I am a fourth-year Ph.D. student (2022-now) supervised by Prof. Riku Jäntti and Dr. Kalle Ruttik, working on Ambient
Backscatter Communication at Aalto University, Finland.
My research interests include signal processing in wireless communications.
Now I am working in European Union Horizon Europe Project Ambient-6G. In 2025, I was a visiting scholar to Prof. Zhu Han group and Prof.
Miao Pan group in University of Houston.
I also work closely with Orange Fellow Dr. Dinh-Thuy PHAN
HUY in the European-level 6G Flagship project Hexa-X-II and Hexa-X.
Education
Aalto University
Espoo, Finland (2022–Estimate 2026)
Ph.D. in Information and Communication Engineering
University of Houston
Houston, USA (2025)
Visiting Scholar
University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
Chengdu, China (2018–2021)
M.Eng. in Information and Communication Engineering
University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
Algorithm Design Contest of Southwest China Second Prize
2015
Dean Scholarship (top 5%)
2014
Recommended to undergraduate program
2014
Second Scholarship (top 4%)
2013
National Olympiad in Informatics in Provinces Second Prize
2012
Publications
Only publications directly related to my doctoral research are listed below; other works are excluded.
Featured Articles
J. Liao, X. Wang, K. Ruttik, R. Jäntti and D.-T. Phan-Huy, "In-Band Ambient FSK Backscatter
Communications Leveraging LTE Cell-Specific Reference Signals," in IEEE Journal of Radio Frequency
Identification (JRFID), vol. 7, pp. 267-277, May, 2023, doi: 10.1109/JRFID.2023.3280108.
(Awarded in IEEE RFID-TA 2024)
Journal Papers
A. Al-nahari, J. Liao, R. Jäntti, D. Mishra, D.-T. Phan-Huy, Y. Zhou, "Ambient IoT Connectivity
Topologies: Technology Enablers, Applications, and Challenges" in IEEE Internet of Things Magazine, to
be published, doi: ?. [Accepted]
R. Jäntti, J. Liao (co-first author), T. Zhang, B. Xie, M. U. Sheikh, K. Ruttik, G. Phan, D.-T.
Phan-Huy and A. Hassan, "Integration of Backscatter-based Ambient Internet of Things to Cellular Communication
Systems," in IEEE Communications Standards Magazine, to be published, doi: 10.1109/MCOMSTD.2025.3573817.
Conference Papers
J. Liao, K. Ruttik, R. Jäntti and Z. Han, "Data Assisted Backscatter Communications using
DECT-2020 NR+ as Ambient Signal," 2025 IEEE 26th International Workshop on Signal Processing Advances in
Wireless Communications (SPAWC), Surrey, UK, Jul. 7-10, 2025, pp. 1-5, doi: ?. [Accepted]
J. Liao, K. Ruttik, R. Jäntti and Z. Han, "Starlink Ku-band Downlink Based Ambient Backscatter
Communication," 2025 IEEE 26th International Workshop on Signal Processing Advances in Wireless
Communications (SPAWC), Surrey, UK, Jul. 7-10, 2025, pp. 1-5, doi: ?. [Accepted]
J. Liao, K. Ruttik, R. Jäntti, M. U. Sheikh and D.-T. Phan-Huy "Measurement of Coded
Backscatter Communication Utilizing Commercial LTE Ambient Signal," 2024 3rd International Conference on 6G
Networking (6GNet), Paris, France, Oct. 21-24, 2024, pp. 13-18, doi: 10.1109/6GNet63182.2024.10765673.
J. Liao, K. Ruttik and R. Jäntti, "Data Assistance Cellular Signal Based Ambient Backscatter
Receiver," 2024 IEEE 25th International Workshop on Signal Processing Advances in Wireless Communications
(SPAWC), Lucca, Italy, Sept. 10-13, 2024, pp. 521-525, doi: 10.1109/SPAWC60668.2024.10694415.
J. Liao, X. Wang, K. Koskinen, T. Zhang, K. Ruttik, R. Jäntti and D.-T. Phan-Huy, "Indoor
Backscattering Communication by Using Commercial LTE Pilots," 2024 IEEE 99th Vehicular Technology Conference
(VTC2024-Spring), Singapore, Jun. 24-27, 2024, pp. 1-5, doi: 10.1109/VTC2024-Spring62846.2024.10683260.
P. Ndiaye, D.-T. Phan-Huy, A. Hassan, J. Liao, X. Wang, K. Ruttik and R. Jantti,
"Zero-Energy-Device for 6G: First Real-Time Backscatter Communication Thanks to the Detection of Pilots from an
Ambient Commercial Cellular Network," 2023 2nd International Conference on 6G Networking
(6GNet), Paris, France, Oct. 18-20, 2023, pp. 1-3, doi: 10.1109/6GNet58894.2023.10317672.
X. Wang, H. Yiğitler, B.-Q. Zhao, J. Liao, N. Saba, N. Malm and R. Jäntti, "Implementation of
Low-Cost Multi-Antenna AmBC Receivers," 2023 IEEE 97th Vehicular Technology Conference
(VTC2023-Spring), Florence, Italy, Jun. 20-23, 2023, pp. 1-6, doi: 10.1109/VTC2023-Spring57618.2023.102004850.
K. Ruttik, X. Wang, J. Liao, R. Jäntti and D.-T. Phan-Huy, "Ambient backscatter communications
using LTE cell specific reference signals," 2022 IEEE 12th International Conference on RFID Technology and
Applications (RFID-TA), Cagliari, Italy, Sept. 12-14, 2022, pp. 67-70, doi: 10.1109/RFID-TA54958.2022.9923964.
Chapters
J. Liao, B. Xie and D.-T. Phan-Huy, "Cellular-backscattered ZEDs," in Final Design of
Enabling Technologies for 6G Devices and Infrastructure, Deliverable D5.5, ver. 1st, O. L. A. López, Ed.
European Union: Hexa-X-II, Mar. 31, 2025, ch. 7.1, pp. 106-112. Available: [PDF][Website]
J. Liao and D.-T. Phan-Huy, "ZE PoC," in Initial Design and Validation of Technologies and
Architecture of 6G Devices and Infrastructure, Deliverable D5.3, ver. 1st, C. Desset, Ed. European Union:
Hexa-X-II, Feb. 29, 2024, ch. 5.3, pp. 112-117. Available: [PDF][Website]
Demonstrations
J. Liao, K. Ruttik, R. Jäntti and D.-T. Phan-Huy, "Demo: Ambient Backscatter Communication with
Convolutional Code based on LTE Pilots," 2024 Joint European Conference on Networks and Communications & 6G
Summit (EuCNC/6G Summit), Antwerp, Belgium, Jun. 3-6, 2024, pp. 1-2, doi: 10.5281/zenodo.15642846.
J. Liao, K. Koskinen, X. Wang, B. Xie, K. Ruttik, R. Jäntti and D.-T. Phan-Huy, "Demo: UE
Assisted Ambient Internet of Things in LTE Downlink, Energy Autonomous," 2023 6G Summit Abu Dhabi, Abu
Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Nov. 16-17, 2023, pp. 1-2, doi: 10.5281/zenodo.10171662.
Jingyi Liao, Kalle Ruttik, Riku Jäntti and Dinh-Thuy Phan-Huy. Jun. 18-22, 2023. Demo: UE
Assisted Ambient IoT in LTE Downlink, in Real-time and Open Source. In Proceedings of the 21st Annual
International Conference on Mobile Systems, Applications and Services (MobiSys '23).
Association for Computing Machinery, New York, NY, USA, 588-589, doi: 10.1145/3581791.3597285.
Software
Software Defined Radio (SDR) related to my research is open-sourced:
4G Downlink Receiver based on C++ Universal Software Radio Peripheral (USRP) [GitHub]
5G Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT) DECT-2020 MATLAB Toolbox [GitHub]
Towards standardized 6G connectivity for ambiently-powered energy neutral IoT devices.
Funded by the European Union, Horizon Europe research and innovation programme,
Grant
No. 101192113.
A holistic flagship towards the 6G network platform and system, to inspire digital transformation, for the
world to act together in meeting needs in society and ecosystems with novel 6G services.
Funded by the European Union, Horizon Europe research and innovation programme,
Grant
No. 101095759.
A flagship for B5G/6G vision and intelligent fabric of technology enablers connecting human, physical, and
digital worlds.
Funded by the European Union, Horizon Europe research and innovation programme,
Grant
No. 101015956.
5G Micro Base Station
2021 - 2022
A 5G micro base station chip design from the perspectives of digital signal processing algorithms,
integrated analog and RF circuits, and digital microelectronics.
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
Services
Teaching Assistant
Real-Time Computing Systems and Architecture
Digital Systems Design
Electric Power Engineering
Dynamics and Control
VLSI Design
Thesis Advisor
Tianshu Zhang (Expected 2025, M. Eng.)
Turunen Ilmari (Expected 2025, M. Eng.)
Xingji Chen (2025, M. Eng.)
Yuqi He (2023, M. Eng.)
Zheyu Dong (2022, M. Eng.)
Han Liu (2020, B. Eng.)
Research Project Mentor
Sheverdyaev Alexander (2025)
Muneeb Naveed (2024)
Giang Phan (2023)
Committee Member
Deputy Doctoral Student Representative
2024
in Aalto University, School of Electronic Engineering Doctoral Programme
Committee
2023 31st European Signal Processing Conference (EUSIPCO)
Talks
J. Liao, "In-Band Ambient Backscatter Communications Leveraging Cellular System," Friday
Seminar Series, Houston Univeristy, Houston, USA, Jan. 10, 2025. Hosted by Prof. Zhu Han and Prof. Miao
Pan.
J. Liao, "Integration of Backscatter-Based AIoT into Mobile Communication Systems DECT," Extreme Machine Type Communications (eMTC) for 6G Workshop, online, Apr. 4, 2025. Hosted by Dr. Virrankoski Reino.
J. Liao, "Data Assistance Cellular Signal Based Ambient Backscatter Receiver,"
Communications Engineering Group Development Day, Technopolis, Espoo, Finland, Nov. 11, 2024. Hosted by Prof. Riku Jäntti.
J. Liao, "Data Assistance Cellular Signal Based Ambient Backscatter Receiver," Extreme Machine Type Communications (eMTC) for 6G Workshop, Aalto Univeristy, Espoo, Finland, Aug. 12, 2024. Hosted by Dr. Virrankoski Reino.
J. Liao, "Ambient Backscatter Communication Based on LTE Downlink Cell-specific Reference Signal (CRS)," Extreme Machine Type Communications (eMTC) for 6G Workshop, Aalto Univeristy, Espoo, Finland, Jan. 15, 2024. Hosted by Dr. Virrankoski Reino.
J. Liao, "Ambient IoT," Extreme Machine Type Communications (eMTC) for 6G Workshop, Aalto Univeristy, Espoo, Finland, Aug. 21, 2023. Hosted by Dr. Virrankoski Reino.
J. Liao, "Ambient Backscatter Communications Using LTE Cell Specific Reference Signals,"
2022 Doctoral training network in Electronics, Telecommunications and Automation (DELTA)
Summer Workshop, Aalto Univeristy, Espoo, Finland, Aug. 24-25, 2022. Hosted by Prof. Riku Jäntti.