The recent advancements in wireless communication technologies have seen a significant shift towards integrating reconfigurable and intelligent surfaces to enhance network performance and efficiency. The field is moving towards more compact, cost-effective, and energy-efficient solutions, particularly in the context of ultra-massive MIMO systems. Innovations like stacked intelligent metasurfaces (SIM) and reconfigurable holographic surfaces (RHS) are paving the way for direct analog signal processing in the wave domain, reducing the reliance on traditional phased arrays. Additionally, the concept of Internet of Paint (IoP) introduces a novel approach to embedding communication capabilities within everyday materials, transforming walls into high-speed wireless infrastructures. Flexible-antenna systems, such as pinching antennas, are also gaining traction for their ability to reconfigure wireless channels intelligently, offering potential improvements in line-of-sight communication and interference mitigation. These developments collectively point towards a future where wireless communication is seamlessly integrated into our physical environment, enhancing both performance and user experience.

Noteworthy papers include the one on stacked intelligent metasurfaces, which highlights the integration of communication, sensing, and computing in a single platform, and the paper on reconfigurable holographic surfaces, which presents a cost-effective alternative to traditional phased arrays for ultra-massive MIMO systems.