SHARC

Current 5G RANs are energy-intensive (consuming up to 75% of mobile network power) and inflexible, relying on vendor-specific acceleration and static allocation of compute resources. SHARC addresses these challenges by enabling a multi-tenant, hardware-accelerated 6G RAN that dynamically orchestrates RAN workloads across heterogeneous compute platforms (CPUs, GPUs, FPGAs, and emerging neuromorphic/analog accelerators), while ensuring trust, security, and energy efficiency. At its core, SHARC introduces an Intelligent Hardware Abstraction Layer (i-HAL) to seamlessly deploy and adapt RAN workloads on diverse accelerators, integrating confidential computing primitives for secure execution. Advanced RAN functions such as massive MIMO, beamforming, and channel coding will be optimized for heterogeneous acceleration, supported by a library of multi-variant workload implementations. An AI-driven orchestration framework, extending O-RAN SMO and RIC and integrating European meta-OS initiatives (e.g., ICOS, NEMO), will provide cross-layer observability and closed-loop workload lifecycle management. A telecom-grade MLOps pipeline will automate the continuous integration, deployment, and governance of AI models for hardware-accelerated RAN control. The project will validate its innovations through Proof-of-Concept deployments across multiple European testbeds, covering terrestrial, non-terrestrial, and edge-cloud scenarios. SHARC will deliver measurable gains in energy efficiency, latency, and secure workload portability, while contributing to O-RAN, 3GPP, and ETSI standards. In doing so, SHARC will strengthen Europe’s leadership in 6G, advancing its goals for digital sovereignty, sustainability, and innovation.