Alamzadeh Idban, Imani Mohammadreza F
School of Electrical, Computer, and Energy Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA.
Sensors (Basel). 2025 Mar 14;25(6):1811. doi: 10.3390/s25061811.
Acquiring information about the surrounding environment is crucial for reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISs) to effectively manipulate radio wave propagation. This operation can be fully automated by incorporating an integrated sensing mechanism, leading to a hybrid configuration known as a hybrid reconfigurable intelligent surface (HRIS). Several HRIS geometries have been studied in previous works, with full-wave simulations used to showcase their sensing capabilities. However, these simulated models often fail to address the practical design challenges associated with HRISs. This paper presents an experimental proof-of-concept for an HRIS, focusing on the design considerations that have been neglected in simulations but are vital for experimental validation. The HRIS prototype comprises two types of elements: a conventional element designed for reconfigurable reflection and a hybrid one for sensing and reconfigurable reflection. The metasurface can carry out the required sensing operations by utilizing signals coupled to several hybrid elements. This paper outlines the design considerations necessary to create a practical HRIS configuration that can be fabricated using standard PCB technology. The sensing capabilities of the HRIS are demonstrated experimentally through angle of arrival (AoA) detection. The proposed HRIS has the potential to facilitate smart, autonomous wireless communication networks, wireless power transfer, and sensing systems.
获取周围环境信息对于可重构智能表面（RIS）有效操纵无线电波传播至关重要。通过纳入集成传感机制，此操作可实现完全自动化，从而产生一种称为混合可重构智能表面（HRIS）的混合配置。先前的工作已经研究了几种HRIS几何结构，并使用全波模拟来展示它们的传感能力。然而，这些模拟模型往往未能解决与HRIS相关的实际设计挑战。本文提出了一种HRIS的实验概念验证，重点关注模拟中被忽视但对实验验证至关重要的设计考虑因素。HRIS原型包括两种类型的元件：一种是用于可重构反射的传统元件，另一种是用于传感和可重构反射的混合元件。超表面可以通过利用耦合到几个混合元件的信号来执行所需的传感操作。本文概述了创建可使用标准印刷电路板（PCB）技术制造的实用HRIS配置所需的设计考虑因素。通过到达角（AoA）检测实验证明了HRIS的传感能力。所提出的HRIS有潜力促进智能、自主的无线通信网络、无线功率传输和传感系统的发展。
