Multinet : enabler for next generation enterprise wireless services

Wireless communications are currently experiencing a fast migration toward the beyond third-generation (B3G)/fourth generation (4G) era. This represents a generational change in wireless systems: new capabilities related to mobility and new services support is required and new concepts as individual-centric, user-centric or ambient-aware communications are included. One of the main restrictions associated to wireless technology is mobility management, this feature was not considered in the design phase; for this reason, a complete solution is not already found, although different solutions are proposed and are being proposed. In MULTINET project, features as mobility and multihoming are applied to wireless network to provide the necessary network and application functionality enhancements for seamless data communication mobility considering end-user scenario and preferences. The aim of this paper is to show the benefits of these functionalities from the Service Providers and final User point of view

Ubiquitous Sensor Networks in IMS: an Ambient Intelligence Telco Platform

Ubiquitous Sensor Network (USN) concept describes the integration of heterogeneous and geographically dispersed Wireless Sensor and Actuator Networks (WS&AN) into rich information infrastructures for accurate representation and access to different dynamic user’s physical contexts. This relatively new concept envisions future Sensor-Based Services leading to market disruptive innovations in a broad range of application domains, mainly personal (lifestyle assistants), community (professional users) and industrial domains. The support for this broad range of innovative Ambient Intelligence services urgently demands a standardized access to different WS&AN, and Telco Operators have an opportunity to lead this technological challenge as they evolve towards future Next-Generation Networks. Telefónica Research and Development is a leading innovation company that provides communication services for businesses and consumers. Networks and Service Platforms is a major Telefónica I+D innovation area where new Service Architectures and Platforms concepts are essential for the development of services with a high differentiation value. This contribution describes Telefónica I+D activities directed to the design of an Ambient Intelligence Platform integrating USN concepts over NGN architectures. In our view IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) concepts can enable and promote a first generation of Sensor-Based Services where multimedia interactive sessions are enriched with contextual information from WS&ANs. To this end three major design criteria are addressed at three different levels. At the application layer, OMA Service Environment and OGC Sensor Web Enablement are combined to define a specific USN Service Enabler. At the communication, management and control level WS&AN Gateways are defined for integrating WS&ANs infrastructures into all-IP IMS environments. While at the lower level, data and meta-data exchanges with different WS&ANs entities are homogeneously represented using OGC® SensorML standard. Finally this paper concludes by discussing some preliminary business opportunities we foresee for the proposed Platform

AALUMO: a user model ontology for ambient assisted living services supported in next-generation networks

Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) services are emerging as context-awareness solutions to support elderly people?s autonomy. The context-aware paradigm makes applications more user-adaptive. In this way, context and user models expressed in ontologies are employed by applications to describe user and environment characteristics. The rapid advance of technology allows creating context server to relieve applications of context reasoning techniques. Specifically, the Next Generation Networks (NGN) provides by means of the presence service a framework to manage the current user's state as well as the user's profile information extracted from Internet and mobile context. This paper propose a user modeling ontology for AAL services which can be deployed in a NGN environment with the aim at adapting their functionalities to the elderly's context information and state

NOMA based resource allocation and mobility enhancement framework for IoT in next generation cellular networks

With the unprecedented technological advances witnessed in the last two decades, more devices are connected to the internet, forming what is called internet of things (IoT). IoT devices with heterogeneous characteristics and quality of experience (QoE) requirements may engage in dynamic spectrum market due to scarcity of radio resources. We propose a framework to efficiently quantify and supply radio resources to the IoT devices by developing intelligent systems. The primary goal of the paper is to study the characteristics of the next generation of cellular networks with non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) to enable connectivity to clustered IoT devices. First, we demonstrate how the distribution and QoE requirements of IoT devices impact the required number of radio resources in real time. Second, we prove that using an extended auction algorithm by implementing a series of complementary functions, enhance the radio resource utilization efficiency. The results show substantial reduction in the number of sub-carriers required when compared to conventional orthogonal multiple access (OMA) and the intelligent clustering is scalable and adaptable to the cellular environment. Ability to move spectrum usages from one cluster to other clusters after borrowing when a cluster has less user or move out of the boundary is another soft feature that contributes to the reported radio resource utilization efficiency. Moreover, the proposed framework provides IoT service providers cost estimation to control their spectrum acquisition to achieve required quality of service (QoS) with guaranteed bit rate (GBR) and non-guaranteed bit rate (Non-GBR)

Design and technical evaluation of an enhanced location-awareness service enabler for spatial disorientation management of elderly with mild cognitive impairment

The progressive ageing of population has turned the mild cognitive impairment (MCI) into a prevalent disease suffered by elderly. Consequently, the spatial disorientation has become a significant problem for older people and their caregivers. The ambient-assisted living applications are offering location-based services for empowering elderly to go outside and encouraging a greater independence. Therefore, this paper describes the design and technical evaluation of a location-awareness service enabler aimed at supporting and managing probable wandering situations of a person with MCI. Through the presence capabilities of the IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) architecture, the service will alert patient's contacts if a hazardous situation is detected depending on his location. Furthermore, information about the older person's security areas has been included in the user profile managed by IMS. In doing so, the service enabler introduced contribute to “context-awareness” paradigm allowing the adaptation and personalization of services depending on user's context and specific conditions or preferences

A data-globe and immersive virtual reality environment for upper limb rehabilitation after spinal cord injury

While a number of virtual data-gloves have been used in stroke, there is little evidence about their use in spinal cord injury (SCI). A pilot clinical experience with nine SCI subjects was performed comparing two groups: one carried out a virtual rehabilitation training based on the use of a data glove, CyberTouch combined with traditional rehabilitation, during 30 minutes a day twice a week along two weeks; while the other made only conventional rehabilitation. Furthermore, two functional indexes were developed in order to assess the patient’s performance of the sessions: normalized trajectory lengths and repeatability. While differences between groups were not statistically significant, the data-glove group seemed to obtain better results in the muscle balance and functional parameters, and in the dexterity, coordination and fine grip tests. Related to the indexes that we implemented, normalized trajectory lengths and repeatability, every patient showed an improvement in at least one of the indexes, either along Y-axis trajectory or Z-axis trajectory. This study might be a step in investigating new ways of treatments and objective measures in order to obtain more accurate data about the patient’s evolution, allowing the clinicians to develop rehabilitation treatments, adapted to the abilities and needs of the patients

The role of urban living labs in a smart city

In a rapidly changing socio-technical environment cities are increasingly seen as main drivers for change. Against this backdrop, this paper studies the emerging Urban Living Lab and Smart City concepts from a project based perspective, by assessing a series of five Smart City initiatives within one local city ecosystem. A conceptual and analytical framework is used to analyse the architecture, nature and outcomes of the Smart City Ghent and the role of Urban Living Labs. The results of our analysis highlight the potential for social value creation and urban transition. However, current Smart City initiatives face the challenge of evolving from demonstrators towards real sustainable value. Furthermore, Smart Cities often have a technological deterministic, project-based approach, which forecloses a sustainable, permanent and growing future for the project outcomes. ‘City-governed’ Urban Living Labs have an interesting potential to overcome some of the identified challenges