SCROOGE: A Physics-Aware Framework for Efficient Orchestration of RIS-Assisted Networks

Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RISs) are emerging as a key enabler of Programmable Wireless Environments for 6G, but their practical integration into operational networks still lacks orchestration mechanisms that can jointly support resource allocation, energy efficiency, and admission control with low online complexity. This paper presents SCROOGE, a physics-aware orchestration framework for multi-user RIS-assisted networks that operates on information generated offline during RIS codebook compilation, namely optimal codebook entries and per-element influence scores. Rather than relying on online optimization or idealized fading-based abstractions, SCROOGE exploits physics-derived descriptors to support low-latency operating-phase decisions that remain compatible with network-level control requirements. Specifically, SCROOGE introduces: i) an influence-aware, tier-consistent resource-allocation mechanism that combines user priority and element importance in the construction of a common RIS configuration; ii) an energy-efficiency mechanism that deactivates globally low-influence elements; and iii) an admission-control mechanism that accepts or rejects candidate users based on tier-aware compatibility with the currently deployed RIS state.

RF-Fencing: A Novel RIS-Based Service for Proactive Covert Communications

Programmable wireless environments (PWEs), empowered by reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISes), have emerged as a transformative paradigm for next-generation networks, enabling deterministic control over electromagnetic (EM) propagation to enhance both performance and security. In this work, we introduce RF-Fencing, a novel RIS-enabled PWE service that enforces spatially selective control over wireless transmissions, simultaneously suppressing unwanted signal exposure while sustaining robust connectivity for legitimate users. To realize this vision, we develop SHIELD, a lightweight and scalable algorithm that orchestrates multiple RIS units by multiplexing precompiled codebook entries with real-time, low-complexity optimization. Through extensive evaluations across diverse frequencies, RIS configurations, and deployment scenarios, SHIELD demonstrates both far-field directional control and near-field quiet-zone creation, thereby enhancing network security. Our findings reveal that SHIELD effectively balances proactive covert communication with service delivery by dynamically managing multiple signal suppression and delivery areas, while enabling the realization of EM quiet zones with minimal impact on surrounding regions, ultimately establishing RF-Fencing as a practical RIS-based foundation for privacy-preserving and adaptive wireless environments in future 6G networks.

Physics-Aware RIS Codebook Compilation for Near-Field Beam Focusing under Mutual Coupling and Specular Reflections

Next-generation wireless networks are envisioned to achieve reliable, low-latency connectivity within environments characterized by strong multipath and severe channel variability. Programmable wireless environments (PWEs) address this challenge by enabling deterministic control of electromagnetic (EM) propagation through software-defined reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISs). However, effectively configuring RISs in real time remains a major bottleneck, particularly under near-field conditions where mutual coupling and specular reflections alter the intended response. To overcome this limitation, this paper introduces MATCH, a physics-based codebook compilation algorithm that explicitly accounts for the EM coupling among RIS unit cells and the reflective interactions with surrounding structures, ensuring that the resulting codebooks remain consistent with the physical characteristics of the environment. Finally, MATCH is evaluated under a full-wave simulation framework incorporating mutual coupling and secondary reflections, demonstrating its ability to concentrate scattered energy within the focal region, confirming that physics-consistent, codebook-based optimization constitutes an effective approach for practical and efficient RIS configuration.