrum utilization compared to stand-alone solutions. Moreover, they enable seamless user experiences through intelligent handover, load balancing, and adaptive resource allocation. The synergy of RF and OWC within shared indoor environments is particularly promising for applications requiring low latency, high security, and precise localization—ranging from industrial automation and smart healthcare to immersive AR/VR services. This talk will explore the potential of hybrid RF/OWC indoor networks to meet the stringent requirements of 5G-and-beyond IoT systems and highlight the key challenges and future research directions in their design and deployment.

Biography:

Milica Petkovic was born in Knjazevac, Serbia, in 1986. She received the M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from the Faculty of Electronic Engineering, University of Nis, Serbia, in 2010 and 2016, respectively. Currently, she is an Assistant Professor with the Department of Power, Electronic and Telecommunication Engineering, Faculty of Technical Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Serbia. Her research interests are in the broad area of digital communication systems with emphasis on optical wireless communications (OWC), indoor OWC for future Internet of Things (IoT), design of free-space optical (FSO) communication systems, mobile cellular systems (5G and beyond 5G). She published more than 50 papers in top-tier journal and conference proceedings. She was a national representative and WG4 Vice-Chair for the EU COST action СА19111 on Optical Wireless Communications. She is coordinator of Autonomous Province of Vojvodina Long-term Project, “Visible light technology applications for detection, localization and communication in smart buildings,” as well as Proof of Concept, The Science Fund of the Republic of Serbia, “Design and implementation of IoT gateway for hybrid OWC/LoRa networks”. She has been involved in many national and international projects.