Internet of Things Strategic Research Roadmap

Internet of Things (IoT) is an integrated part of Future Internet including existing and evolving Internet and network developments and could be conceptually defined as a dynamic global network infrastructure with self configuring capabilities based on standard and interoperable communication protocols where physical and virtual “things” have identities, physical attributes, and virtual personalities, use intelligent interfaces, and are seamlessly integrated into the information network

Virtual Sensor Middleware: A Middleware for Managing IoT Data for the Fog-Cloud Platform

Internet of Things is a massively growing field where billions of devices are connected to the Internet using different protocols and produce an enormous amount of data. The produced data is consumed and processed by different applications to make operations more efficient. Application development is challenging, especially when applications access sensor data since IoT devices use different communication protocols. The existing IoT architectures address some of these challenges. This thesis proposes an IoT Middleware that provides applications with the abstraction required of IoT devices while distributing the processing of sensor data to provide a real-time or near real-time response and enable the applications to choose from where to consume sensor data. The suggested middleware architecture minimizes the development efforts required by the applications by automating the processing of sensor data on multiple nodes (fog nodes) deployed near IoT devices and making it configurable. Furthermore, the dissemination of sensor data using the publish-subscribe paradigm makes it easier for applications to decide from where to consume sensor data while maintaining decoupling from IoT devices

Security in Internet of Things: networked smart objects.

Internet of Things (IoT) is an innovative paradigm approaching both industries and humans every-day life. It refers to the networked interconnection of every-day objects, which are equipped with ubiquitous intelligence. It not only aims at increasing the ubiquity of the Internet, but also at leading towards a highly distributed network of devices communicating with human beings as well as with other devices. Thanks to rapid advances in underlying technologies, IoT is opening valuable opportunities for a large number of novel applications, that promise to improve the quality of humans lives, facilitating the exchange of services. In this scenario, security represents a crucial aspect to be addressed, due to the high level of heterogeneity of the involved devices and to the sensibility of the managed information. Moreover, a system architecture should be established, before the IoT is fully operable in an efficient, scalable and interoperable manner. The main goal of this PhD thesis concerns the design and the implementation of a secure and distributed middleware platform tailored to IoT application domains. The effectiveness of the proposed solution is evaluated by means of a prototype and real case studies

Enhanced Living Environments

This open access book was prepared as a Final Publication of the COST Action IC1303 “Algorithms, Architectures and Platforms for Enhanced Living Environments (AAPELE)”. The concept of Enhanced Living Environments (ELE) refers to the area of Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) that is more related with Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). Effective ELE solutions require appropriate ICT algorithms, architectures, platforms, and systems, having in view the advance of science and technology in this area and the development of new and innovative solutions that can provide improvements in the quality of life for people in their homes and can reduce the financial burden on the budgets of the healthcare providers. The aim of this book is to become a state-of-the-art reference, discussing progress made, as well as prompting future directions on theories, practices, standards, and strategies related to the ELE area. The book contains 12 chapters and can serve as a valuable reference for undergraduate students, post-graduate students, educators, faculty members, researchers, engineers, medical doctors, healthcare organizations, insurance companies, and research strategists working in this area

Integrating secure mobile P2P systems and Wireless Sensor Networks

Aquesta tesi tracta de les diferents limitacions trobades a WSN per a habilitar-ne el desplegament en nous escenaris i facilitar la difusió de la informació obtinguda. A un nivell baix, ens centrem en el consum d'energia, mentre que, a un nivell més alt, ens focalitzem en la difusió i la seguretat de la informació. Reduïm el consum d'una mote individual en xarxes amb patrons de trànsit dinàmic mitjançant la definició d'una funció de planificació basada en el conegut controlador PID i allarguem la vida d'una WSN globalment distribuint equitativament el consum energètic de totes les motes, disminuint el nombre d'intervencions necessàries per a canviar bateries i el cost associat. Per tal d'afavorir la difusió de la informació provinent d'una WSN, hem proposat jxSensor, una capa d'integració entre les WSN i el conegut sistema P2P JXTA. Com que tractem informació sensible, hem proposat una capa d'anonimat a JXTA i un mecanisme d'autenticació lleuger per a la seva versió mòbil.Esta tesis trata las diferentes limitaciones encontradas en WSN para habilitar su despliegue en nuevos escenarios, así como facilitar la diseminación de la información obtenida. A bajo nivel, nos centramos en el consumo de energía, mientras que, a un nivel más alto, nos focalizamos en la diseminación y seguridad de la información. Reducimos el consumo de una mota individual en redes con patrones de tráfico dinámico mediante la definición de una función de planificación basada en el conocido controlador PID y alargamos la vida de una WSN globalmente distribuyendo equitativamente el consumo energético de todas las motas, disminuyendo el número de intervenciones requeridas para cambiar baterías y su coste asociado. Para favorecer la diseminación de la información procedente de una WSN hemos propuesto jxSensor, una capa de integración entre las WSN y el conocido sistema P2P JXTA. Como estamos tratando con información sensible, hemos propuesto una capa de anonimato en JXTA y un mecanismo de autenticación ligero para su versión móvil.This thesis addresses different limitations found in WSNs in order to enable their deployment in new scenarios as well as to make it easier to disseminate the gathered information. At a lower level, we concentrate on energy consumption while, at a higher level, we focus on the dissemination and security of information. The consumption of an individual mote in networks with dynamic traffic patterns is reduced by defining a scheduling function based on the well-known PID controller. Additionally, the life of a WSN is extended by equally distributing the consumption of all the motes, which reduces the number of interventions required to replace batteries as well as the associated cost. To help the dissemination of information coming from a WSN we have proposed jxSensor, which is an integration layer between WSNs and the well-known JXTA P2P system. As we are dealing with sensitive information, we have proposed an anonymity layer in JXTA and a light authentication method in its mobile version

Leveraging Resources on Anonymous Mobile Edge Nodes

Smart devices have become an essential component in the life of mankind. The quick rise of smartphones, IoTs, and wearable devices enabled applications that were not possible few years ago, e.g., health monitoring and online banking. Meanwhile, smart sensing laid the infrastructure for smart homes and smart cities. The intrusive nature of smart devices granted access to huge amounts of raw data. Researchers seized the moment with complex algorithms and data models to process the data over the cloud and extract as much information as possible. However, the pace and amount of data generation, in addition to, networking protocols transmitting data to cloud servers failed short in touching more than 20% of what was generated on the edge of the network. On the other hand, smart devices carry a large set of resources, e.g., CPU, memory, and camera, that sit idle most of the time. Studies showed that for plenty of the time resources are either idle, e.g., sleeping and eating, or underutilized, e.g. inertial sensors during phone calls. These findings articulate a problem in processing large data sets, while having idle resources in the close proximity. In this dissertation, we propose harvesting underutilized edge resources then use them in processing the huge data generated, and currently wasted, through applications running at the edge of the network. We propose flipping the concept of cloud computing, instead of sending massive amounts of data for processing over the cloud, we distribute lightweight applications to process data on users\u27 smart devices. We envision this approach to enhance the network\u27s bandwidth, grant access to larger datasets, provide low latency responses, and more importantly involve up-to-date user\u27s contextual information in processing. However, such benefits come with a set of challenges: How to locate suitable resources? How to match resources with data providers? How to inform resources what to do? and When? How to orchestrate applications\u27 execution on multiple devices? and How to communicate between devices on the edge? Communication between devices at the edge has different parameters in terms of device mobility, topology, and data rate. Standard protocols, e.g., Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, were not designed for edge computing, hence, does not offer a perfect match. Edge computing requires a lightweight protocol that provides quick device discovery, decent data rate, and multicasting to devices in the proximity. Bluetooth features wide acceptance within the IoT community, however, the low data rate and unicast communication limits its use on the edge. Despite being the most suitable communication protocol for edge computing and unlike other protocols, Bluetooth has a closed source code that blocks lower layer in front of all forms of research study, enhancement, and customization. Hence, we offer an open source version of Bluetooth and then customize it for edge computing applications. In this dissertation, we propose Leveraging Resources on Anonymous Mobile Edge Nodes (LAMEN), a three-tier framework where edge devices are clustered by proximities. On having an application to execute, LAMEN clusters discover and allocate resources, share application\u27s executable with resources, and estimate incentives for each participating resource. In a cluster, a single head node, i.e., mediator, is responsible for resource discovery and allocation. Mediators orchestrate cluster resources and present them as a virtually large homogeneous resource. For example, two devices each offering either a camera or a speaker are presented outside the cluster as a single device with both camera and speaker, this can be extended to any combination of resources. Then, mediator handles applications\u27 distribution within a cluster as needed. Also, we provide a communication protocol that is customizable to the edge environment and application\u27s need. Pushing lightweight applications that end devices can execute over their locally generated data have the following benefits: First, avoid sharing user data with cloud server, which is a privacy concern for many of them; Second, introduce mediators as a local cloud controller closer to the edge; Third, hide the user\u27s identity behind mediators; and Finally, enhance bandwidth utilization by keeping raw data at the edge and transmitting processed information. Our evaluation shows an optimized resource lookup and application assignment schemes. In addition to, scalability in handling networks with large number of devices. In order to overcome the communication challenges, we provide an open source communication protocol that we customize for edge computing applications, however, it can be used beyond the scope of LAMEN. Finally, we present three applications to show how LAMEN enables various application domains on the edge of the network. In summary, we propose a framework to orchestrate underutilized resources at the edge of the network towards processing data that are generated in their proximity. Using the approaches explained later in the dissertation, we show how LAMEN enhances the performance of applications and enables a new set of applications that were not feasible

Ubiquitous supercomputing : design and development of enabling technologies for multi-robot systems rethinking supercomputing

Supercomputing, also known as High Performance Computing (HPC), is almost everywhere (ubiquitous), from the small widget in your phone telling you that today will be a sunny day, up to the next great contribution to the understanding of the origins of the universe.However, there is a field where supercomputing has been only slightly explored - robotics. Other than attempts to optimize complex robotics tasks, the two forces lack an effective alignment and a purposeful long-term contract. With advancements in miniaturization, communications and the appearance of powerful, energy and weight optimized embedded computing boards, a next logical transition corresponds to the creation of clusters of robots, a set of robotic entities that behave similarly as a supercomputer does. Yet, there is key aspect regarding our current understanding of what supercomputing means, or is useful for, that this work aims to redefine. For decades, supercomputing has been solely intended as a computing efficiency mechanism i.e. decreasing the computing time for complex tasks. While such train of thought have led to countless findings, supercomputing is more than that, because in order to provide the capacity of solving most problems quickly, another complete set of features must be provided, a set of features that can also be exploited in contexts such as robotics and that ultimately transform a set of independent entities into a cohesive unit.This thesis aims at rethinking what supercomputing means and to devise strategies to effectively set its inclusion within the robotics realm, contributing therefore to the ubiquity of supercomputing, the first main ideal of this work. With this in mind, a state of the art concerning previous attempts to mix robotics and HPC will be outlined, followed by the proposal of High Performance Robotic Computing (HPRC), a new concept mapping supercomputing to the nuances of multi-robot systems. HPRC can be thought as supercomputing in the edge and while this approach will provide all kind of advantages, in certain applications it might not be enough since interaction with external infrastructures will be required or desired. To facilitate such interaction, this thesis proposes the concept of ubiquitous supercomputing as the union of HPC, HPRC and two more type of entities, computing-less devices (e.g. sensor networks, etc.) and humans.The results of this thesis include the ubiquitous supercomputing ontology and an enabling technology depicted as The ARCHADE. The technology serves as a middleware between a mission and a supercomputing infrastructure and as a framework to facilitate the execution of any type of mission, i.e. precision agriculture, entertainment, inspection and monitoring, etc. Furthermore, the results of the execution of a set of missions are discussed.By integrating supercomputing and robotics, a second ideal is targeted, ubiquitous robotics, i.e. the use of robots in all kind of applications. Correspondingly, a review of existing ubiquitous robotics frameworks is presented and based upon its conclusions, The ARCHADE's design and development have followed the guidelines for current and future solutions. Furthermore, The ARCHADE is based on a rethought supercomputing where performance is not the only feature to be provided by ubiquitous supercomputing systems. However, performance indicators will be discussed, along with those related to other supercomputing features.Supercomputing has been an excellent ally for scientific exploration and not so long ago for commercial activities, leading to all kind of improvements in our lives, in our society and in our future. With the results of this thesis, the joining of two fields, two forces previously disconnected because of their philosophical approaches and their divergent backgrounds, holds enormous potential to open up our imagination for all kind of new applications and for a world where robotics and supercomputing are everywhere.La supercomputación, también conocida como Computación de Alto Rendimiento (HPC por sus siglas en inglés) puede encontrarse en casi cualquier lugar (ubicua), desde el widget en tu teléfono diciéndote que hoy será un día soleado, hasta la siguiente gran contribución al entendimiento de los orígenes del universo. Sin embargo, hay un campo en el que ha sido poco explorada - la robótica. Más allá de intentos de optimizar tareas robóticas complejas, las dos fuerzas carecen de un contrato a largo plazo. Dado los avances en miniaturización, comunicaciones y la aparición de potentes computadores embebidos, optimizados en peso y energía, la siguiente transición corresponde a la creación de un cluster de robots, un conjunto de robots que se comportan de manera similar a un supercomputador. No obstante, hay un aspecto clave, con respecto a la comprensión de la supercomputación, que esta tesis pretende redefinir. Durante décadas, la supercomputación ha sido entendida como un mecanismo de eficiencia computacional, es decir para reducir el tiempo de computación de ciertos problemas extremadamente complejos. Si bien este enfoque ha conducido a innumerables hallazgos, la supercomputación es más que eso, porque para proporcionar la capacidad de resolver todo tipo de problemas rápidamente, se debe proporcionar otro conjunto de características que también pueden ser explotadas en la robótica y que transforman un conjunto de robots en una unidad cohesiva. Esta tesis pretende repensar lo que significa la supercomputación y diseñar estrategias para establecer su inclusión dentro del mundo de la robótica, contribuyendo así a su ubicuidad, el principal ideal de este trabajo. Con esto en mente, se presentará un estado del arte relacionado con intentos anteriores de mezclar robótica y HPC, seguido de la propuesta de Computación Robótica de Alto Rendimiento (HPRC, por sus siglas en inglés), un nuevo concepto, que mapea la supercomputación a los matices específicos de los sistemas multi-robot. HPRC puede pensarse como supercomputación en el borde y si bien este enfoque proporcionará todo tipo de ventajas, ciertas aplicaciones requerirán una interacción con infraestructuras externas. Para facilitar dicha interacción, esta tesis propone el concepto de supercomputación ubicua como la unión de HPC, HPRC y dos tipos más de entidades, dispositivos sin computación embebida y seres humanos. Los resultados de esta tesis incluyen la ontología de la supercomputación ubicua y una tecnología llamada The ARCHADE. La tecnología actúa como middleware entre una misión y una infraestructura de supercomputación y como framework para facilitar la ejecución de cualquier tipo de misión, por ejemplo, agricultura de precisión, inspección y monitoreo, etc. Al integrar la supercomputación y la robótica, se busca un segundo ideal, robótica ubicua, es decir el uso de robots en todo tipo de aplicaciones. Correspondientemente, una revisión de frameworks existentes relacionados serán discutidos. El diseño y desarrollo de The ARCHADE ha seguido las pautas y sugerencias encontradas en dicha revisión. Además, The ARCHADE se basa en una supercomputación repensada donde la eficiencia computacional no es la única característica proporcionada a sistemas basados en la tecnología. Sin embargo, se analizarán indicadores de eficiencia computacional, junto con otros indicadores relacionados con otras características de la supercomputación. La supercomputación ha sido un excelente aliado para la exploración científica, conduciendo a todo tipo de mejoras en nuestras vidas, nuestra sociedad y nuestro futuro. Con los resultados de esta tesis, la unión de dos campos, dos fuerzas previamente desconectadas debido a sus enfoques filosóficos y sus antecedentes divergentes, tiene un enorme potencial para abrir nuestra imaginación hacia todo tipo de aplicaciones nuevas y para un mundo donde la robótica y la supercomputación estén en todos ladosPostprint (published version