Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking has published the white paper “Towards 6G-enabled eHealth” (February 2026), consolidating results from leading European research and innovation projects advancing next-generation connectivity for healthcare.
We are proud to announce that IMAGINE-B5G is prominently featured in this strategic document, with five Open Call projects showcased as validated examples of Beyond-5G (B5G) enabled eHealth innovation.
The white paper marks an important milestone for Europe’s digital health transformation. It demonstrates how advanced network architectures, artificial intelligence (AI), edge computing, and secure-by-design infrastructures are no longer theoretical concepts – they are now validated in operational, real-world healthcare scenarios.
From Open Innovation to Clinical-Grade Validation
Through its three Open Calls, IMAGINE-B5G funded 45 third-party projects (15 per Open Call), enabling vertical experimentation across multiple sectors – including healthcare.
Five of those healthcare-focused experiments are now highlighted in the SNS JU white paper as concrete demonstrations of how B5G infrastructures can enable:
- Real-time remote monitoring
- Edge-enabled AI diagnostics
- Network slicing for medical-grade QoS
- Secure and GDPR-compliant data processing
- Immersive and XR-supported telemedicine
All experiments were validated using the IMAGINE-B5G large-scale facilities, including deployments in Portugal and Norway, demonstrating cross-border infrastructure capability and operational maturity.
The Five IMAGINE-B5G eHealth Use Cases Featured
Drone Care Angel (DCA) – Mobile Health Monitoring as a Service
Developed under Open Call 1, Drone Care Angel integrates UAVs, AI, AR, and B5G connectivity to provide real-time, context-aware health supervision for individuals on the move.
Key achievements:
- Sub-100 ms latency for medical-grade streaming
- Dynamic network slicing for emergency prioritisation
- Edge-based AI image recognition and AR-enhanced clinical visualisation
- 99.5–100% reliability during trials
The system demonstrates how aerial sensing and edge intelligence can extend clinical oversight beyond traditional healthcare infrastructures.
Connected Home for Healthy Ageing (CHHA)
An Open Call 2 project transforming residential spaces into intelligent, health-supportive environments through:
- AI-powered virtual rehabilitation (Gamified Virtual Gym)
- Radar-based non-intrusive activity monitoring
- Edge processing for privacy-preserving analytics
- Reliable B5G-based home connectivity
CHHA validates how B5G infrastructures can support preventive, person-centred healthcare for ageing populations.
CogNetCare – Advancing Population Cognitive Health
Also funded under Open Call 2, CogNetCare combines remote cognitive testing and precision gait analysis using centimetre-level positioning over standalone B5G infrastructure.
Validated performance:
- End-to-end latency near 12 ms
- Reliability above 99.9%
- High-throughput support for real-time analytics
The experiment demonstrates how B5G networks can sustain clinically valid cognitive and neurological monitoring outside hospital environments.
LEOSED – Edge Optical Sensing for Emergency Diagnostics
An Open Call 1 project validating contact-less vital-sign monitoring through optical wireless sensing integrated with edge computing.
Key capabilities demonstrated at the Norwegian IMAGINE-B5G facility:
- ≥ 50 Mbps stable uplink per sensing unit
- Low-latency optical signal processing at the edge
- Dedicated slicing for predictable performance
- Privacy-preserving architecture with no stored personal data
LEOSED illustrates how B5G infrastructure can streamline emergency triage and continuous patient monitoring.
5G4Reha – XR-Enabled Telerehabilitation with Real-Time Biomechanical Tracking
An Open Call 3 project combining wearable IMUs, AR glasses, and cloud-based analytics for remote rehabilitation supervision.
Performance targets include:
- < 10 ms motion-to-response latency
- Zero packet loss tolerance
- ≥ 99.99% service availability
- Simultaneous network slicing for multi-patient monitoring
The use case validates how immersive, interactive rehabilitation can be supported through high-performance B5G connectivity.
A Strategic Contribution to Europe’s 6G Vision
The SNS JU white paper clearly states that projects including IMAGINE-B5G have moved ‘beyond theoretical potential to demonstrated, validated, clinically impactful outcomes.’
The inclusion of five IMAGINE-B5G Open Call projects in this white paper confirms the project’s role as a catalyst for translating advanced connectivity into tangible healthcare impact.
As Europe moves toward 6G, IMAGINE-B5G stands as a concrete example of how open, multi-stakeholder experimentation platforms accelerate innovation from research to validated societal benefit.
📖 The full white paper “Towards 6G-enabled eHealth” is available via the SNS JU website.
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