Bacterial relay for energy efficient molecular communications

In multi-cellular organisms, molecular signaling spans multiple distance scales and is essential to tissue structure and functionality. Molecular communications is increasingly researched and developed as a key subsystem in the Internet-of-Nano-Things paradigm. While short range microscopic diffusion communications is well understood, longer range channels can be inefficient and unreliable. Static and mobile relays have been proposed in both conventional wireless systems and molecular communication contexts. In this paper, our main contribution is to analyze the information delivery energy efficiency of bacteria mobile relays. We discover that these mobile relays offer superior energy efficiency compared with pure diffusion information transfer over long diffusion distances. This paper has widespread implications ranging from understanding biological processes to designing new efficient synthetic biology communication systems

Computational Models for Trapping Ebola Virus Using Engineered Bacteria

The outbreak of Ebola virus in recent years has resulted in numerous research initiatives to seek new solutions to contain the virus. A number of approaches that have been investigated include new vaccines to boost the immune system. An alternative post-exposure treatment is presented in this paper. The proposed approach for clearing Ebola virus can be developed through a microfluidic attenuator, which contains the engineered bacteria that traps Ebola flowing through the blood onto its membrane. The paper presents the analysis of the chemical binding force between the virus and a genetically engineered bacterium considering the opposing forces acting on the attachment point, including hydrodynamic tension and drag force. To test the efficacy of the technique, simulations of bacterial motility within a confined area to trap the virus were performed. More than 60% of the displaced virus could be collected within 15 minutes. While the proposed approach currently focuses on in vitro environments for trapping the virus, the system can be further developed into the future for treatment whereby blood can be cycled out of the body into a microfluidic device that contains the engineered bacteria to trap viruses

Network Challenges of Novel Sources of Big Data

Networks and networking technologies are the key components of Big Data systems. Modern and future wireless sensor networks (WSN) act as one of the major sources of data for Big Data systems. Wireless networking technologies allow to offload the traffic generated by WSNs to the Internet access points for further delivery to the cloud storage systems. In this thesis we concentrate on the detailed analysis of the following two networking aspects of future Big Data systems: (i) efficient data collection algorithms in WSNs and (ii) wireless data delivery to the Internet access points.The performance evaluation and optimization models developed in the thesis are based on the application of probability theory, theory of stochastic processes, Markov chain theory, stochastic and integral geometries and the queuing theory.The introductory part discusses major components of Big Data systems, identify networking aspects as the subject of interest and formulates the tasks for the thesis. Further, different challenges of Big Data systems are presented in detail with several competitive architectures highlighted. After that, we proceed investigating data collection approaches in modern and future WSNs. We back up the possibility of using the proposed techniques by providing the associated performance evaluation results. We also pay attention to the process of collected data delivery to the Internet backbone access point, and demonstrate that the capacity of conventional cellular systems may not be sufficient for a set of WSN applications including both video monitoring at macro-scale and sensor data delivery from the nano/micro scales. Seeking for a wireless technology for data offloading from WSNs, we study millimeter and terahertz bands. We show there that the interference structure and signal propagation are fundamentally different due to the required use of highly directional antennas, human blocking and molecular absorption. Finally, to characterize the process of collected data transmission from a number of WSNs over the millimeter wave or terahertz backhauls we formulate and solve a queuing system with multiple auto correlated inputs and the service distribution corresponding to the transmission time over a wireless channel with hybrid automatic repeat request mechanism taken into account

A comprehensive survey of recent advancements in molecular communication

With much advancement in the field of nanotechnology, bioengineering and synthetic biology over the past decade, microscales and nanoscales devices are becoming a reality. Yet the problem of engineering a reliable communication system between tiny devices is still an open problem. At the same time, despite the prevalence of radio communication, there are still areas where traditional electromagnetic waves find it difficult or expensive to reach. Points of interest in industry, cities, and medical applications often lie in embedded and entrenched areas, accessible only by ventricles at scales too small for conventional radio waves and microwaves, or they are located in such a way that directional high frequency systems are ineffective. Inspired by nature, one solution to these problems is molecular communication (MC), where chemical signals are used to transfer information. Although biologists have studied MC for decades, it has only been researched for roughly 10 year from a communication engineering lens. Significant number of papers have been published to date, but owing to the need for interdisciplinary work, much of the results are preliminary. In this paper, the recent advancements in the field of MC engineering are highlighted. First, the biological, chemical, and physical processes used by an MC system are discussed. This includes different components of the MC transmitter and receiver, as well as the propagation and transport mechanisms. Then, a comprehensive survey of some of the recent works on MC through a communication engineering lens is provided. The paper ends with a technology readiness analysis of MC and future research directions

Internet-das-Bionano-Coisas: Conectando-se às Nanomáquinas

The Internet-of-things attracts the attention of many researchers in computer networks with the challenge of providing connectivity to a huge quantity of devices. This reality can be further complicated once again with the recent proposed Internet-of-bionano-things. Nanomachines, natural or synthetic, will be able to communicate to each other and to the Internet through the means of communication systems that are being developed at the nano-scale with the goal of cooperatively executing complex tasks. This technology requires a complete revision of the TCP/IP architecture to accommodate the requirements and demands of the nanonetworks. This chapter aims at introducing this research field to the computer network community, presenting the different types of communicating networks, an initial reformulation of the TCP/IP architecture, research challenges and the applications for the nanonetworks. This technology enables a revolution in the society and affects directly areas, such as medicine, agriculture, pollution and even industry