Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RIS) are emerging as a key 6G technology that uses smart radio surfaces with thousands of passive elements to dynamically shape signals, enhancing coverage, capacity, and enabling new applications like localization and fall detection. These low-cost, energy-efficient systems can be deployed in diverse indoor and outdoor environments across sub-6 GHz to THz frequencies, often leveraging AI and machine learning for optimization. To address technical challenges and define use cases for future standardization, ETSI has launched a new Industry Specification Group chaired by Arman Shojaeifard, with Richie Leo and Professor Marco Di Renzo serving as vice chairs. This initiative aims to transform the wireless environment from a passive medium into an intelligent actor, paving the way for commercial adoption and societal benefits.
Keywords: reconfigurable intelligent surfaces, metamaterial elements, passive components, low energy consumption, standardization