Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces in Challenging Environments: Underwater, Underground, Industrial and Disaster

Reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISs) have been introduced to improve the signal propagation characteristics by focusing the signal power in the preferred direction, thus making the communication environment "smart". The typical use cases and applications for the "smart" environment include beyond 5G communication networks, smart cities, etc. The main advantage of employing RISs in such networks is a more efficient exploitation of spatial degrees of freedom. This advantage manifests in better interference mitigation as well as increased spectral and energy efficiency due to passive beam steering. Challenging environments comprise a range of scenarios, which share the fact that it is extremely difficult to establish a communication link using conventional technology due to many impairments typically associated with the propagation medium and increased signal scattering. Although the challenges for the design of communication networks, and specifically the Internet of Things (IoT), in such environments are known, there is no common enabler or solution for all these applications. Interestingly, the use of RISs in such scenarios can become such an enabler and a game changer technology. Surprisingly, the benefits of RIS for wireless networking in underwater and underground medium as well as in industrial and disaster environments have not been addressed yet. In this paper, we aim at filling this gap by discussing potential use cases, deployment strategies and design aspects for RIS devices in underwater IoT, underground IoT as well as Industry 4.0 and emergency networks. In addition, novel research challenges to be addressed in this context are described.Comment: 16 pages, 13 figures, submitted for publication in IEEE journa

Internet of Things in Agricultural Innovation and Security

The agricultural Internet of Things (Ag-IoT) paradigm has tremendous potential in transparent integration of underground soil sensing, farm machinery, and sensor-guided irrigation systems with the complex social network of growers, agronomists, crop consultants, and advisors. The aim of the IoT in agricultural innovation and security chapter is to present agricultural IoT research and paradigm to promote sustainable production of safe, healthy, and profitable crop and animal agricultural products. This chapter covers the IoT platform to test optimized management strategies, engage farmer and industry groups, and investigate new and traditional technology drivers that will enhance resilience of the farmers to the socio-environmental changes. A review of state-of-the-art communication architectures and underlying sensing technologies and communication mechanisms is presented with coverage of recent advances in the theory and applications of wireless underground communications. Major challenges in Ag-IoT design and implementation are also discussed

Komunikace na milimetrových vlnách v 5G a dalších sítích: Nové systémové modely a analýza výkonnosti

The dissertation investigates different network models, focusing on three important features for next generation cellular networks with respect to millimeter waves (mmWave) communications: the impact of fading and co-channel interference (CCI), energy efficiency, and spectrum efficiency. To address the first aim, the dissertation contains a study of a non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) technique in a multi-hop relay network which uses relays that harvest energy from power beacons (PB). This part derives the exact throughput expressions for NOMA and provides a performance analysis of three different NOMA schemes to determine the optimal parameters for the proposed system’s throughput. A self-learning clustering protocol (SLCP) in which a node learns its neighbor’s information is also proposed for determining the node density and the residual energy used to cluster head (CH) selection and improve energy efficiency, thereby prolonging sensor network lifetime and gaining higher throughput. Second, NOMA provides many opportunities for massive connectivity at lower latencies, but it may also cause co-channel interference by reusing frequencies. CCI and fading play a major role in deciding the quality of the received signal. The dissertation takes into account the presence of η and µ fading channels in a network using NOMA. The closed-form expressions of outage probability (OP) and throughput were derived with perfect successive interference cancellation (SIC) and imperfect SIC. The dissertation also addresses the integration of NOMA into a satellite communications network and evaluates its system performance under the effects of imperfect channel state information (CSI) and CCI. Finally, the dissertation presents a new model for a NOMA-based hybrid satellite-terrestrial relay network (HSTRN) using mmWave communications. The satellite deploys the NOMA scheme, whereas the ground relays are equipped with multiple antennas and employ the amplify and forward (AF) protocol. The rain attenuation coefficient is considered as the fading factor of the mmWave band to choose the best relay, and the widely applied hybrid shadowed-Rician and Nakagami-m channels characterize the transmission environment of HSTRN. The closed-form formulas for OP and ergodic capacity (EC) were derived to evaluate the system performance of the proposed model and then verified with Monte Carlo simulations.Dizertační práce zkoumala různé modely sítí a zaměřila se na tři důležité vlastnosti pro buňkové sítě příští generace s ohledem na mmW komunikace, kterými jsou: vliv útlumu a mezikanálového rušení (CCI), energetická účinnost a účinnost spektra. Co se týče prvního cíle, dizertace obsahuje studii techniky neortogonálního vícenásobného přístupu (NOMA) v bezdrátové multiskokové relay síti využívající získávání energie, kde relay uzly sbírají energii z energetických majáků (PB). Tato část přináší přesné výrazy propustnosti pro NOMA a analýzu výkonnosti se třemi různými schématy NOMA s cílem určit optimální parametry pro propustnost navrženého systému. Dále byl navržen samoučící se shlukovací protokol (SLCP), ve kterém se uzel učí informace o sousedech, aby určil hustotu uzlů a zbytkovou energii použitou k výběru hlavy shluku CH pro zlepšení energetické účinnosti, čímž může prodloužit životnost sensorové sítě a zvýšit propustnost. Za druhé, přístup NOMA poskytl mnoho příležitostí pro masivní připojení s nižší latencí, NOMA však může způsobovat mezikanálové rušení v důsledku opětovného využívání kmitočtů. CCI a útlum hrají klíčovou roli při rozhodování o kvalitě přijímaného signálu. V této dizertace je brána v úvahu přítomnost η a µ útlumových kanálů v síti užívající NOMA. Odvozeny jsou výrazy v uzavřené formě pro pravděpodobnost výpadku (OP) a propustnost s dokonalým postupným rušením rušení (SIC) a nedokonalým SIC. Dále se dizertace zabývá integrací přístupu NOMA do satelitní komunikační sítě a vyhodnocuje výkonnost systému při dopadech nedokonalé informace o stavu kanálu (CSI) a CCI. Závěrem disertační práce představuje nový model pro hybridní družicově-terestriální přenosovou síť (HSTRN) založenou na NOMA vícenásobném přístupu využívající mmWave komunikaci. Satelit využívá NOMA schéma, zatímco pozemní relay uzly jsou vybaveny více anténami a aplikují protokol zesilování a předávání (AF). Je zaveden srážkový koeficient, který je uvažován jako útlumový faktor mmWave pásma při výběru nejlepšího relay uzlu. Samotné přenosové prostředí HSTRN je charakterizováno pomocí hybridních Rician a Nakagami-m kanálů. Vztahy pro vyhodnocení výkonnosti systému navrženého modelu vyjadřující ergodickou kapacitu (EC) a pravděpodobnost ztrát (OP) byly odvozeny v uzavřené formě a následně ověřeny pomocí simulační numerické metody Monte Carlo.440 - Katedra telekomunikační technikyvyhově

Optical Wireless Data Center Networks

Bandwidth and computation-intensive Big Data applications in disciplines like social media, bio- and nano-informatics, Internet-of-Things (IoT), and real-time analytics, are pushing existing access and core (backbone) networks as well as Data Center Networks (DCNs) to their limits. Next generation DCNs must support continuously increasing network traffic while satisfying minimum performance requirements of latency, reliability, flexibility and scalability. Therefore, a larger number of cables (i.e., copper-cables and fiber optics) may be required in conventional wired DCNs. In addition to limiting the possible topologies, large number of cables may result into design and development problems related to wire ducting and maintenance, heat dissipation, and power consumption. To address the cabling complexity in wired DCNs, we propose OWCells, a class of optical wireless cellular data center network architectures in which fixed line of sight (LOS) optical wireless communication (OWC) links are used to connect the racks arranged in regular polygonal topologies. We present the OWCell DCN architecture, develop its theoretical underpinnings, and investigate routing protocols and OWC transceiver design. To realize a fully wireless DCN, servers in racks must also be connected using OWC links. There is, however, a difficulty of connecting multiple adjacent network components, such as servers in a rack, using point-to-point LOS links. To overcome this problem, we propose and validate the feasibility of an FSO-Bus to connect multiple adjacent network components using NLOS point-to-point OWC links. Finally, to complete the design of the OWC transceiver, we develop a new class of strictly and rearrangeably non-blocking multicast optical switches in which multicast is performed efficiently at the physical optical (lower) layer rather than upper layers (e.g., application layer). Advisors: Jitender S. Deogun and Dennis R. Alexande

A Prospective Look: Key Enabling Technologies, Applications and Open Research Topics in 6G Networks

The fifth generation (5G) mobile networks are envisaged to enable a plethora of breakthrough advancements in wireless technologies, providing support of a diverse set of services over a single platform. While the deployment of 5G systems is scaling up globally, it is time to look ahead for beyond 5G systems. This is driven by the emerging societal trends, calling for fully automated systems and intelligent services supported by extended reality and haptics communications. To accommodate the stringent requirements of their prospective applications, which are data-driven and defined by extremely low-latency, ultra-reliable, fast and seamless wireless connectivity, research initiatives are currently focusing on a progressive roadmap towards the sixth generation (6G) networks. In this article, we shed light on some of the major enabling technologies for 6G, which are expected to revolutionize the fundamental architectures of cellular networks and provide multiple homogeneous artificial intelligence-empowered services, including distributed communications, control, computing, sensing, and energy, from its core to its end nodes. Particularly, this paper aims to answer several 6G framework related questions: What are the driving forces for the development of 6G? How will the enabling technologies of 6G differ from those in 5G? What kind of applications and interactions will they support which would not be supported by 5G? We address these questions by presenting a profound study of the 6G vision and outlining five of its disruptive technologies, i.e., terahertz communications, programmable metasurfaces, drone-based communications, backscatter communications and tactile internet, as well as their potential applications. Then, by leveraging the state-of-the-art literature surveyed for each technology, we discuss their requirements, key challenges, and open research problems

A prospective look: key enabling technologies, applications and open research topics in 6G networks

The fifth generation (5G) mobile networks are envisaged to enable a plethora of breakthrough advancements in wireless technologies, providing support of a diverse set of services over a single platform. While the deployment of 5G systems is scaling up globally, it is time to look ahead for beyond 5G systems. This is mainly driven by the emerging societal trends, calling for fully automated systems and intelligent services supported by extended reality and haptics communications. To accommodate the stringent requirements of their prospective applications, which are data-driven and defined by extremely low-latency, ultra-reliable, fast and seamless wireless connectivity, research initiatives are currently focusing on a progressive roadmap towards the sixth generation (6G) networks, which are expected to bring transformative changes to this premise. In this article, we shed light on some of the major enabling technologies for 6G, which are expected to revolutionize the fundamental architectures of cellular networks and provide multiple homogeneous artificial intelligence-empowered services, including distributed communications, control, computing, sensing, and energy, from its core to its end nodes. In particular, the present paper aims to answer several 6G framework related questions: What are the driving forces for the development of 6G? How will the enabling technologies of 6G differ from those in 5G? What kind of applications and interactions will they support which would not be supported by 5G? We address these questions by presenting a comprehensive study of the 6G vision and outlining seven of its disruptive technologies, i.e., mmWave communications, terahertz communications, optical wireless communications, programmable metasurfaces, drone-based communications, backscatter communications and tactile internet, as well as their potential applications. Then, by leveraging the state-of-the-art literature surveyed for each technology, we discuss the associated requirements, key challenges, and open research problems. These discussions are thereafter used to open up the horizon for future research directions