Milne Lecture: Professor Gerhard Fettweis, Mobile Communication Systems New Frontiers in Wireless CommunicationsWireless communication has fundamentally transformed our world over the past three decades. What began in the 1990s with the advent of consumer cellular networks, soon followed by WiFi and Bluetooth, has evolved into an indispensable part of daily life. Today, nearly every aspect of how we communicate, interact, pay, navigate, and travel relies on wireless connectivity. But what will the next 10 to 20 years bring? To envision the future of wireless, we can take two complementary perspectives. First, by examining the technical challenges that currently limit wireless systems—such as coverage, reliability, capacity, latency, trustworthiness, and energy efficiency—we can imagine the breakthroughs that might be possible as semiconductor and AI technologies advance. Second, by considering societal needs, we recognize the importance of enabling fairness, digital trust, supporting aging populations, and building a sustainable future.The evolution of wireless has already taken us from voice calls to mobile internet, and now toward a new frontier: the seamless integration of intelligent machines, robotics, and AI into our networks. Achieving this vision will require innovation across multiple domains, including advanced antenna technologies, integrated radio sensing, low-orbit satellite systems, and fundamentally new concepts of network trustworthiness. This talk will outline the emerging opportunities and sketch a vision for a truly new wireless world—one that connects not only people, but also intelligent machines and autonomous systems, transforming the very fabric of society.BiographyGerhard P. Fettweis, earned a Ph.D. under H. Meyr at RWTH Aachen (Germany) in 1990. After a postdoc at IBM Research, San Jose, he joined TCSI, Berkeley, USA. Since 1994 he is Vodafone Chair Professor at TU Dresden, Germany. Since 2018 he is also founding Scientific Director & CEO of the Barkhausen Institute. He researches wireless communications and chip design, coordinates 5G++Lab Germany and the German Cluster-for-Future SEMECO. His team spun-out 28 tech startups, and he initiated 6 platform entities. Gerhard is member of the US National Academy of Engineering, the German Academy of Sciences (Leopoldina), the German Academy of Engineering (Acatech), and Fellow of IEEE, VDE/ITG, National Academy of Inventors, EURASIP, WWRF, and DATE. He is active in organizing IEEE conferences. How to registerBook your place by emailing Louise.Farquharson@ed.ac.uk Feb 12 2026 18.00 - 19.00 Milne Lecture: Professor Gerhard Fettweis, Mobile Communication Systems Wireless technology has become a vital global tool. Nearly every aspect of how we communicate, interact, pay, navigate, and travel relies on wireless connectivity. Join Professor Gerhard Fettweis for a Milne Lecture that will explore the transformative potential of advanced wireless technologies. He will outline emerging opportunities and share a vision for a truly new wireless world – one that connects people with intelligent machines and autonomous systems, transforming society. TBC
Milne Lecture: Professor Gerhard Fettweis, Mobile Communication Systems New Frontiers in Wireless CommunicationsWireless communication has fundamentally transformed our world over the past three decades. What began in the 1990s with the advent of consumer cellular networks, soon followed by WiFi and Bluetooth, has evolved into an indispensable part of daily life. Today, nearly every aspect of how we communicate, interact, pay, navigate, and travel relies on wireless connectivity. But what will the next 10 to 20 years bring? To envision the future of wireless, we can take two complementary perspectives. First, by examining the technical challenges that currently limit wireless systems—such as coverage, reliability, capacity, latency, trustworthiness, and energy efficiency—we can imagine the breakthroughs that might be possible as semiconductor and AI technologies advance. Second, by considering societal needs, we recognize the importance of enabling fairness, digital trust, supporting aging populations, and building a sustainable future.The evolution of wireless has already taken us from voice calls to mobile internet, and now toward a new frontier: the seamless integration of intelligent machines, robotics, and AI into our networks. Achieving this vision will require innovation across multiple domains, including advanced antenna technologies, integrated radio sensing, low-orbit satellite systems, and fundamentally new concepts of network trustworthiness. This talk will outline the emerging opportunities and sketch a vision for a truly new wireless world—one that connects not only people, but also intelligent machines and autonomous systems, transforming the very fabric of society.BiographyGerhard P. Fettweis, earned a Ph.D. under H. Meyr at RWTH Aachen (Germany) in 1990. After a postdoc at IBM Research, San Jose, he joined TCSI, Berkeley, USA. Since 1994 he is Vodafone Chair Professor at TU Dresden, Germany. Since 2018 he is also founding Scientific Director & CEO of the Barkhausen Institute. He researches wireless communications and chip design, coordinates 5G++Lab Germany and the German Cluster-for-Future SEMECO. His team spun-out 28 tech startups, and he initiated 6 platform entities. Gerhard is member of the US National Academy of Engineering, the German Academy of Sciences (Leopoldina), the German Academy of Engineering (Acatech), and Fellow of IEEE, VDE/ITG, National Academy of Inventors, EURASIP, WWRF, and DATE. He is active in organizing IEEE conferences. How to registerBook your place by emailing Louise.Farquharson@ed.ac.uk Feb 12 2026 18.00 - 19.00 Milne Lecture: Professor Gerhard Fettweis, Mobile Communication Systems Wireless technology has become a vital global tool. Nearly every aspect of how we communicate, interact, pay, navigate, and travel relies on wireless connectivity. Join Professor Gerhard Fettweis for a Milne Lecture that will explore the transformative potential of advanced wireless technologies. He will outline emerging opportunities and share a vision for a truly new wireless world – one that connects people with intelligent machines and autonomous systems, transforming society. TBC
Feb 12 2026 18.00 - 19.00 Milne Lecture: Professor Gerhard Fettweis, Mobile Communication Systems Wireless technology has become a vital global tool. Nearly every aspect of how we communicate, interact, pay, navigate, and travel relies on wireless connectivity. Join Professor Gerhard Fettweis for a Milne Lecture that will explore the transformative potential of advanced wireless technologies. He will outline emerging opportunities and share a vision for a truly new wireless world – one that connects people with intelligent machines and autonomous systems, transforming society.
