The WEAF mnecosystem – perspective vision of micro/nano technologies and materials as pillars of future 6G, super-IoT and tactile internet

The paradigms of 6G, Super-IoT (Internet of Things) and Tactile Internet (TI), expected to become reality in about one decade from now, demand for unprecedented leaps at conceptual prior that at technology level. Extensive use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) will broaden services and functionalities, while requiring the 6G network infrastructure itself to develop unparalleled concepts, like self-sustenance and self-evolution. The present work argues that the classical Hardware-Software (HW-SW) design approaches, which were effective for decades are that are still in use today, e.g. in 5G, will not be suitable anymore in realizing the self-evolving network of the future. To this end, this contribution will focus on the HW, suggesting its increase in separation and symmetry with respect to the SW, as critical attributes to be pursued in overcoming the so-called HW-SW divide. In particular, partial reformulation of the concept of HW is proposed, capitalizing on the analogy between HW/SW systems/infrastructures and the four classical elements in nature. The envisioned ecosystem is named the WEAF Mnecosystem, standing for the Water, Earth, Air and Fire Micro/Nanotechnologies Ecosystem, within which devices and solutions based on Micro/Nanosystems, Micro/Nanoelectronics and novel materials are accounted to be pivotal in the transition of 6G and TI from current visions to future reality. After defining the WEAF Mnecosystem at conceptual level, its empty landscape will commence to be populated by reporting several state of the art Micro/Nanotechnologies-based research activities, devices, solutions and methodologies, currently discussed in literature, identified as key enabling technologies of 6G, Super-IoT and TI.