“Connections and intelligence beyond 5G – and even beyond 6G – will be essential in the future, so we want to ensure that we can integrate this as a key part of the project,” Sara Gana, CEO and Chief Architect for the Kris X Biome project, commented in an interview with 6GWorld™.  

At the Intersection of Technology and Environmentalism  

The KRIS X Biome project aims to create cities that combine renewable living, technology, and biodiversity in a destination that’s both educational and entertaining. The ultimate aim would be to build one on every continent, bringing together different aspects of regional ecologies. The first, however, is set to be in North America, not far from New York City.  

“We are looking at 1,500 acres of developmental property powered by self-sustainable renewable energy, featuring eight major distinct zones with many immersive attractions and various educational tours,” Gana explained. “The combination of business, entertainment, and education is critical to be both and a model and an inspiration for how we might live in an economically viable way together with the natural world – not just reducing our negative impacts on the planet but being a positive force.  

“Combining agribusiness, renewable energy, circular economy companies, tourism, entertainment, and more in new value chains will have to be a key part of any answer, and there is no doubt that opportunities exist for 6G capabilities – widely available sensing, intelligence, and communications – to enable this with a scale and flexibility never before possible.” 

While the plans are ambitious, it also offers scope for new generations of technology research. 

“We would like to have a 6G lab or labs as an essential part of the project,” Gana explained., “We have an opportunity here for a partner interested in technology research to create a living testbed as we build, to integrate trial infrastructure into a greenfield environment and work alongside other industries to explore what propositions and use cases make sense. This is true today, of course, but it will stay true as technologies and economies evolve in the coming decades, so I see this as a long-term component beyond 6G.” 

The educational element is also significant.  

“Our projections are to welcome 10 million visitors in the first year of operation alone. With so many people coming through, it is important to highlight the work that is being done. This is a chance to educate and excite the new generation about the possibilities of 6G and beyond, to encourage young people into the skills which are in short supply,” Gana noted. “What’s more, with vigorous competition for talent in areas like AI and cybersecurity, the visibility can act as a useful recruitment shop-window for the companies involved.  

“So, the public-facing element is important to a project like this – and, of course, it can help get people excited by the coming technology, not scared of rumours like with 5G and the coronavirus vaccines. If people have the chance to experience what the future might hold and see how it can be beneficial for them and for their environment, then any kind of backlash against technology is going to be reduced.” 

6G Lab Development 

What kind of facilities is Gana thinking of for the project’s proposed 6G labs? “At present though fluid and up for discussion, the lab will focus on laying foundations with protocols, standardisations, measures and software development across multiple layers of communications and infrastructure integration on digital and conventional platforms. In the next two years, we need to have these discussions with the people running the labs. It would make sense to build in some basic infrastructure building blocks through the city that are flexible for different tests and trials simultaneously during the project development – say, the next two years – and then [followed by] the emergence of strategic new developments for the next 10 or 20 years, but we need to have these conversations with interested parties to understand how the city can be made to work for the 6G lab and vice versa in a live scenario.  

“We need to bring everything together to make sense and be cohesive. Once we organise what we have then that becomes the beginning of 6G; then the clear path will emerge. This is exactly what KRIS X Biome 6G lab is about, leading the 6G path with live experiences. Yes, there would be many challenges, but a standard template is there for all to adopt to their requirement.”  

The projected timeline, as with everything else, is ambitious.  

“We have the land available, roughly 1,500 acres in New York, and we are putting funding in place at present. All being well, we will break ground in Q4 [2021] and be able to open the first phase in 2023, with development ongoing after that. 

“Including a 6G lab in that first phase would be important for us, so that we can partner with the company or companies who own the lab and develop the city further with their input as technologies and concepts evolve. It also means that we can build contacts between the labs and other industries as they join the city and help accelerate conversations and explorations for how services beyond 5G might be used, operated and commercialised.”  

Anyone interested in exploring a collaboration would be welcome to contact Sara Gana at [email protected].