A framework to maximise the communicative power of knowledge visualisations

Knowledge visualisation, in the field of information systems, is both a process and a product, informed by the closely aligned fields of information visualisation and knowledg management. Knowledge visualisation has untapped potential within the purview of knowledge communication. Even so, knowledge visualisations are infrequently deployed due to a lack of evidence-based guidance. To improve this situation, we carried out a systematic literature review to derive a number of “lenses” that can be used to reveal the essential perspectives to feed into the visualisation production process.We propose a conceptual framework which incorporates these lenses to guide producers of knowledge visualisations. This framework uses the different lenses to reveal critical perspectives that need to be considered during the design process. We conclude by demonstrating how this framework could be used to produce an effective knowledge visualisation

Orthogonal Time Frequency Space for Integrated Sensing and Communication: A Survey

Sixth-generation (6G) wireless communication systems, as stated in the European 6G flagship project Hexa-X, are anticipated to feature the integration of intelligence, communication, sensing, positioning, and computation. An important aspect of this integration is integrated sensing and communication (ISAC), in which the same waveform is used for both systems both sensing and communication, to address the challenge of spectrum scarcity. Recently, the orthogonal time frequency space (OTFS) waveform has been proposed to address OFDM's limitations due to the high Doppler spread in some future wireless communication systems. In this paper, we review existing OTFS waveforms for ISAC systems and provide some insights into future research. Firstly, we introduce the basic principles and a system model of OTFS and provide a foundational understanding of this innovative technology's core concepts and architecture. Subsequently, we present an overview of OTFS-based ISAC system frameworks. We provide a comprehensive review of recent research developments and the current state of the art in the field of OTFS-assisted ISAC systems to gain a thorough understanding of the current landscape and advancements. Furthermore, we perform a thorough comparison between OTFS-enabled ISAC operations and traditional OFDM, highlighting the distinctive advantages of OTFS, especially in high Doppler spread scenarios. Subsequently, we address the primary challenges facing OTFS-based ISAC systems, identifying potential limitations and drawbacks. Then, finally, we suggest future research directions, aiming to inspire further innovation in the 6G wireless communication landscape

OpenIaC: open infrastructure as code - the network is my computer

Modern information systems are built fron a complex composition of networks, infrastructure, devices, services, and applications, interconnected by data flows that are often private and financially sensitive. The 5G networks, which can create hyperlocalized services, have highlighted many of the deficiencies of current practices in use today to create and operate information systems. Emerging cloud computing techniques, such as Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) and elastic computing, offer a path for a future re-imagining of how we create, deploy, secure, operate, and retire information systems. In this paper, we articulate the position that a comprehensive new approach is needed for all OSI layers from layer 2 up to applications that are built on underlying principles that include reproducibility, continuous integration/continuous delivery, auditability, and versioning. There are obvious needs to redesign and optimize the protocols from the network layer to the application layer. Our vision seeks to augment existing Cloud Computing and Networking solutions with support for multiple cloud infrastructures and seamless integration of cloud-based microservices. To address these issues, we propose an approach named Open Infrastructure as Code (OpenIaC), which is an attempt to provide a common open forum to integrate and build on advances in cloud computing and blockchain to address the needs of modern information architectures. The main mission of our OpenIaC approach is to provide services based on the principles of Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) among the federation of connected resources based on Decentralized Identity (DID). Our objectives include the creation of an open-source hub with fine-grained access control for an open and connected infrastructure of shared resources (sensing, storage, computing, 3D printing, etc.) managed by blockchains and federations. Our proposed approach has the potential to provide a path for developing new platforms, business models, and a modernized information ecosystem necessary for 5G networks.publishedVersio

An Enhanced Architecture to Resolve Public-Key Cryptographic Issues in the Internet of Things (IoT), Employing Quantum Computing Supremacy

The Internet of Things (IoT) strongly influences the world economy; this emphasizes the importance of securing all four aspects of the IoT model: sensors, networks, cloud, and applications. Considering the significant value of public-key cryptography threats on IoT system confidentiality, it is vital to secure it. One of the potential candidates to assist in securing public key cryptography in IoT is quantum computing. Although the notion of IoT and quantum computing convergence is not new, it has been referenced in various works of literature and covered by many scholars. Quantum computing eliminates most of the challenges in IoT. This research provides a comprehensive introduction to the Internet of Things and quantum computing before moving on to public-key cryptography difficulties that may be encountered across the convergence of quantum computing and IoT. An enhanced architecture is then proposed for resolving these public-key cryptography challenges using SimuloQron to implement the BB84 protocol for quantum key distribution (QKD) and one-time pad (OTP). The proposed model prevents eavesdroppers from performing destructive operations in the communication channel and cyber side by preserving its state and protecting the public key using quantum cryptography and the BB84 protocol. A modified version is introduced for this IoT situation. A traditional cryptographic mechanism called 'one-time pad' (OTP) is employed in hybrid management

IRS Assisted MIMO Full Duplex: Rate Analysis and Beamforming Under Imperfect CSI

Intelligent reflecting surfaces (IRS) have emerged as a promising technology to enhance the performance of wireless communication systems. By actively manipulating the wireless propagation environment, IRS enables efficient signal transmission and reception. In recent years, the integration of IRS with full-duplex (FD) communication has garnered significant attention due to its potential to further improve spectral and energy efficiencies. IRS-assisted FD systems combine the benefits of both IRS and FD technologies, providing a powerful solution for the next generation of cellular systems. In this manuscript, we present a novel approach to jointly optimize active and passive beamforming in a multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) FD system assisted by an IRS for weighted sum rate (WSR) maximization. Given the inherent difficulty in obtaining perfect channel state information (CSI) in practical scenarios, we consider imperfect CSI and propose a statistically robust beamforming strategy to maximize the ergodic WSR. Additionally, we analyze the achievable WSR for an IRS-assisted MIMO FD system under imperfect CSI by deriving both the lower and upper bounds. To tackle the problem of ergodic WSR maximization, we employ the concept of expected weighted minimum mean squared error (EWMMSE), which exploits the information of the expected error covariance matrices and ensures convergence to a local optimum. We evaluate the effectiveness of our proposed design through extensive simulations. The results demonstrate that our robust approach yields significant performance improvements compared to the simplistic beamforming approach that disregards CSI errors, while also outperforming the robust half-duplex (HD) system considerablyComment: arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:2308.0801

Engineering software for next-generation networks in a sustainable way.

The virtualization and softwarization of network functions is the networking industry's latest achievement. Software-Defined Networks (SDN) and Network Function Virtualization (NFV) propose novel software architectures and development process adapted to for instance mobile networks (e.g., 6G). However, these architectures and processes are mainly defined by the telecommunications community, without much regard for the contributions of software engineering to generic software processes. This paper explores how the fields of software engineering (SE) and telecommunications can work together to improve service virtualization, cloud computing, and edge computing in the context of next-generation networks. It also highlights the potential of SE fields like software architecture, variability, and configuration to greatly enhance the development of virtual network functions (VNFs). On the other hand, the new contributions should be energy efficient, since this is a primary goal in next-gen networks. Finally, current software processes should consider the impact of communication networks on the correct functioning of software products, since network functioning can affect the QoE of users.Work supported by the projects \emph{IRIS} PID2021-122812OB-I00 (co-financed by FEDER funds), and \emph{DAEMON} H2020-101017109; and by Universidad de Málaga

Preventing Catastrophic Cyber–Physical Attacks on the Global Maritime Transportation System:A Case Study of Hybrid Maritime Security in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore

This paper examines hybrid threats to maritime transportation systems and their governance responses; focusing on the congested Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS) as an illustrative case study. The methodology combines secondary sources with primary data from 42 expert interviews, a 28 respondent survey, and two maritime security roundtables. Key findings were that ships’ critical systems are increasingly interconnected, yet aging IT infrastructure and minimal cybersecurity awareness among crews heighten risks. Meanwhile, regional terrorist groups have previously targeted shipping and shown considerable skill in exploiting online tools, aligning with broader calls for jihadist violence. Furthermore, opportunistic piracy persists in the SOMS with the potential to disrupt shipping. Experts confirmed that maritime cybersecurity lags behind other critical infrastructure sectors and needs updated governance. Initial International Maritime Organization (IMO) guidelines lack specificity but revisions and updated IMO guidance are in process, while Port state implementation of maritime cybersecurity standards varies. Crucially, information sharing remains inadequate, even as recorded attacks increase. Findings underscore that although major hybrid incidents have not occurred, simulations and threat actors’ capabilities demonstrate potential for catastrophic collisions or cascading disruption in congested waterways. Mitigating factors like redundancy and crew training are deficient currently. Some alignment between SOMS states on maritime security cooperation exists, but not on cyber threats specifically. Key recommendations include an anonymous cyber attack reporting system, reinforced training and shipboard systems, and consolidated regional frameworks. Until these priorities are addressed, the analysis concludes that hybrid vulnerabilities in this vital global chokepoint remain a serious concern

Un marco de aprendizaje mutuo para redes podadas y cuantificadas

Model compression is an important topic in deep learning research. It can be mainly divided into two directions: model pruning and model quantization. However, both methods will more or less affect the original accuracy of the model. In this paper, we propose a mutual learning framework for pruned and quantized networks. We regard the pruned network and the quantized network as two sets of features that are not parallel. The purpose of our mutual learning framework is to better integrate the two sets of features and achieve complementary advantages, which we call feature augmentation. To verify the effectiveness of our framework, we select a pairwise combination of 3 state-of-the-art pruning algorithms and 3 state-of-theart quantization algorithms. Extensive experiments on CIFAR-10, CIFAR-100 and Tiny-imagenet show the benefits of our framework: through the mutual learning of the two networks, we obtain a pruned network and a quantization network with higher accuracy than traditional approaches.La compresión de modelos es un tema importante en la investigación del aprendizaje profundo. Se puede dividir principalmente en dos direcciones: poda de modelos y cuantización de modelos. Sin embargo, ambos métodos afectarán más o menos la precisión original del modelo. En este artículo, proponemos un marco de aprendizaje mutuo para redes podadas y cuantificadas. Consideramos la red podada y la red quantized como dos conjuntos de características que no son paralelas. El propósito de nuestro marco de aprendizaje mutuo es integrar mejor los dos conjuntos de funciones y lograr ventajas complementarias, lo que llamamos aumento de funciones. Para verificar la efectividad de nuestro marco, seleccionamos una combinación por pares de 3 algoritmos de poda de última generación y 3 algoritmos de cuantificación de última generación. Extensos experimentos en CIFAR- 10, CIFAR-100 y Tiny-imagenet muestran los beneficios de nuestro marco: a través del aprendizaje mutuo de las dos redes, obtenemos una red pruned y una red de cuantificación con mayor precisión que los enfoques tradicionales.Facultad de Informátic