Open Source 3D Game Engines for Serious Games Modeling

In this chapter we will review some tools and open source Game Engines used for modeling of real scenarios in serious games for training. One of the typical uses of serious games (3D serious games) is specialized training in dangerous tasks or when the training is quite expensive. However, typical games use artificial scenarios, created by artists and created according to the restrictions imposed by the Game engine used. In our experience, some tasks require the use of a real scenario like a city, forest area, etc, and most of this information is available as Digital Terrain Models in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The problem here is that GIS formats are not compatible with 3D formats used in Game engines. Then we have to solve the problem of convert the GIS format to a 3D format supported by the Game Engine

Destilación de Clave Cuántica

Esta tesina presenta un sistema de destilación de clave cuántica para el protocolo BB84. La finalidad es implementar y testear el sistema para integrarlo en una solución completa de distribución de clave cuántica de alto rendimiento. Además, se pretende identificar y proponer puntos de mejora en el proceso de destilación a fin de incrementar la tasa de bit de distribución de clave cuántica.This dissertation presents a quantum key distillation system for the BB84 protocol. The purpose is to implement and test the system to be integrated into a complete solution of high performance quantum key distribution. Furthermore, identify and propose improvements in the distillation process to enhance the bit rate of quantum key distribution.Pradilla Cerón, JV. (2013). Destilación de Clave Cuántica. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/33251

SOSLite: Soporte para Sistemas Ciber-Físicos y Computación en la Nube

Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) have become one of the greatest research topics today; because they pose a new complex discipline, which addresses big existing and future systems as the Internet, the Internet of Things, sensors networks and smart grids. As a recent discipline, there are many possibilities to improve the state of the art, interoperability being one of the most relevant. Thus, this thesis has been created within the framework of interoperability for CPS, by using the SOS (Sensor Observation Service) standard, which belongs to the SWE (Sensor Web Enablement) framework of the OGC (Open Geospatial Consortium). It has been developed to give rise to a new line of research within the Distributed Real-Time Systems and Applications group (SATRD for its acronym in Spanish) from the Communications Department of the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV for its acronym in Valencian). The approach, with which the interoperability in the CPS has been addressed, is of synthetic type (from parts to whole), starting from a verifiable and workable solution for interoperability in sensor networks, one of the most significant CPSs because it is integrated in many other CPSs, next adapting and testing the solution in more complex CPS, such as the Internet of Things. In this way, an interoperability solution in sensor networks is proposed based on the SOS, but adapted to some requirements that makes of this mechanism a lighter version of the standard, which facilitates the deployment of future implementations due to the possibility of using limited devices for this purpose. This theoretical solution is brought to a first implementation, called SOSLite, which is tested to determine its characteristic behavior and to verify the fulfillment of its purpose. Analogously, and starting from the same theoretical solution, a second implementation is projected called SOSFul, which proposes an update to the SOS standard so that it is lighter, more efficient and easier to use. The SOSFul, has a more ambitious projection by addressing the Internet of Things, a more complex CPS than sensors networks. As in the case of the SOSLite, tests are performed and validation is made through a use case. So, both the SOSLite and the SOSFul are projected as interoperability solutions in the CPS. Both implementations are based on the theoretical proposal of a light SOS and are available for free and under open source licensing so that it can be used by the research community to continue its development and increase its use.Los Sistemas Ciber-Físicos (CPS) se han convertido en uno de los temas de investigación con mayor proyección en la actualidad; debido a que plantean una nueva disciplina compleja, que aborda sistemas existentes y futuros de gran auge como: la Internet, la Internet de las Cosas, las redes de sensores y las redes eléctricas inteligentes. Como disciplina en gestación, existen muchas posibilidades para aportar al estado del arte, siendo la interoperabilidad uno de los más relevantes. Así, esta tesis se ha creado en el marco de la interoperabilidad para los CPS, mediante la utilización del estándar SOS (Sensor Observation Service) perteneciente al marco de trabajo SWE (Sensor Web Enablement) del OGC (Open Geospatial Consortium). Se ha desarrollado para dar surgimiento a una nueva línea de investigación dentro del grupo SATRD (Sistemas y Aplicaciones de Tiempo Real Distribuidos) del Departamento de Comunicaciones de la UPV (Universitat Politècnica de València). La aproximación con la cual se ha abordado la interoperabilidad en los CPS es de tipo sintética (pasar de las partes al todo), iniciando desde una solución, verificable y realizable, para la interoperabilidad en las redes de sensores, uno de los CPS más significativos debido a que se integra en muchos otros CPS, y pasando a adaptar y comprobar dicha solución en CPS de mayor complejidad, como la Internet de las Cosas. De esta forma, se propone una solución de interoperabilidad en las redes de sensores fundamentada en el SOS, pero adaptada a unos requerimientos que hacen de este mecanismo una versión más ligera del estándar, con lo que se facilita el despliegue de futuras implementaciones debido a la posibilidad de emplear dispositivos limitados para tal fin. Dicha solución teórica, se lleva a una primera implementación, denominada SOSLite, la cual se prueba para determinar su comportamiento característico y verificar el cumplimiento de su propósito. De forma análoga y partiendo de la misma solución teórica, se proyecta una segunda implementación, llamada SOSFul, la cual propone una actualización del estándar SOS de forma que sea más ligero, eficiente y fácil de emplear. El SOSFul, tiene una proyección más ambiciosa al abordar la Internet de las Cosas, un CPS más complejo que las redes de sensores. Como en el caso del SOSLite, se realizan pruebas y se valida mediante un caso de uso. Así, tanto el SOSLite como el SOSFul se proyectan como soluciones de interoperabilidad en los CPS. Ambas implementaciones parten de la propuesta teórica de SOS ligero y se encuentran disponibles de forma gratuita y bajo código libre, para ser empleados por la comunidad investigativa para continuar su desarrollo y aumentar su uso.Els sistemes ciberfísics (CPS, Cyber-Physical Systems) s'han convertit en un dels temes de recerca amb major projecció en l'actualitat, a causa del fet que plantegen una nova disciplina complexa que aborda sistemes existents i futurs de gran auge, com ara: la Internet, la Internet de les Coses, les xarxes de sensors i les xarxes elèctriques intel·ligents. Com a disciplina en gestació, hi ha moltes possibilitats per a aportar a l'estat de la qüestió, sent la interoperabilitat una de les més rellevants. Així, aquesta tesi s'ha creat en el marc de la interoperabilitat per als CPS, mitjançant la utilització de l'estàndard SOS (Sensor Observation Service) pertanyent al marc de treball SWE (Sensor Web Enablement) de l'OGC (Open Geospatial Consortium). S'ha desenvolupat per a iniciar una nova línia de recerca dins del Grup de SATRD (Sistemes i Aplicacions de Temps Real Distribuïts) del Departament de Comunicacions de la UPV (Universitat Politècnica de València). L'aproximació amb la qual s'ha abordat la interoperabilitat en els CPS és de tipus sintètic (passar de les parts al tot), iniciant des d'una solució, verificable i realitzable, per a la interoperabilitat en les xarxes de sensors, un dels CPS més significatius pel fet que s'integra en molts altres CPS, i passant a adaptar i comprovar aquesta solució en CPS de major complexitat, com la Internet de les Coses. D'aquesta forma, es proposa una solució d'interoperabilitat en les xarxes de sensors fonamentada en el SOS, però adaptada a uns requeriments que fan d'aquest mecanisme una versió més lleugera de l'estàndard, amb la qual cosa es facilita el desplegament de futures implementacions per la possibilitat d'emprar dispositius limitats a aquest fi. Aquesta solució teòrica es porta a una primera implementació, denominada SOSLite, que es prova per a determinar el seu comportament característic i verificar el compliment del seu propòsit. De forma anàloga i partint de la mateixa solució teòrica, es projecta una segona implementació, anomenada SOSFul, que proposa una actualització de l'estàndard SOS de manera que siga més lleuger, eficient i fàcil d'emprar. El SOSFul té una projecció més ambiciosa quan aborda la Internet de les Coses, un CPS més complex que les xarxes de sensors. Com en el cas del SOSLite, es realitzen proves i es valida mitjançant un cas d'ús. Així, tant el SOSLite com el SOSFul, es projecten com a solucions d'interoperabilitat en els CPS. Ambdues implementacions parteixen de la proposta teòrica de SOS lleuger, i es troben disponibles de forma gratuïta i en codi lliure per a ser emprades per la comunitat investigadora a fi de continuar el seu desenvolupament i augmentar-ne l'ús.Pradilla Ceron, JV. (2016). SOSLite: Soporte para Sistemas Ciber-Físicos y Computación en la Nube [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/76808TESI

Hybrid Delay-Based Congestion Control for Multipath TCP

[EN] Current algorithms for MPTCP (as LIA, OLIA, BALIA, or wVegas) present loss-based congestion control on the exception of wVegas. Delay-based congestion control allows a preventive action against congestion, capable to avoid loss up to some extent, unlike loss-based congestion control. Additionally delay-based congestion control induces lower delay and presents higher fairness, but poor performance interoperating with loss-based flows, as get a poor share of the available bandwidth. We propose DAIMD, a hybrid congestion control for Multipath TCP, based on the delay-based AIMD scheme, which benefits from better, preventive detection of congestion, a more responsive use of queues and consequently low induced delay, as well as the capability to coexist in fair conditions with loss-based flows in shared links. Our system presents its own analysis criteria for detecting incipient congestion that differs from other delay-based schemes on which it is based, such as CDG, delay-based AIMD and Vegas.This research has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme as part of the 'Interoperability of Heterogeneous IoT Platforms' (INTER-IoT) project under Grant Agreement nº730; 687283.González-Usach, R.; Pradilla-Cerón, JV.; Esteve Domingo, M.; Palau Salvador, CE. (2016). Hybrid Delay-Based Congestion Control for Multipath TCP. 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1109/MELCON.2016.7495389S1

SOSFul: Sensor Observation Service (SOS) for Internet of Things (IoT)

Sensor networks have expanded their scope and capabilities, becoming a fundamental part within the Internet of Things (IoT). To be able to meet the interoperability needs, it is necessary to have a repository of the sensors' data and observations, with this end in mind, the Sensor Observation Service (SOS) has been created; however, after several years since its last update, many technological changes have accumulated. This paper proposes and evaluates a SOS with a REST architecture and a JSON over HTTP message exchange, which is used to interconnect sensors networks and, at the same time, improve the performance of these networks and facilitate their deployment within the Io

A 3D Game Tool for Mobile Networks Planning

In this work, we show the concept of serious game applied to a 3D game for mobile planning. We combine the use of a traditional planning tool with a 3D game engine, representing propagation models as "avatars". The tool allows to execute an initial planning and also to "play" a game according to "missions" like perform a planning with a coverage objective

Amplification of the bit rate for quantum key distribution based on cryptographic hash functions

[EN] The security is a research area in a continuous evolving field and represents one of the most important perspective future lines in telecommunications. This work is focused on new techniques and methods employing the properties of quantum physics with the aim of obtaining unconditional security. Currently, these techniques and methods lack a key rate close to the current transmission rate. In order to improve the quantum key transmission rate, this article proposes the use of cryptographic hash functions used in the privacy amplification layer to expand the bit rate relying on the properties of these functions.[ES] La seguridad es un campo de trabajo en continuo desarrollo y representa una de las líneas con mayor perspectiva de futuro dentro de las telecomunicaciones. Este trabajo se centra en las nuevas técnicas y procedimientos que emplean las propiedades de la física cuántica con el objetivo de obtener seguridad incondicional. Actualmente, estos sistemas de distribución de clave carecen de una tasa de clave equiparable con las tasas de transmisión actuales. Para lograr mejorar la tasa de transmisión de clave cuántica, se propone en este artículo el uso de las funciones hash criptográficas usadas en la capa de amplificación de privacidad para lograr ampliar la tasa binaria apoyándose en las propiedades de estas funciones. The security is a research area in a continuous evolving field and represents one of the most important perspective future lines in telecommunications. This work is focused on new techniques and methods employing the properties of quantum physics with the aim of obtaining unconditional security. Currently, these techniques and methods lack a key rate close to the current transmission rate. In order to improve the quantum key transmission rate, this article proposes the use of cryptographic hash functions used in the privacy amplification layer to expand the bit rate relying on the properties of these functions.Este trabajo ha sido financiado por la ayuda de la Universitat Politècnica de Valencia en la Prueba de Concepto SP20120588 y por Colciencias mediante la beca Francisco José de Caldas. También, este trabajo ha contado con la financiación de la Generalitat Valenciana bajo el programa de investigación de excelencia GVA PROMETEO 2013/012: Next Generation Microwave Photonic Technologies.Pradilla Ceron, JV.; Mora Almerich, J.; Capmany Francoy, J. (2013). Amplificación de la tasa de bit para distribución de clave cuántica basada en funciones hash criptográficas. Óptica Pura y Aplicada. 46(4):337-343. https://doi.org/10.7149/OPA.46.4.337S33734346

SOSLite: Lightweight Sensor Observation Service (SOS)

Internet of Things (IoT) platforms interoperability is a major issue in current IoT scenarios. There are different mechanisms to achieve interop erability and Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) with Sensor Web Enablement (SWE) block of standards like Sensor Observation Service (SOS) has provided the ability to interoperate at different layers, following a centralized approach. However, IoT nature is distributed and a new approach is needed. At the same time, current SOS implementations provide several services and components that are rarely used and affect performance, and are mainly focused for large sensor deployments. In this paper we propose a lightweight SOS design, named SOSLite, based in the OGC consolidated SWE standards able to be executed in low resources devices (e.g. RaspberryPi) and allow fast interoperability and scalability. The proposed use case in which the proposed system has been tested is m-health and concretely ambient assisted livingPradilla Ceron, JV.; Esteve Domingo, M.; Palau Salvador, CE. (2015). SOSLite: Lightweight Sensor Observation Service (SOS). IEEE Latin America Transactions. 13(12):3758-3764. doi:10.1109/TLA.2015.7404905S37583764131

TEST: Serious games for radio communications learning

The game industry has suffered an impressive explosion of popularity, becoming the largest entertainment industry in the world. Games have become a sophisticated extension of the reality and an interesting way for complementing human mind utopias. Training software allows the trainee to immerse in quasi-real controlled situations that could be measured by trainers. In this work we discuss the duality existing between the training based on a serious game and a simple game, based on state of the art technologies. Then we show a training system for telecommunications technicians based on a combination between serious games and "traditional" e-learning platform. We show results for a trial made with a group of students from different disciplines (not only engineering) in order to evaluate learning outcomes using serious games versus other learning approaches. In this paper we discuss such results and make a descriptive statistical analysis of the result