The Rise of Networked ISAC: Emerging Aspects and Challenges

This paper contributes to the consolidation of networked integrated sensing and communications (ISAC), emphasizing essential aspects, technologies, and strategies for the design of this new paradigm. Herein, we outline our vision for networked ISAC and its architectural components. Our work stands out by addressing key aspects from the physical to network layers, as well as security, privacy, and resilience, which we believe are pivotal in shaping the design of networked ISAC systems and assessing the viability of use cases with strict requirements. Our discussion includes aspects regarding advanced antenna technologies, challenges regarding synchronization and interference management, resource allocation and cooperation strategies, and procedures and protocols at the network level. Additionally, we discuss new threat vectors in the context of networked ISAC, considering ethical and legal implications, and potential solutions. Given the criticality and safety-threatening nature of ISAC scenarios, it is crucial to design systems that meet stringent requirements under failures and malfunctions. Thus, we raise the main considerations for resilience design in networked ISAC, and identify opportunities to enhance resilience through cooperation. Finally, we offer insights on emerging research directions, pinpointing key areas that deserve focused research.