Decentralised Control of Adaptive Sampling in Wireless Sensor Networks

The efficient allocation of the limited energy resources of a wireless sensor network in a way that maximises the information value of the data collected is a significant research challenge. Within this context, this paper concentrates on adaptive sampling as a means of focusing a sensor’s energy consumption on obtaining the most important data. Specifically, we develop a principled information metric based upon Fisher information and Gaussian process regression that allows the information content of a sensor’s observations to be expressed. We then use this metric to derive three novel decentralised control algorithms for information-based adaptive sampling which represent a trade-off in computational cost and optimality. These algorithms are evaluated in the context of a deployed sensor network in the domain of flood monitoring. The most computationally efficient of the three is shown to increase the value of information gathered by approximately 83%, 27%, and 8% per day compared to benchmarks that sample in a naive non-adaptive manner, in a uniform non-adaptive manner, and using a state-of-the-art adaptive sampling heuristic (USAC) correspondingly. Moreover, our algorithm collects information whose total value is approximately 75% of the optimal solution (which requires an exponential, and thus impractical, amount of time to compute)

Surface Defect Classification for Hot-Rolled Steel Strips by Selectively Dominant Local Binary Patterns

Developments in defect descriptors and computer vision-based algorithms for automatic optical inspection (AOI) allows for further development in image-based measurements. Defect classification is a vital part of an optical-imaging-based surface quality measuring instrument. The high-speed production rhythm of hot continuous rolling requires an ultra-rapid response to every component as well as algorithms in AOI instrument. In this paper, a simple, fast, yet robust texture descriptor, namely selectively dominant local binary patterns (SDLBPs), is proposed for defect classification. First, an intelligent searching algorithm with a quantitative thresholding mechanism is built to excavate the dominant non-uniform patterns (DNUPs). Second, two convertible schemes of pattern code mapping are developed for binary encoding of all uniform patterns and DNUPs. Third, feature extraction is carried out under SDLBP framework. Finally, an adaptive region weighting method is built for further strengthening the original nearest neighbor classifier in the feature matching stage. The extensive experiments carried out on an open texture database (Outex) and an actual surface defect database (Dragon) indicates that our proposed SDLBP yields promising performance on both classification accuracy and time efficiencyPeer reviewe

A survey of machine learning techniques applied to self organizing cellular networks

In this paper, a survey of the literature of the past fifteen years involving Machine Learning (ML) algorithms applied to self organizing cellular networks is performed. In order for future networks to overcome the current limitations and address the issues of current cellular systems, it is clear that more intelligence needs to be deployed, so that a fully autonomous and flexible network can be enabled. This paper focuses on the learning perspective of Self Organizing Networks (SON) solutions and provides, not only an overview of the most common ML techniques encountered in cellular networks, but also manages to classify each paper in terms of its learning solution, while also giving some examples. The authors also classify each paper in terms of its self-organizing use-case and discuss how each proposed solution performed. In addition, a comparison between the most commonly found ML algorithms in terms of certain SON metrics is performed and general guidelines on when to choose each ML algorithm for each SON function are proposed. Lastly, this work also provides future research directions and new paradigms that the use of more robust and intelligent algorithms, together with data gathered by operators, can bring to the cellular networks domain and fully enable the concept of SON in the near future

Massive MIMO is a Reality -- What is Next? Five Promising Research Directions for Antenna Arrays

Massive MIMO (multiple-input multiple-output) is no longer a "wild" or "promising" concept for future cellular networks - in 2018 it became a reality. Base stations (BSs) with 64 fully digital transceiver chains were commercially deployed in several countries, the key ingredients of Massive MIMO have made it into the 5G standard, the signal processing methods required to achieve unprecedented spectral efficiency have been developed, and the limitation due to pilot contamination has been resolved. Even the development of fully digital Massive MIMO arrays for mmWave frequencies - once viewed prohibitively complicated and costly - is well underway. In a few years, Massive MIMO with fully digital transceivers will be a mainstream feature at both sub-6 GHz and mmWave frequencies. In this paper, we explain how the first chapter of the Massive MIMO research saga has come to an end, while the story has just begun. The coming wide-scale deployment of BSs with massive antenna arrays opens the door to a brand new world where spatial processing capabilities are omnipresent. In addition to mobile broadband services, the antennas can be used for other communication applications, such as low-power machine-type or ultra-reliable communications, as well as non-communication applications such as radar, sensing and positioning. We outline five new Massive MIMO related research directions: Extremely large aperture arrays, Holographic Massive MIMO, Six-dimensional positioning, Large-scale MIMO radar, and Intelligent Massive MIMO.Comment: 20 pages, 9 figures, submitted to Digital Signal Processin