XVI International Scientific and Technical Conference "Modern Challenges in Telecommunications 2022" was held on the basis of the Educational and Research Institute of Telecommunication Systems and Research Institute of Telecommunications of Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute from April 11 to 15. Despite the war, it gathered more than 100 scientists from several countries on its virtual platform. The site was virtual, because in the current conditions the organizers were able to hold the conference only remotely, which did not get in the way of productive work of participants: suffice it to say that 6 plenary speeches and 62 reports out of 72 submitted were presented at its plenary and sectional meetings. In addition, an online exhibition of innovative developments in the field of telecommunications was held within it, where specialists could get acquainted with three stands. Simultaneously with this conference, the XIV International Scientific and Technical Conference of Students and Postgraduates "Prospects for the Development of Information and Telecommunication Technologies and Systems 2022" was held. 28 organizations, enterprises and scientific institutions took part in the preparation and holding of the "Modern Challenges in Telecommunications 2022" conference, 10 of which were foreign.
It is significant that even the holding the conference at this time was a clear indication of the powerful integration of communication technologies in the life of modern people. Conference co-chairman, Director of ITS, Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Professor Mykhaylo Ilchenko stated in his introductory speech: "The technical feasibility of our online conference is a good illustration of the practical use of modern information and telecommunications technologies that are designed for life and have become the scientific and technical basis for comprehensive remote activities of people on Earth over the past two years amid COVID-19 pandemic. And this is especially true today, given the martial law in Ukraine." He also reminded that a month ago the President signed the Law of Ukraine "On Cloud Services" and now government agencies and organizations are able to store their information and data in cloud services. Therefore, the intensification of work in the direction of development of the telecommunications industry in our country is of particular importance.
Another co-chairman of the conference, head of the Research Center for Digital Transformations and Law of the Research Institute of Informatics and Law at the National Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine, Professor Oleksandr Baranov, spoke about how this sphere works in Ukraine during the war. He, in particular, told how the telecommunications workers united in one of the Internet publics help their colleagues in solving certain problems: "A message from one of the providers was recently posted there: "It is necessary to restore the connection between point A and point B (the case took place somewhere in Kharkiv region). I ask those who can help or do that at the expense of their networks to provide conditions for these works." And in 4 minutes there was a message from another provider: "Took to work, sent details to privat" That is, the Ukrainian telecommunications industry today operates without economic competition, but in the competition to help everyone. This situation is typical, and it is a matter of pride for our industry."
Returning to the International Conference "Prospects for Telecommunications", it should be noted that this is one of the main annual scientific forums not only for ITS of Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, but also for the whole university. Moreover, as Mykhaylo Ilchenko told Kyiv Polytechnic, the conference was actually one of the first major scientific events organized by the Institute of Telecommunication Systems established in 2002. It is destined for a long life, and now for experts in many countries it is one of the main annual scientific events in the field of telecommunications. This fact is evidenced by this year's meeting of researchers - they represented 17 leading research institutions and universities in Zhytomyr, Kyiv, Lviv, Kharkiv, as well as those working in China, Germany and Sweden.
The conference participants worked in seven sections: 1) "Transmission of signals and information in telecommunication systems"; 2) "Telecommunications and cable systems and technologies"; 3) "Transport telecommunication systems technologies and network technologies"; 4) "Wireless telecommunication systems and technologies, 5G systems"; 5) "Telecommunications as an integral part of information technology"; 6) "Sensor networks and applied aspects of telecommunication technologies"; 7) "System and software engineering of infocommunications, Internet of Things technologies". In addition, the seminar "Modern information and telecommunication trends" and the above-mentioned exhibition were held within its program. It should be noted that the war did not allow to forget about it during the conference. For example, on the last day of the scientific meeting, one of the speakers from Kharkiv was forced to interrupt his speech due to an alarm signal and the beginning of hostile fire on the city…
Of course, the topics of the speeches were very special, so there is no point in writing about them in the newspaper. Suffice it to say that the conference had quite a number of reports devoted to solving purely practical problems of specific research projects in telecommunications systems and technologies for various purposes, including dual-use. However, there were reports that may seem unbelievable to some, especially during the war. These include, for example, work on the development of a telecommunications system for information support of lunar exploration and development missions, or telecommunications nanosatellite orientation systems for Mars exploration, and so on. In fact, those interested will be able to get acquainted with the materials of the conference on the resource http://conferences.uran.ua/ by the link: http://conferenc.its.kpi.ua/2022/schedConf/presentations/ and on the resource http://journals.uran.ua/ by the link: http://conferenc.its.kpi.ua/proc/issue/archive/.
One of the most interesting for the conference participants was the plenary report "Silicon-micromachined THz systems - enabling the large-scale exploitation of millimeter and submillimeter-wave frequencies". It was addressed by Joachim Oberhammer, a world-renowned scientist and professor at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology (Stockholm, Sweden), who works on topics close to the work carried out at the ITS of Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute. By the way, with the support of this scientist during the three military weeks of March, ITS researchers managed to get a grant from the Swedish government to implement a joint international research project in the field of telecommunications. According to Mykhaylo Ilchenko, another practical result of the conference may be a joint international project with Polish researchers on space issues - proposals for it are currently being prepared. In addition, the conference gave impetus to the preparation of a project proposal for a grant from the Scientific Council of one of the respected international organizations.
At its final meeting on April 15, the participants of the "Modern Challenges in Telecommunications 2022" conference adopted a number of recommendations. In particular, they presented six reports representing the latest developments in competitions and festivals of innovative projects and startups, including "Sikorsky Challenge". They also noted eight reports that have potential opportunities for further new scientific and practical results, and recommended them for participation in domestic or international competitions, or in competitions for grants within international programs. A number of organizational and professional proposals were also approved for the preparation and holding of such events in the future. Finally, it was decided that the next conference should take place in April 2023.