O projeto LUMIRing tem como objetivo implementar uma plataforma de testes com fibra multinariz (MCF) na Linha Amarela do Metro de Lisboa — uma iniciativa ambiciosa e inovadora para explorar a transmissão em MCF fracamente acoplada em condições reais. Ao tirar partido das agressões mecânicas provocadas pelas operações do metro em túneis subterrâneos, o projeto oferece uma oportunidade única para investigar e enfrentar desafios reais de transmissão. Um objetivo central é conceber, implementar e validar técnicas avançadas que reduzam a degradação de desempenho e permitam integrar a transmissão de dados com funções de deteção, expandindo os limites das capacidades atuais de MCF. A principal infraestrutura da plataforma de testes inclui um cabo com 12 tubos, cada um contendo 12 fibras. O cabo contém 74 fibras WC-MCF com diâmetro de revestimento padrão (de 5 tipos diferentes, com 4 e 7 núcleos e com perfis de índice de refração em degrau e assistidos por vala) e 70 fibras monomodo convencionais de núcleo único (SSMF).

Multicore fiber Applications and TeCHnologies (MATCH) is a doctoral training network funded by the European Commission, under the MSCA Doctoral Networks 2023 | Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, and proposed by a multidisciplinary and intersectoral consortium of international experts.       - MATCH directs PhD research toward multicore fibre (MCF) technology;       - MATCH aims at developing leading solution for scaling future optical fibre communication networks towards emerging information capacities, while offering the potential to lower costs, reduce power consumption and significantly boost network capacity by over tenfold;       - MATCH programme outlines a comprehensive set of research and training objectives tailored to 13 doctoral candidates (DCs);       - The cohort of DCs will be hosted by 14 partners (10 from academia and 4 from the industrial sector);       - The planned training activities of DCs include 32 secondments, 7 mini-symposiums, 3 transferable skills workshops, summer schools, and tutorials, among others.     In MATCH program, DCs will acquire expertise in diverse areas, encompassing: (i) Design and fabrication of MCFs with transmission capacities surpassing the state-of-the-art; (ii) Design and implementation of MCF components and subsystems, with a focus on optical amplifiers and switches, multiple frequency comb sources, and parallel-scalable signal processing architectures; (iii) Development and implementation of machine learning techniques for end-to-end performance optimization of MCF networks; (iv) Design and evaluation of coexistence of telecom and non-telecom signals in MCF networks. By engaging the expertise of MATCH academic and industrial partners, DCs will acquire distinct skills and knowledge to transform them to globally-minded scientists and engineers, who will help to shape Europe’s ICT future and societal wellbeing.   For more information see: https://match.iscte-iul.pt/