Programmable Meta‐Reflector for Multiple Tasks in Intelligent Connected Environments

Abstract In the face of the challenges posed by the advent of 5G, Internet of Things (IoT) and requirements of future communication generations, the urgent need for cutting‐edge technologies capable of adapting their operation to a variety of dynamic tasks for efficient signal propagation management is clear. Connected intelligent metasurfaces, distinguished by their ability to dynamically and autonomously adapt their responses, and able to interact with an external uncontrollable and fast‐changing communication environment to benefit from collective intelligence so as to determine the required action, are emerging as an innovative solution in this field. Herein, an intelligent connected system based on a programmable metasurface reflector, is presented and assessed in two scenarios simulating dynamic uplink and downlink communications. For the uplink configuration, the metasurface is exploited for the estimation of the direction of arrival (DOA) of an incoming wave, while for the downlink scenario, it enables the automated tracking of mobile targets using global positioning system (GPS) data updated from a real‐time database. Experimental results highlight the responsiveness of the metasurface and demonstrate efficiency in wave focusing and mobile target tracking.