ORIX is a new framework that combines reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS) with O-RAN and xApps to create smarter, faster, and more reliable wireless networks for next-generation smart factories.
Imagine a factory where machines, robots, and sensors communicate seamlessly — no tangled wires, no dropped connections, and near-zero latency. That’s the dream of Smart Wireless Factories (SWFs). But such environments push wireless networks to their limits: they need ultra-reliable, low-latency, and flexible connections.
Enter two game-changing technologies:
And now, there’s a new framework that combines them beautifully: ORIX — Orchestration of RIS with xApps for Smart Wireless Factory Environments. 🌐
Think of ORIX as the “brain” connecting RIS panels and the O-RAN ecosystem. It helps factories simulate, control, and optimize RIS-powered wireless networks before they’re deployed in real life.
It’s built around three key components:
Together, these form a complete testing and orchestration environment — so engineers can “try before they deploy.”
Let’s simplify what’s happening here 👇
When O-RAN and RIS work together, a factory can literally reshape its wireless environment on demand. Imagine a robot arm blocking a Wi-Fi path — the RIS can instantly reroute the signal around it. 🦾📶
The ORIX framework simulates and manages the entire process, from signal reflection to network orchestration.
This component defines how the O-RAN controller (called RIC) communicates with the RIS. It sends control messages like:
“Adjust the reflection phase of element #42 by 30 degrees!”
It also gathers feedback about RIS structure, reflection strength, and channel quality. Essentially, it’s the language that allows smart control of the surface.
Factories are complex environments — full of metal machinery, moving robots, and interference. The E-GoSimRIS simulator replicates these conditions virtually.
It models multiple scenarios (like dense or sparse clutter, different ceiling heights, and varying signal reflections), helping engineers figure out where to place RIS panels and how they’ll behave.
The magic lies in optimizing how RIS panels reflect signals. ORIX uses three main strategies:
| Method | Description | Advantage |
|---|---|---|
| Iterative | Tries different reflection angles one by one to find the best setup. | Near-optimal results with low computation. |
| Quantized Phase Shift | Calculates the perfect reflection and snaps it to the nearest hardware-supported angle. | Fast and realistic. |
| Codebook | Uses a pre-learned library of reflection settings. | Great for predictable or stable environments. |
These approaches ensure the best data rates even under real-world hardware constraints.
To prove the concept, researchers tested ORIX using a 3GPP-compliant indoor factory model. The virtual factory had:
They ran simulations for five different layouts, such as:
Each setup revealed how clutter density and antenna placement impact wireless performance.
Increasing the number of reflecting tiles improved communication dramatically, especially for nearby devices.
With just 3-bit control, RIS nearly matched the performance of an ideal continuous system. That’s good news — simpler hardware can still perform great!
At higher frequencies (like 28 GHz), smaller RIS panels can host more reflective elements, achieving better performance without taking up extra space.
These two optimization methods consistently achieved the highest data rates, outperforming the simpler codebook approach.
Before ORIX, integrating RIS into industrial networks was mostly theoretical. Real-world testing was expensive and complex.
Now, ORIX provides:
🧩 A realistic emulation platform to test RIS deployment strategies.
💡 An open, modular architecture compatible with O-RAN.
🧠 Smarter orchestration via AI-driven xApps that can adapt RIS behavior in real time.
In short, it bridges the gap between lab research and factory floors — a critical step for Industry 6.0.
The research team highlights several exciting paths ahead:
Future systems could continuously monitor and adjust RIS panels using AI, learning from every change in the environment.
Combining RIS with cell-free MIMO, digital twins, and integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) will unlock more resilient and adaptive industrial networks.
To move from prototype to reality, standardized interfaces and models for dynamic industrial environments are essential. Collaborative efforts between academia, industry, and 6G standard bodies are already underway. 🌍
ORIX represents a major leap toward reconfigurable, intelligent, and reliable wireless factories. By orchestrating RIS panels through xApps within O-RAN, industries can design smarter networks that adapt instantly to their environment — improving safety, productivity, and energy efficiency.
In the near future, factories won’t just be “smart.” They’ll be self-optimizing, self-healing, and reconfigurable — thanks to innovations like ORIX. 🔧⚡
⚙️ Smart Wireless Factory (SWF) - A Smart Wireless Factory is an advanced manufacturing space where machines, robots, and sensors connect wirelessly — no messy cables — to exchange data in real time for faster, safer, and more flexible production.
🛰️ O-RAN (Open Radio Access Network) - O-RAN is like open-source software for mobile networks. It breaks the traditional, closed telecom systems into open, programmable parts, allowing developers to add new features, like AI-based apps, to control and optimize wireless performance.
🧩 xApp - An xApp is a small, intelligent software module that runs inside the O-RAN system to manage network tasks (like signal quality, interference, or handovers) in near real-time — think of it as a mini “AI assistant” for wireless networks.
🔁 Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface (RIS) - A Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface is a panel covered with many tiny reflective elements that can control how radio waves bounce around. It acts like a “smart mirror” that redirects wireless signals for better coverage, faster speed, and lower energy use. - More about this concept from the article "How 6G Will Keep Stadiums Online 🏟️ 📡 Merging Satellites and Smart Surfaces for Ultimate Connectivity".
📡 RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC) - The RIC is the “brain” of O-RAN. It collects data from the network and uses apps (like xApps or rApps) to make quick decisions that improve performance — for example, boosting signals or reducing congestion automatically.
🧠 O-RAN Service Model (E2SM) - The E2 Service Model (E2SM) defines how the RIC and network components talk to each other — basically, it’s the “language” that ensures smooth communication between smart network parts like RIS panels and controllers.
🔬 3GPP Indoor Factory (InF) Model - The 3GPP Indoor Factory Model is a realistic simulation environment that mimics how wireless signals behave inside real factories — including reflections, interference, and obstacles like metal machines and walls.
⚡ mmWave (Millimeter Wave) - mmWave refers to high-frequency radio waves (like 28 GHz) that can carry tons of data very fast but have shorter range — perfect for high-speed, short-distance communication in controlled environments like factories. - More about this concept in the article "Revving Up Autonomous Driving: Adaptive PSO Boosts 24 GHz VCOs for Self-Driving Cars—Say Hello to Ultra-Low Noise & Lightning-Fast Radar! 🚗 🌐".
🔄 Phase Shift - A Phase Shift is a small timing adjustment applied to a wave — in RIS panels, controlling phase shifts changes how signals reflect, allowing engineers to steer wireless beams where they’re needed most.
🧮 Optimization Algorithm - An Optimization Algorithm is a smart mathematical process used to find the best possible configuration (like the ideal way RIS panels should reflect signals) for maximum speed and reliability. - More about this concept in the article "Revolutionizing Vertical Farming: How a Jellyfish-Inspired Algorithm Optimizes Multi-Robot Path Planning 🐙 🤖 🌱".
Source: Sefa Kayraklik, Ali Fuat Sahin, Onur Salan, Recep A. Tasci, Recep Vural, Yusuf Islam Tek, Ertugrul Basar, Ibrahim Hokelek, Ali Gorcin, Karim Boutiba, Adlen Ksentini. ORIX: Orchestration of RIS with xApps for Smart Wireless Factory Environments. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2510.17462
From: HISAR Lab. of TUBITAK-BILGEM; Koç University; EURECOM.
