Ambient Data Collection with Wireless Sensor Networks

One of the most important applications for wireless sensor networks (WSNs) is Data Collection, where sensing data arecollected at sensor nodes and forwarded to a central base station for further processing. Since using battery powers and wirelesscommunications, sensor nodes can be very small and easily attached at specified locations without disturbing surroundingenvironments. This makes WSN a competitive approach for data collection comparing with its wired counterpart. In this paper,we review recent advances in this research area. We first highlight the special features of data collection WSNs, by comparingwith wired data collection network and other WSN applications. With these features in mind, we then discuss issues and priorsolutions on the data gathering protocol design. Our discussion also covers different approaches for message dissemination, whichis a critical component for network control and management and greatly affects the overall performance of a data collectionWSNsystem

Data Collection and Node Counting by Opportunistic Communication

Ever more powerful mobile devices are nowadays capable of collectively carrying out reasonably demanding computational tasks without offloading the processing to an edge server or a distant cloud-computing service. In this work, we explore such distributed computing and study how it is affected by the mobility as well as the number of nodes that collaborate. We choose distributed counting of a number of nodes in an enclosed area as application. Such application is useful for estimating attendance at events and measuring occupancy for facility management, as needed for monitoring of crowdedness with respect to safety and evacuation, climate control and comfort. For this application, we are interested in determining the time until all nodes know the correct number of nodes in the space where they reside. Our study shows the effect of mobility on the distributed process. We find that the process of collecting data opportunistically from a closed set of nodes is well described by empirical laws that we derive. We discuss the results and suggest further work needed to understand opportunistic computation and to develop it as a new model of computation among collectives of mobile nodes.Peer reviewe

Joint Head Selection and Airtime Allocation for Data Dissemination in Mobile Social Networks

Mobile social networks (MSNs) enable people with similar interests to interact without Internet access. By forming a temporary group, users can disseminate their data to other interested users in proximity with short-range communication technologies. However, due to user mobility, airtime available for users in the same group to disseminate data is limited. In addition, for practical consideration, a star network topology among users in the group is expected. For the former, unfair airtime allocation among the users will undermine their willingness to participate in MSNs. For the latter, a group head is required to connect other users. These two problems have to be properly addressed to enable real implementation and adoption of MSNs. To this aim, we propose a Nash bargaining-based joint head selection and airtime allocation scheme for data dissemination within the group. Specifically, the bargaining game of joint head selection and airtime allocation is first formulated. Then, Nash bargaining solution (NBS) based optimization problems are proposed for a homogeneous case and a more general heterogeneous case. For both cases, the existence of solution to the optimization problem is proved, which guarantees Pareto optimality and proportional fairness. Next, an algorithm, allowing distributed implementation, for join head selection and airtime allocation is introduced. Finally, numerical results are presented to evaluate the performance, validate intuitions and derive insights of the proposed scheme

A Novel Data Dissemination Scheme in Vehicular Networks for Intelligent Transportation System Applications

Numerous local incidents occur on road networks daily many of which may lead to congestion and safety hazards. If vehicles can be provided with information about such incidents or traffic conditions in advance, the quality of driving in terms of time, distance, and safety can be improved significantly. Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks (VANETs) have recently emerged as an effective tool for improving road safety through the propagation of warning messages among the vehicles in the network about potential obstacles on the road ahead. This research has presented an effective warning data dissemination scheme which deploys relay strategy and concept of Region of Interest (RoI). A warning data message is characterized as spatio-temporal, implying that both the location and the time of an incident must be considered. Factors such as the type of warning message, the layout of the road network, the traffic density and the capacity of alternative roads are influential in determining the RoI in which the warning message needs to be propagated. In the developed scheme, the type of warning message is taken into account for the determination of the RoI so that the more severe the incident, the wider the RoI. In the selection of the relay point, the border relay area in which the relay point is placed, is adapted to the traffic density so that the higher the traffic density , the narrower the relay area. Traffic statistics are used to calculate the RoI, which is then enclosed in the warning message so that the message is not retransmitted beyond the RoI. Also, the responsibility for retransmitting the message is assigned to the relay node. The data is then disseminated effectively so that vehicles in areas unrelated to the incident are not informed. The primary objective of this research is to provide better understanding of the dissemination of warning data in the context of a vehicular network with the ultimate goal of increasing the possibility of using VANETs for safety applications

PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT OF INNOVATION FIELDS : APPLYING CK DESIGN THEORY IN CROSS INDUSTRY EXPLORATORY PARTNERSHIP

Our paper refers to an industrial practice based on an integrated theoretical framework of design, CK design theory (Hatchuel and Weil, 2002, Hatchuel and Weil, 2003, Hatchuel and Weil, 2008), to support people in management of innovation fields. This study is based on an empirical case in a new form of R&D partnerships, the Cross Industry Exploratory Partnerships. MINATEC IDEAs Laboratory® is composed of a broad scope of partners 2 which aims to co-explore opportunities of micronanotechnologies. The paper deals with a strategic design tool, OPERA, which has been experimented since 2007 and involved participation of design team work and powerholders. During two years, creative insights and projects of the two laboratory's major innovation fields have been collected and structured within CK theory. This tool permits power-holders to drive innovation projects by giving an overview of explored concepts (and still not explored), activation and production of competencies and knowledge.CK theory; innovative design; innovation partnership; OPERA; design theory; management of innovation

From MANET to people-centric networking: Milestones and open research challenges

In this paper, we discuss the state of the art of (mobile) multi-hop ad hoc networking with the aim to present the current status of the research activities and identify the consolidated research areas, with limited research opportunities, and the hot and emerging research areas for which further research is required. We start by briefly discussing the MANET paradigm, and why the research on MANET protocols is now a cold research topic. Then we analyze the active research areas. Specifically, after discussing the wireless-network technologies, we analyze four successful ad hoc networking paradigms, mesh networks, opportunistic networks, vehicular networks, and sensor networks that emerged from the MANET world. We also present an emerging research direction in the multi-hop ad hoc networking field: people centric networking, triggered by the increasing penetration of the smartphones in everyday life, which is generating a people-centric revolution in computing and communications

Blockchain in healthcare

Blockchain is treated as a ledger system that manages data and their transactions using time-stamped blocks through cryptography and works in a decentralised manner over the computing network. Although blockchain is originally used as a backbone for the cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, its capabilities and applications have yet to be extended far beyond cryptocurrencies. In this paper, through conducting a latest systematic literature review aiming to produce new source of evidence, we identify potential applications of the blockchain technologies in healthcare. The comprehensive review looks at the professional and academic open-sourced journals published between 2008 to 2019 to recognise the potential of blockchain based approaches in the purpose of healthcare information disseminations, as well as to segregate issues for the implementation and development of blockchain applications. We identify several major application domains that present research opportunities and challenges for the future advancements and directions for the benefits of IS researchers and professionals