arXiv subjects

Enrico Testi

Publications and source records attributed to Enrico Testi.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

A Deep Learning-based Receiver for Asynchronous Grant-Free Random Access in Control-to-Control Networks

In this paper, we study grant-free, asynchronous control-to-control (C2C) communications in an indoor scenario with a shared wireless channel. Each communication node transmits command units, each consisting of a variable-length low-density parity-check (LDPC)--coded payload preceded by a start sequence and followed by a tail sequence. Due to the asynchronous nature of the access, transmissions from different nodes are not aligned over time. As a result, each receiving controller observes the superposition of multiple command units transmitted by different nodes over a receiver-defined superframe interval. Each node transmits one or more replicas of the same command unit. We propose a receiver architecture in which the detection of command unit boundaries (start/tail sequences) is carried out by a single convolutional neural network (CNN) operating directly on the received signal. We show that, while start-sequence detection must rely only on the received waveform, tail-sequence detection can additionally exploit the soft information produced by the LDPC decoder, together with channel estimates. Finally, once commands units are successfully decoded, successive interference cancellation (SIC) can be applied. Simulation results demonstrate that the receiver we propose achieves reliable packet-boundary identification and a low end-to-end packet loss rate, even under uncoordinated and high-traffic operating conditions.

cs.IT↗

arXiv2026

Human-Inspired Pavlovian and Instrumental Learning for Autonomous Agent Navigation

Autonomous agents operating in uncertain environments must balance fast responses with goal-directed planning. Classical MF RL often converges slowly and may induce unsafe exploration, whereas MB methods are computationally expensive and sensitive to model mismatch. This paper presents a human-inspired hybrid RL architecture integrating Pavlovian, Instrumental MF, and Instrumental MB components. Inspired by Pavlovian and Instrumental learning from neuroscience, the framework considers contextual radio cues, here intended as georeferenced environmental features acting as CS, to shape intrinsic value signals and bias decision-making. Learning is further modulated by internal motivational drives through a dedicated motivational signal. A Bayesian arbitration mechanism adaptively blends MF and MB estimates based on predicted reliability. Simulation results show that the hybrid approach accelerates learning, improves operational safety, and reduces navigation in high-uncertainty regions compared to standard RL baselines. Pavlovian conditioning promotes safer exploration and faster convergence, while arbitration enables a smooth transition from exploration to efficient, plan-driven exploitation. Overall, the results highlight the benefits of biologically inspired modularity for robust and adaptive autonomous systems under uncertainty.

cs.MA↗

arXiv2026

Multi-Agent Meta-Advisor for UAV Fleet Trajectory Design in Vehicular Networks

Future vehicular networks require continuous connectivity to serve highly mobile users in urban environments. To mitigate the coverage limitations of fixed terrestrial macro base stations (MBS) under non line-of-sight (NLoS) conditions, fleets of unmanned aerial base stations (UABSs) can be deployed as aerial base stations, dynamically repositioning to track vehicular users and traffic hotspots in coordination with the terrestrial network. This paper addresses cooperative multi-agent trajectory design under different service areas and takeoff configurations, where rapid and safe adaptation across scenarios is essential. We formulate the problem as a multi-task decentralized partially observable Markov decision process and solve it using centralized training and decentralized execution with double dueling deep Q-network (3DQN), enabling online training for real-world deployments. However, efficient exploration remains a bottleneck, with conventional strategies like $\epsilon$-greedy requiring careful tuning. To overcome this, we propose the multi-agent meta-advisor with advisor override (MAMO). This framework guides agent exploration through a meta-policy learned jointly across tasks. It uses a dynamic override mechanism that allows agents to reject misaligned guidance when the advisor fails to generalize to a specific scenario. Simulation results across three realistic urban scenarios and multiple takeoff configurations show that MAMO achieves faster convergence and higher returns than tuned $\epsilon$-greedy baselines, outperforming both an advisor-only ablation and a single generalized policy. Finally, we demonstrate that the learned UABS fleet significantly improves network performance compared to deployments without aerial support.

cs.NI↗

arXiv2026

A Cognitive Framework for Autonomous Agents: Toward Human-Inspired Design

This work introduces a human-inspired reinforcement learning (RL) architecture that integrates Pavlovian and instrumental processes to enhance decision-making in autonomous systems. While existing engineering solutions rely almost exclusively on instrumental learning, neuroscience shows that humans use Pavlovian associations to leverage predictive cues to bias behavior before outcomes occur. We translate this dual-system mechanism into a cue-guided RL framework in which radio-frequency (RF) stimuli act as conditioned (Pavlovian) cues that modulate action selection. The proposed architecture combines Pavlovian values with instrumental policy optimization, improving navigation efficiency and cooperative behavior in unknown, partially observable environments. Simulation results demonstrate that cue-driven agents adapt faster, achieving superior performance compared to traditional instrumental-solo agents. This work highlights the potential of human learning principles to reshape digital agents intelligence.

eess.SY↗

arXiv2025

A Grant-free Coded Random Access Scheme for Near-field Communications

The industrial Internet of things (IIoT) is revolutionizing industrial processes by facilitating massive machine-type communications among countless interconnected devices. To efficiently handle the resulting large-scale and sporadic traffic, grant-free random access protocols-especially coded random access (CRA)-have emerged as scalable and reliable solutions. At the same time, advancements in wireless hardware, including extremely large-scale MIMO arrays and high-frequency communication (e.g., mmWave, Terahertz), are pushing network operations into the near-field propagation regime, allowing for dense connectivity and enhanced spatial multiplexing. This paper proposes an innovative approach that combines near-field spatial multiplexing with the interference mitigation capabilities of CRA, utilizing an extremely large aperture array at the access point. This integration improves reliability and reduces access latency, offering a robust framework for IIoT connectivity in next-generation 6G networks.

eess.SP↗

arXiv2025

A Neural Network-aided Low Complexity Chase Decoder for URLLC

Ultra-reliable low-latency communications (URLLC) demand decoding algorithms that simultaneously offer high reliability and low complexity under stringent latency constraints. While iterative decoding schemes for LDPC and Polar codes offer a good compromise between performance and complexity, they fall short in approaching the theoretical performance limits in the typical URLLC short block length regime. Conversely, quasi-ML decoding schemes for algebraic codes, like Chase-II decoding, exhibit a smaller gap to optimum decoding but are computationally prohibitive for practical deployment in URLLC systems. To bridge this gap, we propose an enhanced Chase-II decoding algorithm that leverages a neural network (NN) to predict promising perturbation patterns, drastically reducing the number of required decoding trials. The proposed approach combines the reliability of quasi-ML decoding with the efficiency of NN inference, making it well-suited for time-sensitive and resource-constrained applications.

eess.SP↗

arXiv2024

Research Directions and Modeling Guidelines for Industrial Internet of Things Applications

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) paradigm has emerged as a transformative force, revolutionizing industrial processes by integrating advanced wireless technologies into traditional procedures to enhance their efficiency. The importance of this paradigm shift has produced a massive, yet heterogeneous, proliferation of scientific contributions. However, these works lack a standardized and cohesive characterization of the IIoT framework coming from different entities, like the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) or the 5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation (5G-ACIA), resulting in divergent perspectives and potentially hindering interoperability. To bridge this gap, this article offers a unified characterization of (i) the main IIoT application domains, (ii) their respective requirements, (iii) the principal technological gaps existing in the current literature, and, most importantly, (iv) we propose a systematic approach for assessing and addressing the identified research challenges. Therefore, this article serves as a roadmap for future research endeavors, promoting a unified vision of the IIoT paradigm and fostering collaborative efforts to advance the field.

cs.NI↗

arXiv2024

Jamming Detection in MIMO-OFDM ISAC Systems Using Variational Autoencoders

This paper introduces a novel unsupervised jamming detection framework designed specifically for monostatic multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO)-orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) radar systems. The framework leverages echo signals captured at the base station (BS) and employs the latent data representation learning capability of variational autoencoders (VAEs). The VAE-based detector is trained on echo signals received from a real target in the absence of jamming, enabling it to learn an optimal latent representation of normal network operation. During testing, in the presence of a jammer, the detector identifies anomalous signals by their inability to conform to the learned latent space. We assess the performance of the proposed method in a typical integrated sensing and communication (ISAC)-enabled 5G wireless network, even comparing it with a conventional autoencoder.

eess.SP↗

arXiv2024

Blind User Activity Detection for Grant-Free Random Access in Cell-Free mMIMO Networks

Cell-free massive MIMO (CF-mMIMO) networks have recently emerged as a promising solution to tackle the challenges arising from next-generation massive machine-type communications. In this paper, a fully grant-free deep learning (DL)-based method for user activity detection in CF-mMIMO networks is proposed. Initially, the known non-orthogonal pilot sequences are used to estimate the channel coefficients between each user and the access points. Then, a deep convolutional neural network is used to estimate the activity status of the users. The proposed method is "blind", i.e., it is fully data-driven and does not require prior large-scale fading coefficients estimation. Numerical results show how the proposed DL-based algorithm is able to merge the information gathered by the distributed antennas to estimate the user activity status, yet outperforming a state-of-the-art covariance-based method.

eess.SP↗

arXiv2024

MADRL-based UAVs Trajectory Design with Anti-Collision Mechanism in Vehicular Networks

In upcoming 6G networks, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are expected to play a fundamental role by acting as mobile base stations, particularly for demanding vehicle-to-everything (V2X) applications. In this scenario, one of the most challenging problems is the design of trajectories for multiple UAVs, cooperatively serving the same area. Such joint trajectory design can be performed using multi-agent deep reinforcement learning (MADRL) algorithms, but ensuring collision-free paths among UAVs becomes a critical challenge. Traditional methods involve imposing high penalties during training to discourage unsafe conditions, but these can be proven to be ineffective, whereas binary masks can be used to restrict unsafe actions, but naively applying them to all agents can lead to suboptimal solutions and inefficiencies. To address these issues, we propose a rank-based binary masking approach. Higher-ranked UAVs move optimally, while lower-ranked UAVs use this information to define improved binary masks, reducing the number of unsafe actions. This approach allows to obtain a good trade-off between exploration and exploitation, resulting in enhanced training performance, while maintaining safety constraints.

cs.RO↗