2021 |
Luca Davoli; Emanuele Pagliari; Gianluigi Ferrari Hybrid LoRa-IEEE 802.11s Opportunistic Mesh Networking for Flexible UAV Swarming Journal Article Drones, 5 (2), 2021, ISSN: 2504-446X. @article{dapafe:2021:drones, title = {Hybrid LoRa-IEEE 802.11s Opportunistic Mesh Networking for Flexible UAV Swarming}, author = {Luca Davoli and Emanuele Pagliari and Gianluigi Ferrari}, doi = {10.3390/drones5020026}, issn = {2504-446X}, year = {2021}, date = {2021-06-24}, journal = {Drones}, volume = {5}, number = {2}, abstract = {Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and small drones are nowadays being widely used in heterogeneous use cases: aerial photography, precise agriculture, inspections, environmental data collection, search-and-rescue operations, surveillance applications, and more. When designing UAV swarm-based applications, a key “ingredient” to make them effective is the communication system (possible involving multiple protocols) shared by flying drones and terrestrial base stations. When compared to ground communication systems for swarms of terrestrial vehicles, one of the main advantages of UAV-based communications is the presence of direct Line-of-Sight (LOS) links between flying UAVs operating at an altitude of tens of meters, often ensuring direct visibility among themselves and even with some ground Base Transceiver Stations (BTSs). Therefore, the adoption of proper networking strategies for UAV swarms allows users to exchange data at distances (significantly) longer than in ground applications. In this paper, we propose a hybrid communication architecture for UAV swarms, leveraging heterogeneous radio mesh networking based on long-range communication protocols—such as LoRa and LoRaWAN—and IEEE 802.11s protocols. We then discuss its strengths, constraints, viable implementation, and relevant reference use cases.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and small drones are nowadays being widely used in heterogeneous use cases: aerial photography, precise agriculture, inspections, environmental data collection, search-and-rescue operations, surveillance applications, and more. When designing UAV swarm-based applications, a key “ingredient” to make them effective is the communication system (possible involving multiple protocols) shared by flying drones and terrestrial base stations. When compared to ground communication systems for swarms of terrestrial vehicles, one of the main advantages of UAV-based communications is the presence of direct Line-of-Sight (LOS) links between flying UAVs operating at an altitude of tens of meters, often ensuring direct visibility among themselves and even with some ground Base Transceiver Stations (BTSs). Therefore, the adoption of proper networking strategies for UAV swarms allows users to exchange data at distances (significantly) longer than in ground applications. In this paper, we propose a hybrid communication architecture for UAV swarms, leveraging heterogeneous radio mesh networking based on long-range communication protocols—such as LoRa and LoRaWAN—and IEEE 802.11s protocols. We then discuss its strengths, constraints, viable implementation, and relevant reference use cases. |
Gaia Codeluppi; Luca Davoli; Gianluigi Ferrari Forecasting Air Temperature on Edge Devices with Embedded AI Journal Article Sensors, 21 (12), pp. 1-29, 2021, ISSN: 1424-8220. @article{codafe:2021:sensors, title = {Forecasting Air Temperature on Edge Devices with Embedded AI}, author = {Gaia Codeluppi and Luca Davoli and Gianluigi Ferrari}, doi = {10.3390/s21123973}, issn = {1424-8220}, year = {2021}, date = {2021-06-09}, journal = {Sensors}, volume = {21}, number = {12}, pages = {1-29}, abstract = {With the advent of the Smart Agriculture, the joint utilization of Internet of Things (IoT) and Machine Learning (ML) holds the promise to significantly improve agricultural production and sustainability. In this paper, the design of a Neural Network (NN)-based prediction model of a greenhouse’s internal air temperature, to be deployed and run on an edge device with constrained capabilities, is investigated. The model relies on a time series-oriented approach, taking as input variables the past and present values of the air temperature to forecast the future ones. In detail, we evaluate three different NN architecture types—namely, Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks, Recurrent NNs (RNNs) and Artificial NNs (ANNs)—with various values of the sliding window associated with input data. Experimental results show that the three best-performing models have a Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) value in the range 0.289÷0.402°C, a Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) in the range of 0.87÷1.04%, and a coefficient of determination (R2) not smaller than 0.997. The overall best performing model, based on an ANN, has a good prediction performance together with low computational and architectural complexities (evaluated on the basis of the NetScore metric), making its deployment on an edge device feasible.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } With the advent of the Smart Agriculture, the joint utilization of Internet of Things (IoT) and Machine Learning (ML) holds the promise to significantly improve agricultural production and sustainability. In this paper, the design of a Neural Network (NN)-based prediction model of a greenhouse’s internal air temperature, to be deployed and run on an edge device with constrained capabilities, is investigated. The model relies on a time series-oriented approach, taking as input variables the past and present values of the air temperature to forecast the future ones. In detail, we evaluate three different NN architecture types—namely, Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks, Recurrent NNs (RNNs) and Artificial NNs (ANNs)—with various values of the sliding window associated with input data. Experimental results show that the three best-performing models have a Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) value in the range 0.289÷0.402°C, a Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) in the range of 0.87÷1.04%, and a coefficient of determination (R2) not smaller than 0.997. The overall best performing model, based on an ANN, has a good prediction performance together with low computational and architectural complexities (evaluated on the basis of the NetScore metric), making its deployment on an edge device feasible. |
Luca Davoli; Ioannis Paraskevopoulos; Cinzia Campanella; Stefano Bauro; Tommaso Vio; Andrea Abrardo; Gianluigi Ferrari Ultrasonic-Based Environmental Perception for Mobile 5G-Oriented XR Applications Journal Article Sensors, 21 (4), pp. 1329, 2021, ISSN: 1424-8220. @article{dapacabaviabfe, title = {Ultrasonic-Based Environmental Perception for Mobile 5G-Oriented XR Applications}, author = { Luca Davoli and Ioannis Paraskevopoulos and Cinzia Campanella and Stefano Bauro and Tommaso Vio and Andrea Abrardo and Gianluigi Ferrari}, doi = {10.3390/s21041329}, issn = {1424-8220}, year = {2021}, date = {2021-02-13}, journal = {Sensors}, volume = {21}, number = {4}, pages = {1329}, publisher = {MDPI AG}, abstract = {One of the sectors that is expected to significantly benefit from 5G network deployment is eXtended Reality (XR). Besides the very high bandwidth, reliability, and Quality of Service (QoS) to be delivered to end users, XR also requires accurate environmental perception for safety reasons: this is fundamental when a user, wearing XR equipment, is immersed in a “virtual” world, but moves in a “real” environment. To overcome this limitation (especially when using low-cost XR equipments, such as cardboards worn by the end user), it is possible to exploit the potentialities offered by Internet of Things (IoT) nodes with sensing/actuating capabilities. In this paper, we rely on ultrasonic sensor-based IoT systems to perceive the surrounding environment and to provide “side information” to XR systems, then performing a preliminary experimental characterization campaign with different ultrasonic IoT system configurations worn by the end user. The combination of the information flows associated with XR and IoT components is enabled by 5G technology. An illustrative experimental scenario, relative to a “Tourism 4.0” IoT-aided VR application deployed by Vodafone in Milan, Italy, is presented.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } One of the sectors that is expected to significantly benefit from 5G network deployment is eXtended Reality (XR). Besides the very high bandwidth, reliability, and Quality of Service (QoS) to be delivered to end users, XR also requires accurate environmental perception for safety reasons: this is fundamental when a user, wearing XR equipment, is immersed in a “virtual” world, but moves in a “real” environment. To overcome this limitation (especially when using low-cost XR equipments, such as cardboards worn by the end user), it is possible to exploit the potentialities offered by Internet of Things (IoT) nodes with sensing/actuating capabilities. In this paper, we rely on ultrasonic sensor-based IoT systems to perceive the surrounding environment and to provide “side information” to XR systems, then performing a preliminary experimental characterization campaign with different ultrasonic IoT system configurations worn by the end user. The combination of the information flows associated with XR and IoT components is enabled by 5G technology. An illustrative experimental scenario, relative to a “Tourism 4.0” IoT-aided VR application deployed by Vodafone in Milan, Italy, is presented. |
2020 |
Luca Davoli; Marco Martalò; Antonio Cilfone; Laura Belli; Gianluigi Ferrari; Roberta Presta; Roberto Montanari; Maura Mengoni; Luca Giraldi; Elvio G. Amparore; Marco Botta; Idilio Drago; Giuseppe Carbonara; Andrea Castellano; Johan Plomp On Driver Behavior Recognition for Increased Safety: A Roadmap Journal Article Safety, 6 (4), pp. 1-33, 2020, ISSN: 2313-576X. @article{Davoli_2020, title = {On Driver Behavior Recognition for Increased Safety: A Roadmap}, author = {Luca Davoli and Marco Martalò and Antonio Cilfone and Laura Belli and Gianluigi Ferrari and Roberta Presta and Roberto Montanari and Maura Mengoni and Luca Giraldi and Elvio G. Amparore and Marco Botta and Idilio Drago and Giuseppe Carbonara and Andrea Castellano and Johan Plomp}, doi = {10.3390/safety6040055}, issn = {2313-576X}, year = {2020}, date = {2020-12-24}, journal = {Safety}, volume = {6}, number = {4}, pages = {1-33}, publisher = {MDPI AG}, abstract = {Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADASs) are used for increasing safety in the automotive domain, yet current ADASs notably operate without taking into account drivers’ states, e.g., whether she/he is emotionally apt to drive. In this paper, we first review the state-of-the-art of emotional and cognitive analysis for ADAS: we consider psychological models, the sensors needed for capturing physiological signals, and the typical algorithms used for human emotion classification. Our investigation highlights a lack of advanced Driver Monitoring Systems (DMSs) for ADASs, which could increase driving quality and security for both drivers and passengers. We then provide our view on a novel perception architecture for driver monitoring, built around the concept of Driver Complex State (DCS). DCS relies on multiple non-obtrusive sensors and Artificial Intelligence (AI) for uncovering the driver state and uses it to implement innovative Human–Machine Interface (HMI) functionalities. This concept will be implemented and validated in the recently EU-funded NextPerception project, which is briefly introduced.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADASs) are used for increasing safety in the automotive domain, yet current ADASs notably operate without taking into account drivers’ states, e.g., whether she/he is emotionally apt to drive. In this paper, we first review the state-of-the-art of emotional and cognitive analysis for ADAS: we consider psychological models, the sensors needed for capturing physiological signals, and the typical algorithms used for human emotion classification. Our investigation highlights a lack of advanced Driver Monitoring Systems (DMSs) for ADASs, which could increase driving quality and security for both drivers and passengers. We then provide our view on a novel perception architecture for driver monitoring, built around the concept of Driver Complex State (DCS). DCS relies on multiple non-obtrusive sensors and Artificial Intelligence (AI) for uncovering the driver state and uses it to implement innovative Human–Machine Interface (HMI) functionalities. This concept will be implemented and validated in the recently EU-funded NextPerception project, which is briefly introduced. |
Dimitrios Serpanos; Gianluigi Ferrari; George Nikolakopoulos; Jon Perez; Markus Tauber; Stefan Van Baelen Embedded Artificial Intelligence: the ARTEMIS vision Journal Article Computer, 53 (11), pp. 65-69, 2020, ISSN: 0018-9162. @article{SeFeNiPeTaVa_COMPUTER20, title = {Embedded Artificial Intelligence: the ARTEMIS vision}, author = {Dimitrios Serpanos and Gianluigi Ferrari and George Nikolakopoulos and Jon Perez and Markus Tauber and Stefan Van Baelen}, url = {https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9237345}, doi = {10.1109/MC.2020.3016104}, issn = {0018-9162}, year = {2020}, date = {2020-10-22}, journal = {Computer}, volume = {53}, number = {11}, pages = {65-69}, abstract = {Advances in embedded and cyberphysical systems have disrupted numerous application domains. We examine the requirements and challenges of these technologies, which present significant opportunities for interdisciplinary research.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Advances in embedded and cyberphysical systems have disrupted numerous application domains. We examine the requirements and challenges of these technologies, which present significant opportunities for interdisciplinary research. |
Laura Belli; Antonio Cilfone; Luca Davoli; Gianluigi Ferrari; Paolo Adorni; Francesco Di Nocera; Alessandro Dall'Olio; Cristina Pellegrini; Marco Mordacci; Enzo Bertolotti IoT-Enabled Smart Sustainable Cities: Challenges and Approaches Journal Article Smart Cities, 3 , pp. 1039-1071, 2020. @article{Belli2020, title = {IoT-Enabled Smart Sustainable Cities: Challenges and Approaches}, author = {Laura Belli and Antonio Cilfone and Luca Davoli and Gianluigi Ferrari and Paolo Adorni and Francesco Di Nocera and Alessandro Dall'Olio and Cristina Pellegrini and Marco Mordacci and Enzo Bertolotti}, url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2624-6511/3/3/52}, doi = {10.3390/smartcities3030052}, year = {2020}, date = {2020-09-18}, journal = {Smart Cities}, volume = {3}, pages = {1039-1071}, abstract = {The ongoing diffusion of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies is opening new possibilities, and one of the most remarkable applications is associated with the smart city paradigm, which is continuously evolving. In general, it can be defined as the integration of IoT and Information Communication Technologies (ICT) into city management, with the aim of addressing the exponential growth of urbanization and population, thus significantly increasing people’s quality of life. The smart city paradigm is also strictly connected to sustainability aspects, taking into account, for example, the reduction of environmental impact of urban activities, the optimized management of energy resources, and the design of innovative services and solution for citizens. Abiding by this new paradigm, several cities started a process of strong innovation in different fields (such as mobility and transportation, industry, health, tourism, and education), thanks to significant investments provided by stakeholders and the European Commission (EC). In this paper, we analyze key aspects of an IoT infrastructure for smart cities, outlining the innovations implemented in the city of Parma (Emilia Romagna region, Italy) as a successful example. Special attention is dedicated to the theme of smart urban mobility.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } The ongoing diffusion of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies is opening new possibilities, and one of the most remarkable applications is associated with the smart city paradigm, which is continuously evolving. In general, it can be defined as the integration of IoT and Information Communication Technologies (ICT) into city management, with the aim of addressing the exponential growth of urbanization and population, thus significantly increasing people’s quality of life. The smart city paradigm is also strictly connected to sustainability aspects, taking into account, for example, the reduction of environmental impact of urban activities, the optimized management of energy resources, and the design of innovative services and solution for citizens. Abiding by this new paradigm, several cities started a process of strong innovation in different fields (such as mobility and transportation, industry, health, tourism, and education), thanks to significant investments provided by stakeholders and the European Commission (EC). In this paper, we analyze key aspects of an IoT infrastructure for smart cities, outlining the innovations implemented in the city of Parma (Emilia Romagna region, Italy) as a successful example. Special attention is dedicated to the theme of smart urban mobility. |
Pooya Hejazi; Gianluigi Ferrari A novel approach for energy- and memory-efficient data loss prevention to support Internet of Things networks Journal Article International Journal of Distributed Sensor Networks, 16 (6), pp. 16 pages, 2020. @article{HeFe_IJDSN20, title = {A novel approach for energy- and memory-efficient data loss prevention to support Internet of Things networks}, author = {Pooya Hejazi and Gianluigi Ferrari}, url = {https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1550147720929823}, doi = {10.1177/1550147720929823}, year = {2020}, date = {2020-06-04}, journal = {International Journal of Distributed Sensor Networks}, volume = {16}, number = {6}, pages = {16 pages}, abstract = {Internet of Things integrates various technologies, including wireless sensor networks, edge computing, and cloud computing, to support a wide range of applications such as environmental monitoring and disaster surveillance. In these types of applications, IoT devices operate using limited resources in terms of battery, communication bandwidth, processing, and memory capacities. In this context, load balancing, fault tolerance, and energy and memory efficiency are among the most important issues related to data dissemination in IoT networks. In order to successfully cope with the abovementioned issues, two main approaches—data-centric storage and distributed data storage—have been proposed in the literature. Both approaches suffer from data loss due to memory and/or energy depletion in the storage nodes. Even though several techniques have been proposed so far to overcome the abovementioned problems, the proposed solutions typically focus on one issue at a time. In this article, we propose a cross-layer optimization approach to increase memory and energy efficiency as well as support load balancing. The optimization problem is a mixed-integer nonlinear programming problem, and we solve it using a genetic algorithm. Moreover, we integrate the data-centric storage features into distributed data storage mechanisms and present a novel heuristic approach, denoted as Collaborative Memory and Energy Management, to solve the underlying optimization problem. We also propose analytical and simulation frameworks for performance evaluation. Our results show that the proposed method outperforms the existing approaches in various IoT scenarios.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Internet of Things integrates various technologies, including wireless sensor networks, edge computing, and cloud computing, to support a wide range of applications such as environmental monitoring and disaster surveillance. In these types of applications, IoT devices operate using limited resources in terms of battery, communication bandwidth, processing, and memory capacities. In this context, load balancing, fault tolerance, and energy and memory efficiency are among the most important issues related to data dissemination in IoT networks. In order to successfully cope with the abovementioned issues, two main approaches—data-centric storage and distributed data storage—have been proposed in the literature. Both approaches suffer from data loss due to memory and/or energy depletion in the storage nodes. Even though several techniques have been proposed so far to overcome the abovementioned problems, the proposed solutions typically focus on one issue at a time. In this article, we propose a cross-layer optimization approach to increase memory and energy efficiency as well as support load balancing. The optimization problem is a mixed-integer nonlinear programming problem, and we solve it using a genetic algorithm. Moreover, we integrate the data-centric storage features into distributed data storage mechanisms and present a novel heuristic approach, denoted as Collaborative Memory and Energy Management, to solve the underlying optimization problem. We also propose analytical and simulation frameworks for performance evaluation. Our results show that the proposed method outperforms the existing approaches in various IoT scenarios. |
Gaia Codeluppi; Antonio Cilfone; Luca Davoli; Gianluigi Ferrari LoRaFarM: A LoRaWAN-Based Smart Farming Modular IoT Architecture Journal Article Sensors, 20 (7), 2020, ISSN: 1424-8220. @article{cocidafe:2020:sensors, title = {LoRaFarM: A LoRaWAN-Based Smart Farming Modular IoT Architecture}, author = {Gaia Codeluppi and Antonio Cilfone and Luca Davoli and Gianluigi Ferrari}, doi = {10.3390/s20072028}, issn = {1424-8220}, year = {2020}, date = {2020-04-04}, journal = {Sensors}, volume = {20}, number = {7}, abstract = {Presently, the adoption of Internet of Things (IoT)-related technologies in the Smart Farming domain is rapidly emerging. The ultimate goal is to collect, monitor, and effectively employ relevant data for agricultural processes, with the purpose of achieving an optimized and more environmentally sustainable agriculture. In this paper, a low-cost, modular, and Long-Range Wide-Area Network (LoRaWAN)-based IoT platform, denoted as “LoRaWAN-based Smart Farming Modular IoT Architecture” (LoRaFarM), and aimed at improving the management of generic farms in a highly customizable way, is presented. The platform, built around a core middleware, is easily extensible with ad-hoc low-level modules (feeding the middleware with data coming from the sensors deployed in the farm) or high-level modules (providing advanced functionalities to the farmer). The proposed platform has been evaluated in a real farm in Italy, collecting environmental data (air/soil temperature and humidity) related to the growth of farm products (namely grapes and greenhouse vegetables) over a period of three months. A web-based visualization tool for the collected data is also presented, to validate the LoRaFarM architecture.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Presently, the adoption of Internet of Things (IoT)-related technologies in the Smart Farming domain is rapidly emerging. The ultimate goal is to collect, monitor, and effectively employ relevant data for agricultural processes, with the purpose of achieving an optimized and more environmentally sustainable agriculture. In this paper, a low-cost, modular, and Long-Range Wide-Area Network (LoRaWAN)-based IoT platform, denoted as “LoRaWAN-based Smart Farming Modular IoT Architecture” (LoRaFarM), and aimed at improving the management of generic farms in a highly customizable way, is presented. The platform, built around a core middleware, is easily extensible with ad-hoc low-level modules (feeding the middleware with data coming from the sensors deployed in the farm) or high-level modules (providing advanced functionalities to the farmer). The proposed platform has been evaluated in a real farm in Italy, collecting environmental data (air/soil temperature and humidity) related to the growth of farm products (namely grapes and greenhouse vegetables) over a period of three months. A web-based visualization tool for the collected data is also presented, to validate the LoRaFarM architecture. |
2019 |
Pier Luigi Marchini; Alice Medioli; Laura Belli; Luca Davoli Internet of Things e Industria 4.0. Un case study di successo di digital manufacturing Journal Article Management Control, (3), pp. 11-34, 2019, ISSN: 2239-4397. @article{mamebeda:2019:maco, title = {Internet of Things e Industria 4.0. Un case study di successo di digital manufacturing}, author = {Pier Luigi Marchini and Alice Medioli and Laura Belli and Luca Davoli}, url = {http://www.francoangeli.it/Riviste/Scheda_rivista.aspx?idArticolo=65143}, doi = {10.3280/MACO2019-003002}, issn = {2239-4397}, year = {2019}, date = {2019-12-19}, journal = {Management Control}, number = {3}, pages = {11-34}, abstract = {The value creation through production is currently shaped by Industry 4.0, whose paradigm aims at improving industry management and business processes. Through a case study, this research describes the renovation steps, in a manufac-turing environment. The research aims to study how the introduction of digital in-novation helps in making more efficient and time saving production (RQ1), as well as in increasing product quality, enabling on time detection of non-conformity (RQ2). At theoretical level, the research aims to close the gap between the Internet of Things (IoT) application and real-word aspects, analyzing how an industry 4.0 transformation could be modelled and implemented. At managerial level, the study shows how IoT technologies and process digitalization should provide ad-vantages in terms of cost reduction, product quality control, allowing continuous collection of heterogeneous data useful to optimize the production further.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } The value creation through production is currently shaped by Industry 4.0, whose paradigm aims at improving industry management and business processes. Through a case study, this research describes the renovation steps, in a manufac-turing environment. The research aims to study how the introduction of digital in-novation helps in making more efficient and time saving production (RQ1), as well as in increasing product quality, enabling on time detection of non-conformity (RQ2). At theoretical level, the research aims to close the gap between the Internet of Things (IoT) application and real-word aspects, analyzing how an industry 4.0 transformation could be modelled and implemented. At managerial level, the study shows how IoT technologies and process digitalization should provide ad-vantages in terms of cost reduction, product quality control, allowing continuous collection of heterogeneous data useful to optimize the production further. |
Giovanni Albani; Claudia Ferraris; Roberto Nerino; Antonio Chimienti; Giuseppe Pettiti; Federico Parisi; Gianluigi Ferrari; Nicola Cau; Veronica Cimolin; Corrado Azzaro; Lorenzo Priano; Alessandro Mauro An Integrated Multi-Sensor Approach for the Remote Monitoring of Parkinson’s Disease Journal Article Sensors, 19 (21:4764), pp. 18 pages, 2019. @article{AlFeNeChPePaFeCaCiAzPrMa_SENSORS19, title = {An Integrated Multi-Sensor Approach for the Remote Monitoring of Parkinson’s Disease}, author = {Giovanni Albani and Claudia Ferraris and Roberto Nerino and Antonio Chimienti and Giuseppe Pettiti and Federico Parisi and Gianluigi Ferrari and Nicola Cau and Veronica Cimolin and Corrado Azzaro and Lorenzo Priano and Alessandro Mauro}, url = {https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/19/21/4764}, doi = {10.3390/s19214764}, year = {2019}, date = {2019-11-02}, journal = {Sensors}, volume = {19}, number = {21:4764}, pages = {18 pages}, abstract = {The increment of the prevalence of neurological diseases due to the trend in population aging demands for new strategies in disease management. In Parkinson’s disease (PD), these strategies should aim at improving diagnosis accuracy and frequency of the clinical follow-up by means of decentralized cost-effective solutions. In this context, a system suitable for the remote monitoring of PD subjects is presented. It consists of the integration of two approaches investigated in our previous works, each one appropriate for the movement analysis of specific parts of the body: low-cost optical devices for the upper limbs and wearable sensors for the lower ones. The system performs the automated assessments of six motor tasks of the unified Parkinson’s disease rating scale, and it is equipped with a gesture-based human machine interface designed to facilitate the user interaction and the system management. The usability of the system has been evaluated by means of standard questionnaires, and the accuracy of the automated assessment has been verified experimentally. The results demonstrate that the proposed solution represents a substantial improvement in PD assessment respect to the former two approaches treated separately, and a new example of an accurate, feasible and cost-effective mean for the decentralized management of PD.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } The increment of the prevalence of neurological diseases due to the trend in population aging demands for new strategies in disease management. In Parkinson’s disease (PD), these strategies should aim at improving diagnosis accuracy and frequency of the clinical follow-up by means of decentralized cost-effective solutions. In this context, a system suitable for the remote monitoring of PD subjects is presented. It consists of the integration of two approaches investigated in our previous works, each one appropriate for the movement analysis of specific parts of the body: low-cost optical devices for the upper limbs and wearable sensors for the lower ones. The system performs the automated assessments of six motor tasks of the unified Parkinson’s disease rating scale, and it is equipped with a gesture-based human machine interface designed to facilitate the user interaction and the system management. The usability of the system has been evaluated by means of standard questionnaires, and the accuracy of the automated assessment has been verified experimentally. The results demonstrate that the proposed solution represents a substantial improvement in PD assessment respect to the former two approaches treated separately, and a new example of an accurate, feasible and cost-effective mean for the decentralized management of PD. |
Riccardo Monica; Luca Davoli; Gianluigi Ferrari A Wave-Based Request-Response Protocol for Latency Minimization in WSNs Journal Article IEEE Internet of Things Journal, 6 (5), pp. 7971-7979, 2019, ISSN: 2327-4662. @article{modafe:2019:iotj, title = {A Wave-Based Request-Response Protocol for Latency Minimization in WSNs}, author = {Riccardo Monica and Luca Davoli and Gianluigi Ferrari}, doi = {10.1109/JIOT.2019.2914578}, issn = {2327-4662}, year = {2019}, date = {2019-10-10}, journal = {IEEE Internet of Things Journal}, volume = {6}, number = {5}, pages = {7971-7979}, abstract = {Transmission latency is a key performance metrics in most wireless sensor network (WSN) applications. Nodes in a WSN often keep their radio transceivers off, and turn them on periodically using a duty cycling mechanism. The latter is a major source of delay in the network, because transmissions must wait for the next receiver wake-up. In this paper, we present a cross-layer approach to minimize latency of a request-response (RR) protocol adopted in an IEEE 802.15.4-based WSN where the IPv6 routing protocol for low-power and lossy networks (RPLs) is used. Extra wake-ups are generated dynamically to match the predicted arrival time of the response packet, in order to reduce the duty cycling delay. The proposed approach is verified with the Cooja simulator, relying on the Contiki operating system (OS). The observed experimental results show a shorter RR delay with respect to a phase alignment (PA) approach.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Transmission latency is a key performance metrics in most wireless sensor network (WSN) applications. Nodes in a WSN often keep their radio transceivers off, and turn them on periodically using a duty cycling mechanism. The latter is a major source of delay in the network, because transmissions must wait for the next receiver wake-up. In this paper, we present a cross-layer approach to minimize latency of a request-response (RR) protocol adopted in an IEEE 802.15.4-based WSN where the IPv6 routing protocol for low-power and lossy networks (RPLs) is used. Extra wake-ups are generated dynamically to match the predicted arrival time of the response packet, in order to reduce the duty cycling delay. The proposed approach is verified with the Cooja simulator, relying on the Contiki operating system (OS). The observed experimental results show a shorter RR delay with respect to a phase alignment (PA) approach. |
Laura Belli; Luca Davoli; Alice Medioli; Pier Luigi Marchini; Gianluigi Ferrari Toward Industry 4.0 With IoT: Optimizing Business Processes in an Evolving Manufacturing Factory Journal Article Frontiers in ICT, 6 , pp. 17, 2019, ISSN: 2297-198X. @article{bedamemafe:2019:frontiers, title = {Toward Industry 4.0 With IoT: Optimizing Business Processes in an Evolving Manufacturing Factory}, author = { Laura Belli and Luca Davoli and Alice Medioli and Pier Luigi Marchini and Gianluigi Ferrari}, doi = {10.3389/fict.2019.00017}, issn = {2297-198X}, year = {2019}, date = {2019-08-28}, journal = {Frontiers in ICT}, volume = {6}, pages = {17}, abstract = {Research advances in the last decades have allowed the introduction of Internet of Things (IoT) concepts in several industrial application scenarios, leading to the so-called Industry 4.0 or Industrial IoT (IIoT). The Industry 4.0 has the ambition to revolutionize industry management and business processes, enhancing the productivity of manufacturing technologies through field data collection and analysis, thus creating real-time digital twins of industrial scenarios. Moreover, it is vital for companies to be as "smart" as possible and to adapt to the varying nature of the digital supply chains. This is possible by leveraging IoT in Industry 4.0 scenarios. In this paper, we describe the renovation process, guided by things2i s.r.l., a cross-disciplinary engineering-economic spin-off company of the University of Parma, which a real manufacturing industry is undergoing over consecutive phases spanning a few years. The first phase concerns the digitalization of the control quality process, specifically related to the company's production lines. The use of paper sheets containing different quality checks has been made smarter through the introduction of a digital, smart, and Web-based application, which is currently supporting operators and quality inspectors working on the supply chain through the use of smart devices. The second phase of the IIoT evolution - currently on-going - concerns both digitalization and optimization of the production planning activity, through an innovative Web-based planning tool. The changes introduced have led to significant advantages and improvement for the manufacturing company, in terms of: (i) impressive cost reduction; (ii) better products quality control; (iii) real-time detection and reaction to supply chain issues; (iv) significant reduction of the time spent in planning activity; and (v) resources employment optimization, thanks to the minimization of unproductive setup times on production lines. These two renovation phases represent a basis for possible future developments, such us the integration of sensor-based data on the operational status of production machines and the currently available warehouse supplies. In conclusion, the Industry 4.0-based on-going digitization process guided by things2i allows to continuously collect heterogeneous Human-to-Things (H2T) data, which can be used to optimize the partner manufacturing company as a whole entity.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Research advances in the last decades have allowed the introduction of Internet of Things (IoT) concepts in several industrial application scenarios, leading to the so-called Industry 4.0 or Industrial IoT (IIoT). The Industry 4.0 has the ambition to revolutionize industry management and business processes, enhancing the productivity of manufacturing technologies through field data collection and analysis, thus creating real-time digital twins of industrial scenarios. Moreover, it is vital for companies to be as "smart" as possible and to adapt to the varying nature of the digital supply chains. This is possible by leveraging IoT in Industry 4.0 scenarios. In this paper, we describe the renovation process, guided by things2i s.r.l., a cross-disciplinary engineering-economic spin-off company of the University of Parma, which a real manufacturing industry is undergoing over consecutive phases spanning a few years. The first phase concerns the digitalization of the control quality process, specifically related to the company's production lines. The use of paper sheets containing different quality checks has been made smarter through the introduction of a digital, smart, and Web-based application, which is currently supporting operators and quality inspectors working on the supply chain through the use of smart devices. The second phase of the IIoT evolution - currently on-going - concerns both digitalization and optimization of the production planning activity, through an innovative Web-based planning tool. The changes introduced have led to significant advantages and improvement for the manufacturing company, in terms of: (i) impressive cost reduction; (ii) better products quality control; (iii) real-time detection and reaction to supply chain issues; (iv) significant reduction of the time spent in planning activity; and (v) resources employment optimization, thanks to the minimization of unproductive setup times on production lines. These two renovation phases represent a basis for possible future developments, such us the integration of sensor-based data on the operational status of production machines and the currently available warehouse supplies. In conclusion, the Industry 4.0-based on-going digitization process guided by things2i allows to continuously collect heterogeneous Human-to-Things (H2T) data, which can be used to optimize the partner manufacturing company as a whole entity. |
Andrea G. Forte; Wei Wang; Luca Veltri; Gianluigi Ferrari A Next-generation core network architecture for mobile networks Journal Article Future Internet, 11 (7), pp. 25 pages, 2019. @article{FoWaVeFe_FI19, title = {A Next-generation core network architecture for mobile networks}, author = {Andrea G. Forte and Wei Wang and Luca Veltri and Gianluigi Ferrari}, url = {https://www.mdpi.com/1999-5903/11/7/152}, doi = {10.3390/fi11070152}, year = {2019}, date = {2019-07-09}, journal = {Future Internet}, volume = {11}, number = {7}, pages = {25 pages}, abstract = {Over the years, the cellular mobile network has evolved from a wireless plain telephone system to a very complex system providing telephone service, Internet connectivity and many interworking capabilities with other networks. Its air interface performance has increased drastically over time, leading to high throughput and low latency. Changes to the core network, however, have been slow and incremental, with increased complexity worsened by the necessity of backwards-compatibility with older-generation systems such as the Global System for Mobile communication (GSM). In this paper, a new virtualized Peer-to-Peer (P2P) core network architecture is presented. The key idea of our approach is that each user is assigned a private virtualized copy of the whole core network. This enables a higher degree of security and novel services that are not possible in today’s architecture. We describe the new architecture, focusing on its main elements, IP addressing, message flows, mobility management, and scalability. Furthermore, we will show some significant advantages this new architecture introduces. Finally, we investigate the performance of our architecture by analyzing voice-call traffic available in a database of a large U.S. cellular network provider.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Over the years, the cellular mobile network has evolved from a wireless plain telephone system to a very complex system providing telephone service, Internet connectivity and many interworking capabilities with other networks. Its air interface performance has increased drastically over time, leading to high throughput and low latency. Changes to the core network, however, have been slow and incremental, with increased complexity worsened by the necessity of backwards-compatibility with older-generation systems such as the Global System for Mobile communication (GSM). In this paper, a new virtualized Peer-to-Peer (P2P) core network architecture is presented. The key idea of our approach is that each user is assigned a private virtualized copy of the whole core network. This enables a higher degree of security and novel services that are not possible in today’s architecture. We describe the new architecture, focusing on its main elements, IP addressing, message flows, mobility management, and scalability. Furthermore, we will show some significant advantages this new architecture introduces. Finally, we investigate the performance of our architecture by analyzing voice-call traffic available in a database of a large U.S. cellular network provider. |
Luca Veltri; Luca Davoli; Riccardo Pecori; Armando Vannucci; Francesco Zanichelli NEMO: A flexible and highly scalable network EMulatOr Journal Article SoftwareX, 10 , pp. 1-7, 2019, ISSN: 2352-7110. @article{vedapevaza:2019:softwarex, title = {NEMO: A flexible and highly scalable network EMulatOr}, author = { Luca Veltri and Luca Davoli and Riccardo Pecori and Armando Vannucci and Francesco Zanichelli}, doi = {10.1016/j.softx.2019.100248}, issn = {2352-7110}, year = {2019}, date = {2019-06-20}, journal = {SoftwareX}, volume = {10}, pages = {1-7}, abstract = {Evaluating novel applications and protocols in realistic scenarios has always been a very important task for all stakeholders working in the networking field. Network emulation, being a trade-off between actual deployment and simulations, represents a very powerful solution to this issue, providing a working network platform without requiring the actual deployment of all network components. We present NEMO, a flexible and scalable Java-based network emulator, which can be used to emulate either only a single link, a portion of a network, or an entire network. NEMO is able to work in both real and virtual time, depending on the tested scenarios and goals, and it can be run as either a stand-alone instance on a single machine, or distributed among different network-connected machines, leading to distributed and highly scalable emulation infrastructures. Among different features, NEMO is also capable of virtualizing the execution of third-party Java applications by running them on top of virtual nodes, possibly attached to an emulated or external network.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Evaluating novel applications and protocols in realistic scenarios has always been a very important task for all stakeholders working in the networking field. Network emulation, being a trade-off between actual deployment and simulations, represents a very powerful solution to this issue, providing a working network platform without requiring the actual deployment of all network components. We present NEMO, a flexible and scalable Java-based network emulator, which can be used to emulate either only a single link, a portion of a network, or an entire network. NEMO is able to work in both real and virtual time, depending on the tested scenarios and goals, and it can be run as either a stand-alone instance on a single machine, or distributed among different network-connected machines, leading to distributed and highly scalable emulation infrastructures. Among different features, NEMO is also capable of virtualizing the execution of third-party Java applications by running them on top of virtual nodes, possibly attached to an emulated or external network. |
Yujin Lim; Gianluigi Ferrari; Hideyuki Takahashi; Rossana M. C. Andrade Energy efficient wireless networks Journal Article Wireless Communications and Mobile Computing, 2019 , pp. 1, 2019, (Article ID 1726458). @article{LiFeTaMo_WCMC_EEWN_Editorial_19, title = {Energy efficient wireless networks}, author = {Yujin Lim and Gianluigi Ferrari and Hideyuki Takahashi and Rossana M. C. Andrade}, url = {https://www.hindawi.com/journals/wcmc/2019/1726458/}, doi = {10.1155/2019/1726458}, year = {2019}, date = {2019-06-12}, journal = {Wireless Communications and Mobile Computing}, volume = {2019}, pages = {1}, abstract = {The scope of this special issue is in line with recent contributions from academia and industry to tackle the technical challenges in order to concretize the energy efficient wireless networks. For the current issue, we are pleased to introduce a collection of papers covering a range of topics as follows: (i) Switching strategy for energy efficient wireless networks (ii) Clustering protocol for energy efficient wireless networks (iii) Transmission power control for energy efficient wireless networks (iv) Vertical handover algorithm for energy efficient wireless networks (v) Optimization of directional antennas for energy efficient wireless networks}, note = {Article ID 1726458}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } The scope of this special issue is in line with recent contributions from academia and industry to tackle the technical challenges in order to concretize the energy efficient wireless networks. For the current issue, we are pleased to introduce a collection of papers covering a range of topics as follows: (i) Switching strategy for energy efficient wireless networks (ii) Clustering protocol for energy efficient wireless networks (iii) Transmission power control for energy efficient wireless networks (iv) Vertical handover algorithm for energy efficient wireless networks (v) Optimization of directional antennas for energy efficient wireless networks |
Antonio Cilfone; Luca Davoli; Laura Belli; Gianluigi Ferrari Wireless Mesh Networking: An IoT-Oriented Perspective Survey on Relevant Technologies Journal Article Future Internet, 11 (4), 2019, ISSN: 1999-5903. @article{cidabefe:2019:futureinternet, title = {Wireless Mesh Networking: An IoT-Oriented Perspective Survey on Relevant Technologies}, author = {Antonio Cilfone and Luca Davoli and Laura Belli and Gianluigi Ferrari}, url = {http://www.mdpi.com/1999-5903/11/4/99}, doi = {10.3390/fi11040099}, issn = {1999-5903}, year = {2019}, date = {2019-04-17}, journal = {Future Internet}, volume = {11}, number = {4}, abstract = {The Internet of Things (IoT), being a "network of networks", promises to allow billions of humans and machines to interact with each other. Owing to this rapid growth, the deployment of IoT-oriented networks based on mesh topologies is very attractive, thanks to their scalability and reliability (in the presence of failures). In this paper, we provide a comprehensive survey of the following relevant wireless technologies: IEEE 802.11, Bluetooth, IEEE 802.15.4-oriented, and Sub-GHz-based LoRa. Our goal is to highlight how various communication technologies may be suitable for mesh networking, either providing a native support or being adapted subsequently. Hence, we discuss how these wireless technologies, being either standard or proprietary, can adapt to IoT scenarios (e.g., smart cities and smart agriculture) in which the heterogeneity of the involved devices is a key feature. Finally, we provide reference use cases involving all the analyzed mesh-oriented technologies.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } The Internet of Things (IoT), being a "network of networks", promises to allow billions of humans and machines to interact with each other. Owing to this rapid growth, the deployment of IoT-oriented networks based on mesh topologies is very attractive, thanks to their scalability and reliability (in the presence of failures). In this paper, we provide a comprehensive survey of the following relevant wireless technologies: IEEE 802.11, Bluetooth, IEEE 802.15.4-oriented, and Sub-GHz-based LoRa. Our goal is to highlight how various communication technologies may be suitable for mesh networking, either providing a native support or being adapted subsequently. Hence, we discuss how these wireless technologies, being either standard or proprietary, can adapt to IoT scenarios (e.g., smart cities and smart agriculture) in which the heterogeneity of the involved devices is a key feature. Finally, we provide reference use cases involving all the analyzed mesh-oriented technologies. |
Luca Davoli; Antonio Cilfone; Laura Belli; Gianluigi Ferrari Design and experimental performance analysis of a B.A.T.M.A.N.-based double Wi-Fi interface mesh network Journal Article Future Generation Computer Systems, 92 , pp. 593-603, 2019, ISSN: 0167-739X. @article{dacibefe:2019:fgcs, title = {Design and experimental performance analysis of a B.A.T.M.A.N.-based double Wi-Fi interface mesh network}, author = {Luca Davoli and Antonio Cilfone and Laura Belli and Gianluigi Ferrari}, doi = {10.1016/j.future.2018.02.015}, issn = {0167-739X}, year = {2019}, date = {2019-01-01}, journal = {Future Generation Computer Systems}, volume = {92}, pages = {593-603}, abstract = {Mesh networks and, in particular, Wireless Mesh Networks (WMNs) are gaining a growing interest because of their scalability, robustness, and ease of deployment. These characteristics make WMNs suitable for several applications, such as distributed sensing, monitoring, and public safety. In this paper, we describe a novel WMN implementation based on the use of low-cost double Wi-Fi interface embedded IoT-oriented devices. At each node, one interface provides external connectivity, whereas the other interface is used to create a mesh backbone. On the mesh side, the Better Approach To Mobile Ad-hoc Networking (B.A.T.M.A.N.) routing algorithm is used to route the traffic flows from external clients (possibly towards an Internet gateway), which can be IoT nodes and/or mobile nodes (e.g., smartphones and tablets). After providing a description of the architecture and relevant implementation details, we carry out an extensive experimental campaign to evaluate the WMN performance, especially in terms of the trade-off between throughput and number of hops.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Mesh networks and, in particular, Wireless Mesh Networks (WMNs) are gaining a growing interest because of their scalability, robustness, and ease of deployment. These characteristics make WMNs suitable for several applications, such as distributed sensing, monitoring, and public safety. In this paper, we describe a novel WMN implementation based on the use of low-cost double Wi-Fi interface embedded IoT-oriented devices. At each node, one interface provides external connectivity, whereas the other interface is used to create a mesh backbone. On the mesh side, the Better Approach To Mobile Ad-hoc Networking (B.A.T.M.A.N.) routing algorithm is used to route the traffic flows from external clients (possibly towards an Internet gateway), which can be IoT nodes and/or mobile nodes (e.g., smartphones and tablets). After providing a description of the architecture and relevant implementation details, we carry out an extensive experimental campaign to evaluate the WMN performance, especially in terms of the trade-off between throughput and number of hops. |
Luca Davoli; Mattia Antonini; Gianluigi Ferrari DiRPL: A RPL-Based Resource and Service Discovery Algorithm for 6LoWPANs Journal Article Applied Sciences, 9 (1), pp. 15, 2019, ISSN: 2076-3417, (Special Issue IoT for Smart Cities). @article{davoli:2019:applsci, title = {DiRPL: A RPL-Based Resource and Service Discovery Algorithm for 6LoWPANs}, author = {Luca Davoli and Mattia Antonini and Gianluigi Ferrari}, url = {http://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/9/1/33}, doi = {10.3390/app9010033}, issn = {2076-3417}, year = {2019}, date = {2019-01-01}, journal = {Applied Sciences}, volume = {9}, number = {1}, pages = {15}, abstract = {The Internet of Things (IoT) will bring together billions of devices, denoted as Smart Objects (SOs), in an Internet-like architecture. Typically, SOs are embedded devices with severe constraints in terms of processing capabilities, available memory (RAM/ROM), and energy consumption. SOs tend to be deployed in environments in which the human intervention is not suitable or needs to be minimized (e.g., smart city maintenance). They must adapt to the surrounding environment by self-configuring: to this end, several mechanisms have been proposed (e.g., UPnP, ZeroConf, etc.). In this paper, we focus on IEEE 802.15.4 networks with IPv6 over Low-Power Wireless Personal Area Network (6LoWPAN) adaptation layer, where IPv6 Routing Protocol for Low-Power and Lossy Networks (RPL) is the routing protocol of choice. In this context, we propose a lightweight RPL-based mechanism to Resource Discovery (RD) and Service Discovery (SD), denoted as DiRPL. In particular, DiRPL exploits the RPL handshake to detect new nodes in the network; resources are then simply discovered with a Constrained Application Protocol (CoAP) request and can thus be published in a local resource directory. A very attractive feature of the proposed DiRPL approach is that it builds on well-defined and well-known standard protocols. The performance of the proposed system is investigated with WisMote nodes deployed inside the Cooja simulator, running the Contiki operating system. Practical application scenarios to large-scale smart city monitoring, such as smart lighting and large-scale water consumption monitoring, are investigated.}, note = {Special Issue IoT for Smart Cities}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } The Internet of Things (IoT) will bring together billions of devices, denoted as Smart Objects (SOs), in an Internet-like architecture. Typically, SOs are embedded devices with severe constraints in terms of processing capabilities, available memory (RAM/ROM), and energy consumption. SOs tend to be deployed in environments in which the human intervention is not suitable or needs to be minimized (e.g., smart city maintenance). They must adapt to the surrounding environment by self-configuring: to this end, several mechanisms have been proposed (e.g., UPnP, ZeroConf, etc.). In this paper, we focus on IEEE 802.15.4 networks with IPv6 over Low-Power Wireless Personal Area Network (6LoWPAN) adaptation layer, where IPv6 Routing Protocol for Low-Power and Lossy Networks (RPL) is the routing protocol of choice. In this context, we propose a lightweight RPL-based mechanism to Resource Discovery (RD) and Service Discovery (SD), denoted as DiRPL. In particular, DiRPL exploits the RPL handshake to detect new nodes in the network; resources are then simply discovered with a Constrained Application Protocol (CoAP) request and can thus be published in a local resource directory. A very attractive feature of the proposed DiRPL approach is that it builds on well-defined and well-known standard protocols. The performance of the proposed system is investigated with WisMote nodes deployed inside the Cooja simulator, running the Contiki operating system. Practical application scenarios to large-scale smart city monitoring, such as smart lighting and large-scale water consumption monitoring, are investigated. |
2018 |
Stefania Monica; Gianluigi Ferrari Improving UWB-Based Localization in IoT Scenarios with Statistical Models of Distance Error Journal Article Sensors, 18 (5), pp. 23, 2018. @article{monica2018improving, title = {Improving UWB-Based Localization in IoT Scenarios with Statistical Models of Distance Error}, author = {Stefania Monica and Gianluigi Ferrari}, url = {https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/18/5/1592/htm}, doi = {10.3390/s18051592}, year = {2018}, date = {2018-05-11}, journal = {Sensors}, volume = {18}, number = {5}, pages = {23}, publisher = {Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute}, abstract = {Interest in the Internet of Things (IoT) is rapidly increasing, as the number of connected devices is exponentially growing. One of the application scenarios envisaged for IoT technologies involves indoor localization and context awareness. In this paper, we focus on a localization approach that relies on a particular type of communication technology, namely Ultra Wide Band (UWB). UWB technology is an attractive choice for indoor localization, owing to its high accuracy. Since localization algorithms typically rely on estimated inter-node distances, the goal of this paper is to evaluate the improvement brought by a simple (linear) statistical model of the distance error. On the basis of an extensive experimental measurement campaign, we propose a general analytical framework, based on a Least Square (LS) method, to derive a novel statistical model for the range estimation error between a pair of UWB nodes. The proposed statistical model is then applied to improve the performance of a few illustrative localization algorithms in various realistic scenarios. The obtained experimental results show that the use of the proposed statistical model improves the accuracy of the considered localization algorithms with a reduction of the localization error up to 66%.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Interest in the Internet of Things (IoT) is rapidly increasing, as the number of connected devices is exponentially growing. One of the application scenarios envisaged for IoT technologies involves indoor localization and context awareness. In this paper, we focus on a localization approach that relies on a particular type of communication technology, namely Ultra Wide Band (UWB). UWB technology is an attractive choice for indoor localization, owing to its high accuracy. Since localization algorithms typically rely on estimated inter-node distances, the goal of this paper is to evaluate the improvement brought by a simple (linear) statistical model of the distance error. On the basis of an extensive experimental measurement campaign, we propose a general analytical framework, based on a Least Square (LS) method, to derive a novel statistical model for the range estimation error between a pair of UWB nodes. The proposed statistical model is then applied to improve the performance of a few illustrative localization algorithms in various realistic scenarios. The obtained experimental results show that the use of the proposed statistical model improves the accuracy of the considered localization algorithms with a reduction of the localization error up to 66%. |
Srinivas Nallagonda; Sanjay Dhar Roy; Sumit Kundu; Gianluigi Ferrari; Riccardo Raheli Censoring-Based Cooperative Spectrum Sensing with Improved Energy Detectors and Multiple Antennas in Fading Channels Journal Article IEEE Transactions on Aerospace and Electronic Systems, 54 (2), pp. 537–553, 2018. @article{nallagonda2018censoring, title = {Censoring-Based Cooperative Spectrum Sensing with Improved Energy Detectors and Multiple Antennas in Fading Channels}, author = {Srinivas Nallagonda and Sanjay Dhar Roy and Sumit Kundu and Gianluigi Ferrari and Riccardo Raheli}, url = {https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7994707 http://www.tlc.unipr.it/ferrari/Publications/Journals/NaDhKuFeRa_TAES18.pdf}, doi = {10.1109/TAES.2017.2732798}, year = {2018}, date = {2018-04-02}, journal = {IEEE Transactions on Aerospace and Electronic Systems}, volume = {54}, number = {2}, pages = {537--553}, publisher = {IEEE}, abstract = {In this paper, the performance of cooperative spectrum sensing (CSS) with threshold-based censoring is investigated in the presence of noisy and faded environments. In particular, scenarios with Rayleigh, Hoyt, and Rician fading, affecting both the sensing (S) and reporting (R) channels, are considered. Each secondary user (SU) is equipped with multiple antennas and relies on an improved energy detector (IED).More precisely, the signals from the primary user (PU), received by multiple antennas of an SU, are fed to the IED, the IED outputs are combined using a selection combiner, and the combined signal is used to make a local decision. At the fusion center (FC), censoring of SUs is done on the basis of the quality, evaluated by the FC, of the faded R-channels. The censored decisions received at the FC are fused, using majority logic or maximal ratio combining, to obtain a final decision on the status of the PU. The performance of CSS, in terms of average miss detection probability and error rate, is evaluated considering the impact of relevant network parameters. Optimized values of the censoring threshold, as well as of the required parameters of the IED, are determined under several network conditions. The performance of the proposed IED is compared with that of a conventional energy detector.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } In this paper, the performance of cooperative spectrum sensing (CSS) with threshold-based censoring is investigated in the presence of noisy and faded environments. In particular, scenarios with Rayleigh, Hoyt, and Rician fading, affecting both the sensing (S) and reporting (R) channels, are considered. Each secondary user (SU) is equipped with multiple antennas and relies on an improved energy detector (IED).More precisely, the signals from the primary user (PU), received by multiple antennas of an SU, are fed to the IED, the IED outputs are combined using a selection combiner, and the combined signal is used to make a local decision. At the fusion center (FC), censoring of SUs is done on the basis of the quality, evaluated by the FC, of the faded R-channels. The censored decisions received at the FC are fused, using majority logic or maximal ratio combining, to obtain a final decision on the status of the PU. The performance of CSS, in terms of average miss detection probability and error rate, is evaluated considering the impact of relevant network parameters. Optimized values of the censoring threshold, as well as of the required parameters of the IED, are determined under several network conditions. The performance of the proposed IED is compared with that of a conventional energy detector. |
Luca Davoli; Laura Belli; Antonio Cilfone; Gianluigi Ferrari From Micro to Macro IoT: Challenges and Solutions in the Integration of IEEE 802.15.4/802.11 and Sub-GHz Technologies Journal Article IEEE Internet of Things Journal, 5 (2), pp. 784-793, 2018, ISSN: 2327-4662. @article{dabecife:iotj:2018, title = {From Micro to Macro IoT: Challenges and Solutions in the Integration of IEEE 802.15.4/802.11 and Sub-GHz Technologies}, author = {Luca Davoli and Laura Belli and Antonio Cilfone and Gianluigi Ferrari}, url = {https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8024171/}, doi = {10.1109/JIOT.2017.2747900}, issn = {2327-4662}, year = {2018}, date = {2018-04-01}, journal = {IEEE Internet of Things Journal}, volume = {5}, number = {2}, pages = {784-793}, abstract = {Research efforts in the field of Internet of Things (IoT) are providing solutions in building new types of “network of networks,” going beyond the technological barriers due to intrinsic limitations of the constrained devices typically used in this context. Thanks to the improvement in communication/networking protocols and the hardware cost reduction, it is now possible to define new IoT architectures, combining the “micro” IoT paradigm, based on short-range radio technologies (e.g., IEEE 802.15.4 and IEEE 802.11), with the rising “macro” IoT paradigm, based on sub-GHz radio technologies. This allows the implementation of scalable network architectures, able to collect data coming from constrained devices and process them in order to provide useful services and applications to final consumers. In this paper, we focus on practical integration between micro and macro IoT approaches, providing architectural and performance details for a set of experimental tests carried out in the campus of the University of Parma. We then discuss challenges and solutions of the proposed micro–macro integrated IoT systems.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Research efforts in the field of Internet of Things (IoT) are providing solutions in building new types of “network of networks,” going beyond the technological barriers due to intrinsic limitations of the constrained devices typically used in this context. Thanks to the improvement in communication/networking protocols and the hardware cost reduction, it is now possible to define new IoT architectures, combining the “micro” IoT paradigm, based on short-range radio technologies (e.g., IEEE 802.15.4 and IEEE 802.11), with the rising “macro” IoT paradigm, based on sub-GHz radio technologies. This allows the implementation of scalable network architectures, able to collect data coming from constrained devices and process them in order to provide useful services and applications to final consumers. In this paper, we focus on practical integration between micro and macro IoT approaches, providing architectural and performance details for a set of experimental tests carried out in the campus of the University of Parma. We then discuss challenges and solutions of the proposed micro–macro integrated IoT systems. |
Luca Davoli; Laura Belli; Luca Veltri; Gianluigi Ferrari THORIN: an Efficient Module for Federated Access and Threat Mitigation in Big Stream Cloud Architectures Journal Article IEEE Cloud Computing, 5 (1), pp. 38-48, 2018, ISSN: 2325-6095. @article{dabevefe:2018:ccm, title = {THORIN: an Efficient Module for Federated Access and Threat Mitigation in Big Stream Cloud Architectures}, author = {Luca Davoli and Laura Belli and Luca Veltri and Gianluigi Ferrari}, url = {https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8327545/}, doi = {10.1109/MCC.2018.011791713}, issn = {2325-6095}, year = {2018}, date = {2018-03-28}, journal = {IEEE Cloud Computing}, volume = {5}, number = {1}, pages = {38-48}, abstract = {In order to make cloud services attractive for several IT organizations, it is necessary to provide access control and to implement safe and reliable mechanisms of Identity and Access Management (IAM). In this work, we focus on security issues and challenges in the design and implementation of cloud architectures and, in particular, for the management of Big Stream applications in Internet of Things (IoT) scenarios. The proposed work introduces a new set of modules allowing a federated access control policy for cloud users. An analysis of possible threats and attacks against the proposed Big Stream platform is presented, investigating the system performance in terms of detection and elimination of malicious nodes. In particular, we propose a new module, denoted as Traffic Handler Orchestrator & Rapid Intervention (THORIN), which is very efficient in counteracting botnet-based threats.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } In order to make cloud services attractive for several IT organizations, it is necessary to provide access control and to implement safe and reliable mechanisms of Identity and Access Management (IAM). In this work, we focus on security issues and challenges in the design and implementation of cloud architectures and, in particular, for the management of Big Stream applications in Internet of Things (IoT) scenarios. The proposed work introduces a new set of modules allowing a federated access control policy for cloud users. An analysis of possible threats and attacks against the proposed Big Stream platform is presented, investigating the system performance in terms of detection and elimination of malicious nodes. In particular, we propose a new module, denoted as Traffic Handler Orchestrator & Rapid Intervention (THORIN), which is very efficient in counteracting botnet-based threats. |
Nicolò Strozzi; Federico Parisi; Gianluigi Ferrari Impact of on-body IMU placement on inertial navigation Journal Article IET Wireless Sensor Systems - Special Issue on Body Sensor Networks , 8 (1), pp. 3-9, 2018, ISSN: 2043-6394. @article{IET_StPaFe18, title = {Impact of on-body IMU placement on inertial navigation}, author = {Nicolò Strozzi and Federico Parisi and Gianluigi Ferrari}, url = {http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8269863/}, doi = {10.1049/iet-wss.2017.0087}, issn = {2043-6394}, year = {2018}, date = {2018-02-01}, journal = {IET Wireless Sensor Systems - Special Issue on Body Sensor Networks }, volume = {8}, number = {1}, pages = {3-9}, abstract = {Even though technology-aided personal navigation is an extensively studied research topic, approaches based on inertial sensors remain challenging. In this study, the authors present a comparison between different inertial systems, investigating the impacts of on-body placement of Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) and, consequently, of different algorithms for the estimation of the travelled path on the navigation accuracy. In particular, the system performance is investigated considering two IMU placements: (i) on the feet and (ii) on the lower back. Sensor fusion is then considered in order to take advantage of the strengths of each placement. The results are validated through an extensive data collection in indoor and outdoor environments.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Even though technology-aided personal navigation is an extensively studied research topic, approaches based on inertial sensors remain challenging. In this study, the authors present a comparison between different inertial systems, investigating the impacts of on-body placement of Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) and, consequently, of different algorithms for the estimation of the travelled path on the navigation accuracy. In particular, the system performance is investigated considering two IMU placements: (i) on the feet and (ii) on the lower back. Sensor fusion is then considered in order to take advantage of the strengths of each placement. The results are validated through an extensive data collection in indoor and outdoor environments. |
Roberto Fresco; Gianluigi Ferrari Enhancing precision agriculture by Internet of Things and cyber physical systems Journal Article Atti Soc. Tosc. Sci. Nat., Mem., Supplemento, 125 , pp. 53-60, 2018. @article{FrFe_AST18, title = {Enhancing precision agriculture by Internet of Things and cyber physical systems}, author = {Roberto Fresco and Gianluigi Ferrari}, url = {http://www.tlc.unipr.it/ferrari/Publications/Journals/FrFe_AST18.pdf}, doi = {10.2424/ASTSN.M.2018.8}, year = {2018}, date = {2018-02-01}, journal = {Atti Soc. Tosc. Sci. Nat., Mem., Supplemento}, volume = {125}, pages = {53-60}, abstract = {The recent advances in Internet of Things (IoT) and the proliferation of sensor platforms have allowed the implementation of different applications used to connect physical devices (Things) to the real world, enabling a multi cross domain and multidisciplinary data exchange. The agricultural sector is also greatly benefiting from this progress with several advantages, including the optimal management of resources and the improvement of human labour (i.e., crop growth monitoring and selection, irrigation decision support, fertilizers, pesticide and agrochemicals application, etc.). Moreover, advancements in mechanization and GPS-assisted vehicle guidance in agriculture has established the concept of precision agronomy and precision farming, as well as automation in food production chain. However, current systems still have significant drawbacks in areas such as flexibility, networking, standardization, robustness, skills’ requirements and lack of real time data and actuation. A current trend is based on the interaction of machines and autonomous systems, in order to fit into cyber-physical production systems and enabling data collection and networked site-specific monitoring and control. This paper explores all the cutting-edge challenges and solutions required to implement the digital agriculture framework, intended as the evolution from Precision Farming to connected, knowledge-based farm production systems, in a context where digital technologies are first-class elements for the automation of sustainable processes in agriculture.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } The recent advances in Internet of Things (IoT) and the proliferation of sensor platforms have allowed the implementation of different applications used to connect physical devices (Things) to the real world, enabling a multi cross domain and multidisciplinary data exchange. The agricultural sector is also greatly benefiting from this progress with several advantages, including the optimal management of resources and the improvement of human labour (i.e., crop growth monitoring and selection, irrigation decision support, fertilizers, pesticide and agrochemicals application, etc.). Moreover, advancements in mechanization and GPS-assisted vehicle guidance in agriculture has established the concept of precision agronomy and precision farming, as well as automation in food production chain. However, current systems still have significant drawbacks in areas such as flexibility, networking, standardization, robustness, skills’ requirements and lack of real time data and actuation. A current trend is based on the interaction of machines and autonomous systems, in order to fit into cyber-physical production systems and enabling data collection and networked site-specific monitoring and control. This paper explores all the cutting-edge challenges and solutions required to implement the digital agriculture framework, intended as the evolution from Precision Farming to connected, knowledge-based farm production systems, in a context where digital technologies are first-class elements for the automation of sustainable processes in agriculture. |
Simone Cirani; Gianluigi Ferrari; Mirko Mancin; Marco Picone Virtual Replication of IoT Hubs in the Cloud: A Flexible Approach to Smart Object Management Journal Article Journal of Sensor and Actuator Networks, 7 (2), pp. 16, 2018. @article{cirani2018virtual, title = {Virtual Replication of IoT Hubs in the Cloud: A Flexible Approach to Smart Object Management}, author = {Simone Cirani and Gianluigi Ferrari and Mirko Mancin and Marco Picone}, url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2224-2708/7/2/16}, doi = {10.3390/jsan7020016}, year = {2018}, date = {2018-01-01}, journal = {Journal of Sensor and Actuator Networks}, volume = {7}, number = {2}, pages = {16}, publisher = {Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute}, abstract = {In future years, the Internet of Things is expected to interconnect billions of highly heterogeneous devices, denoted as “smart objects”, enabling the development of innovative distributed applications. Smart objects are constrained sensor/actuator-equipped devices, in terms of computational power and available memory. In order to cope with the diverse physical connectivity technologies of smart objects, the Internet Protocol is foreseen as the common “language” for full interoperability and as a unifying factor for integration with the Internet. Large-scale platforms for interconnected devices are required to effectively manage resources provided by smart objects. In this work, we present a novel architecture for the management of large numbers of resources in a scalable, seamless, and secure way. The proposed architecture is based on a network element, denoted as IoT Hub, placed at the border of the constrained network, which implements the following functions: service discovery; border router; HTTP/Constrained Application Protocol (CoAP) and CoAP/CoAP proxy; cache; and resource directory. In order to protect smart objects (which cannot, because of their constrained nature, serve a large number of concurrent requests) and the IoT Hub (which serves as a gateway to the constrained network), we introduce the concept of virtual IoT Hub replica: a Cloud-based “entity” replicating all the functions of a physical IoT Hub, which external clients will query to access resources. IoT Hub replicas are constantly synchronized with the physical IoT Hub through a low-overhead protocol based on Message Queue Telemetry Transport (MQTT). An experimental evaluation, proving the feasibility and advantages of the proposed architecture, is presented.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } In future years, the Internet of Things is expected to interconnect billions of highly heterogeneous devices, denoted as “smart objects”, enabling the development of innovative distributed applications. Smart objects are constrained sensor/actuator-equipped devices, in terms of computational power and available memory. In order to cope with the diverse physical connectivity technologies of smart objects, the Internet Protocol is foreseen as the common “language” for full interoperability and as a unifying factor for integration with the Internet. Large-scale platforms for interconnected devices are required to effectively manage resources provided by smart objects. In this work, we present a novel architecture for the management of large numbers of resources in a scalable, seamless, and secure way. The proposed architecture is based on a network element, denoted as IoT Hub, placed at the border of the constrained network, which implements the following functions: service discovery; border router; HTTP/Constrained Application Protocol (CoAP) and CoAP/CoAP proxy; cache; and resource directory. In order to protect smart objects (which cannot, because of their constrained nature, serve a large number of concurrent requests) and the IoT Hub (which serves as a gateway to the constrained network), we introduce the concept of virtual IoT Hub replica: a Cloud-based “entity” replicating all the functions of a physical IoT Hub, which external clients will query to access resources. IoT Hub replicas are constantly synchronized with the physical IoT Hub through a low-overhead protocol based on Message Queue Telemetry Transport (MQTT). An experimental evaluation, proving the feasibility and advantages of the proposed architecture, is presented. |
2017 |
Barbara M. Masini; Gianluigi Ferrari; Cristiano M. Silva; Ilaria Thibault Connected Vehicles: Applications and Communication Challenges Journal Article Mobile Information Systems, 2017 , pp. 2, 2017, (Article ID 1082183). @article{MaFeSiTh_MIS_Editorial17, title = {Connected Vehicles: Applications and Communication Challenges}, author = {Barbara M. Masini and Gianluigi Ferrari and Cristiano M. Silva and Ilaria Thibault}, url = {https://www.hindawi.com/journals/misy/2017/1082183/}, doi = {10.1155/2017/1082183}, year = {2017}, date = {2017-08-28}, journal = {Mobile Information Systems}, volume = {2017}, pages = {2}, abstract = {This special issue focuses on connected vehicle-driven applications and aims at covering cutting-edge research advances in topics covering standardization, wireless communication technologies challenges, field trials, and tight interworking between on-board vehicle intelligence and wireless communication standards.}, note = {Article ID 1082183}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } This special issue focuses on connected vehicle-driven applications and aims at covering cutting-edge research advances in topics covering standardization, wireless communication technologies challenges, field trials, and tight interworking between on-board vehicle intelligence and wireless communication standards. |
Cristiano M. Silva; Barbara M. Masini; Gianluigi Ferrari; Ilaria Thibault A Survey on Infrastructure-Based Vehicular Networks Journal Article Mobile Information Systems, 2017 , pp. 28, 2017, (Article ID 6123868). @article{MaFeSiTh_MIS17, title = {A Survey on Infrastructure-Based Vehicular Networks}, author = {Cristiano M. Silva and Barbara M. Masini and Gianluigi Ferrari and Ilaria Thibault}, url = {https://www.hindawi.com/journals/misy/2017/6123868/}, doi = {10.1155/2017/6123868}, year = {2017}, date = {2017-08-06}, journal = {Mobile Information Systems}, volume = {2017}, pages = {28}, abstract = {The infrastructure of vehicular networks plays a major role in realizing the full potential of vehicular communications. More and more vehicles are connected to the Internet and to each other, driving new technological transformations in a multidisciplinary way. Researchers in automotive/telecom industries and academia are joining their effort to provide their visions and solutions to increasingly complex transportation systems, also envisioning a myriad of applications to improve the driving experience and the mobility. These trends pose significant challenges to the communication systems: low latency, higher throughput, and increased reliability have to be granted by the wireless access technologies and by a suitable (possibly dedicated) infrastructure. This paper presents an in-depth survey of more than ten years of research on infrastructures, wireless access technologies and techniques, and deployment that make vehicular connectivity available. In addition, we identify the limitations of present technologies and infrastructures and the challenges associated with such infrastructure-based vehicular communications, also highlighting potential solutions.}, note = {Article ID 6123868}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } The infrastructure of vehicular networks plays a major role in realizing the full potential of vehicular communications. More and more vehicles are connected to the Internet and to each other, driving new technological transformations in a multidisciplinary way. Researchers in automotive/telecom industries and academia are joining their effort to provide their visions and solutions to increasingly complex transportation systems, also envisioning a myriad of applications to improve the driving experience and the mobility. These trends pose significant challenges to the communication systems: low latency, higher throughput, and increased reliability have to be granted by the wireless access technologies and by a suitable (possibly dedicated) infrastructure. This paper presents an in-depth survey of more than ten years of research on infrastructures, wireless access technologies and techniques, and deployment that make vehicular connectivity available. In addition, we identify the limitations of present technologies and infrastructures and the challenges associated with such infrastructure-based vehicular communications, also highlighting potential solutions. |
Marco Martalò; Gianluigi Ferrari; Muhammad Asim; Jonathan Gambini; Christian Mazzucco; Giacomo Cannalire; Sergio Bianchi; Riccardo Raheli Iterative Synchronization for Dually-Polarized Independent Transmission Streams Journal Article IEEE Transactions on Communications, 65 (6), pp. 2534-2542, 2017, ISSN: 0090-6778. @article{7888529, title = {Iterative Synchronization for Dually-Polarized Independent Transmission Streams}, author = {Marco Martalò and Gianluigi Ferrari and Muhammad Asim and Jonathan Gambini and Christian Mazzucco and Giacomo Cannalire and Sergio Bianchi and Riccardo Raheli}, doi = {10.1109/TCOMM.2017.2688398}, issn = {0090-6778}, year = {2017}, date = {2017-06-01}, journal = {IEEE Transactions on Communications}, volume = {65}, number = {6}, pages = {2534-2542}, abstract = {In this paper, we investigate a wireless communication scenario, where polarization multiplexing is exploited to increase the spectral efficiency. Independent modems over each polarization are considered, with communication links affected by phase noise and cross-polarization interference (XPI). We devise a novel per-polarization soft decision-directed iterative receiver with separate a posteriori probability-based synchronization and decoding. The synchronization algorithm relies on a minimum mean square error-based master-slave phase estimation followed by the cancellation of the XPI on the polarization of interest and requires no statistical knowledge of the phase noise process. The performance of the proposed iterative receiver is investigated for a pilot symbol-assisted low-density parity-check-coded quadrature amplitude modulation scheme.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } In this paper, we investigate a wireless communication scenario, where polarization multiplexing is exploited to increase the spectral efficiency. Independent modems over each polarization are considered, with communication links affected by phase noise and cross-polarization interference (XPI). We devise a novel per-polarization soft decision-directed iterative receiver with separate a posteriori probability-based synchronization and decoding. The synchronization algorithm relies on a minimum mean square error-based master-slave phase estimation followed by the cancellation of the XPI on the polarization of interest and requires no statistical knowledge of the phase noise process. The performance of the proposed iterative receiver is investigated for a pilot symbol-assisted low-density parity-check-coded quadrature amplitude modulation scheme. |
Michele Amoretti; Olivier Alphand; Gianluigi Ferrari; Frank Rousseau; Andrzej Duda DINAS: A Lightweight and Efficient Distributed Naming Service for All-IP Wireless Sensor Networks Journal Article IEEE Internet of Things Journal, 4 (3), pp. 670-684, 2017, ISSN: 2327-4662. @article{7784700, title = {DINAS: A Lightweight and Efficient Distributed Naming Service for All-IP Wireless Sensor Networks}, author = {Michele Amoretti and Olivier Alphand and Gianluigi Ferrari and Frank Rousseau and Andrzej Duda}, doi = {10.1109/JIOT.2016.2640317}, issn = {2327-4662}, year = {2017}, date = {2017-06-01}, journal = {IEEE Internet of Things Journal}, volume = {4}, number = {3}, pages = {670-684}, abstract = {The Internet of Things (IoT) requires a compact naming scheme, which can also bring significant advantages to service registration and discovery. We propose a novel approach, denoted as distributed naming service, which provides a new naming scheme as well as an efficient service discovery protocol for wireless sensor networks. It is based on three pillars: 1) Bloom filters, to create compact names from node descriptions; 2) message propagation strategies, to publish and discover information-not only names-within the network; and 3) distributed caches, to store names within the network. In this paper, we assume ContikiMAC at layer 2, IPv6 and Routing Protocol for Low-Power and Lossy Networks (RPL) at layer 3, and we present two particular UDP-based message propagation strategies that take advantage of the RPL protocol at layer 3. We evaluate the performance of the proposed solutions through Contiki/Cooja simulations and on a real testbed, using the open and large scale FIT IoT-LAB.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } The Internet of Things (IoT) requires a compact naming scheme, which can also bring significant advantages to service registration and discovery. We propose a novel approach, denoted as distributed naming service, which provides a new naming scheme as well as an efficient service discovery protocol for wireless sensor networks. It is based on three pillars: 1) Bloom filters, to create compact names from node descriptions; 2) message propagation strategies, to publish and discover information-not only names-within the network; and 3) distributed caches, to store names within the network. In this paper, we assume ContikiMAC at layer 2, IPv6 and Routing Protocol for Low-Power and Lossy Networks (RPL) at layer 3, and we present two particular UDP-based message propagation strategies that take advantage of the RPL protocol at layer 3. We evaluate the performance of the proposed solutions through Contiki/Cooja simulations and on a real testbed, using the open and large scale FIT IoT-LAB. |
Nicola Iotti; Marco Picone; Simone Cirani; Gianluigi Ferrari Improving Quality of Experience in Future Wireless Access Networks through Fog Computing Journal Article IEEE Internet Computing, 21 (2), pp. 26-33, 2017, ISSN: 1089-7801. @article{7867738, title = {Improving Quality of Experience in Future Wireless Access Networks through Fog Computing}, author = {Nicola Iotti and Marco Picone and Simone Cirani and Gianluigi Ferrari}, doi = {10.1109/MIC.2017.38}, issn = {1089-7801}, year = {2017}, date = {2017-03-01}, journal = {IEEE Internet Computing}, volume = {21}, number = {2}, pages = {26-33}, abstract = {A novel model of Internet access networks is proposed, based on fog computing. The model hosts applications close to users by relying on virtual machines to dynamically move cloud or Web content to nodes located at the edge of access networks. Then it can perform proactive caching and enforce traffic policies based on the interaction between access infrastructure and external applications. By analyzing experimental data collected from public Wi-Fi hotspots, the authors quantify the benefits of this approach for bandwidth usage optimization, latency reduction, and quality of experience enhancement. Experimental results show that a significant portion (from 28 to 50 percent) of download data could be managed by the fog node. On the basis of these findings, useful insights for future-generation access networks are provided.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } A novel model of Internet access networks is proposed, based on fog computing. The model hosts applications close to users by relying on virtual machines to dynamically move cloud or Web content to nodes located at the edge of access networks. Then it can perform proactive caching and enforce traffic policies based on the interaction between access infrastructure and external applications. By analyzing experimental data collected from public Wi-Fi hotspots, the authors quantify the benefits of this approach for bandwidth usage optimization, latency reduction, and quality of experience enhancement. Experimental results show that a significant portion (from 28 to 50 percent) of download data could be managed by the fog node. On the basis of these findings, useful insights for future-generation access networks are provided. |
Luca Cattani; Davide Alinovi; Gianluigi Ferrari; Riccardo Raheli; Elena Pavlidis; Carlotta Spagnoli; Francesco Pisani Monitoring infants by automatic video processing: A unified approach to motion analysis Journal Article Computers in Biology and Medicine, 80 , pp. 158 - 165, 2017, ISSN: 0010-4825, (Honors status: top 9% of over 300 papers published in 2017). @article{CATTANI2017158, title = {Monitoring infants by automatic video processing: A unified approach to motion analysis}, author = {Luca Cattani and Davide Alinovi and Gianluigi Ferrari and Riccardo Raheli and Elena Pavlidis and Carlotta Spagnoli and Francesco Pisani}, url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010482516303031}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compbiomed.2016.11.010}, issn = {0010-4825}, year = {2017}, date = {2017-01-01}, journal = {Computers in Biology and Medicine}, volume = {80}, pages = {158 - 165}, abstract = {A unified approach to contact-less and low-cost video processing for automatic detection of neonatal diseases characterized by specific movement patterns is presented. This disease category includes neonatal clonic seizures and apneas. Both disorders are characterized by the presence or absence, respectively, of periodic movements of parts of the body—e.g., the limbs in case of clonic seizures and the chest/abdomen in case of apneas. Therefore, one can analyze the data obtained from multiple video sensors placed around a patient, extracting relevant motion signals and estimating, using the Maximum Likelihood (ML) criterion, their possible periodicity. This approach is very versatile and allows to investigate various scenarios, including: a single Red, Green and Blue (RGB) camera, an RGB-depth sensor or a network of a few RGB cameras. Data fusion principles are considered to aggregate the signals from multiple sensors. In the case of apneas, since breathing movements are subtle, the video can be pre-processed by a recently proposed algorithm which is able to emphasize small movements. The performance of the proposed contact-less detection algorithms is assessed, considering real video recordings of newborns, in terms of sensitivity, specificity, and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves, with respect to medical gold standard devices. The obtained results show that a video processing-based system can effectively detect the considered specific diseases, with increasing performance for increasing number of sensors.}, note = {Honors status: top 9% of over 300 papers published in 2017}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } A unified approach to contact-less and low-cost video processing for automatic detection of neonatal diseases characterized by specific movement patterns is presented. This disease category includes neonatal clonic seizures and apneas. Both disorders are characterized by the presence or absence, respectively, of periodic movements of parts of the body—e.g., the limbs in case of clonic seizures and the chest/abdomen in case of apneas. Therefore, one can analyze the data obtained from multiple video sensors placed around a patient, extracting relevant motion signals and estimating, using the Maximum Likelihood (ML) criterion, their possible periodicity. This approach is very versatile and allows to investigate various scenarios, including: a single Red, Green and Blue (RGB) camera, an RGB-depth sensor or a network of a few RGB cameras. Data fusion principles are considered to aggregate the signals from multiple sensors. In the case of apneas, since breathing movements are subtle, the video can be pre-processed by a recently proposed algorithm which is able to emphasize small movements. The performance of the proposed contact-less detection algorithms is assessed, considering real video recordings of newborns, in terms of sensitivity, specificity, and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves, with respect to medical gold standard devices. The obtained results show that a video processing-based system can effectively detect the considered specific diseases, with increasing performance for increasing number of sensors. |
Andrea Abrardo; Marco Martalò; Gianluigi Ferrari Information fusion for efficient target detection in large-scale surveillance Wireless Sensor Networks Journal Article Information Fusion, 38 , pp. 55 - 64, 2017, ISSN: 1566-2535. @article{ABRARDO201755, title = {Information fusion for efficient target detection in large-scale surveillance Wireless Sensor Networks}, author = {Andrea Abrardo and Marco Martalò and Gianluigi Ferrari}, url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1566253517300751}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.inffus.2017.02.002}, issn = {1566-2535}, year = {2017}, date = {2017-01-01}, journal = {Information Fusion}, volume = {38}, pages = {55 - 64}, abstract = {In this paper, we consider a surveillance scenario, where nodes of a Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) cooperate to detect an event of interest, e.g., the presence of a mobile target in a monitored region. The considered scenario refers, for example, to ELectronic-signals INTelligence (ELINT), since detection is based on sensing the presence of anomalous electromagnetic signals in the monitored area. Leveraging previous results in the field of cognitive wireless networking, we derive proper decision and fusion strategies. We investigate both clustered (where no direct communication between sensors and the Communication and Control center, C2, is allowed and intermediate data fusion is performed at Cluster Heads, CHs) and unclustered (with direct communications between sensor nodes and the C2). System performance is analyzed in terms of False Alarm (FA)/Correct Detection (CD) probabilities and energy consumption, quantifying inherent tradeoffs between these performance indicators.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } In this paper, we consider a surveillance scenario, where nodes of a Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) cooperate to detect an event of interest, e.g., the presence of a mobile target in a monitored region. The considered scenario refers, for example, to ELectronic-signals INTelligence (ELINT), since detection is based on sensing the presence of anomalous electromagnetic signals in the monitored area. Leveraging previous results in the field of cognitive wireless networking, we derive proper decision and fusion strategies. We investigate both clustered (where no direct communication between sensors and the Communication and Control center, C2, is allowed and intermediate data fusion is performed at Cluster Heads, CHs) and unclustered (with direct communications between sensor nodes and the C2). System performance is analyzed in terms of False Alarm (FA)/Correct Detection (CD) probabilities and energy consumption, quantifying inherent tradeoffs between these performance indicators. |
Davide Alinovi; Gianluigi Ferrari; Francesco Pisani; Riccardo Raheli Markov chain modeling and simulation of breathing patterns Journal Article Biomedical Signal Processing and Control, 33 , pp. 245 - 254, 2017, ISSN: 1746-8094. @article{ALINOVI2017245, title = {Markov chain modeling and simulation of breathing patterns}, author = {Davide Alinovi and Gianluigi Ferrari and Francesco Pisani and Riccardo Raheli}, url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1746809416302142}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bspc.2016.12.002}, issn = {1746-8094}, year = {2017}, date = {2017-01-01}, journal = {Biomedical Signal Processing and Control}, volume = {33}, pages = {245 - 254}, abstract = {The lack of large video databases obtained from real patients with respiratory disorders makes the design and optimization of video-based monitoring systems quite critical. The purpose of this study is the development of suitable models and simulators of breathing behaviors and disorders, such as respiratory pauses and apneas, in order to allow efficient design and test of video-based monitoring systems. More precisely, a novel Continuous-Time Markov Chain (CTMC) statistical model of breathing patterns is presented. The Respiratory Rate (RR) pattern, estimated by measured vital signs of hospital-monitored patients, is approximated as a CTMC, whose states and parameters are selected through an appropriate statistical analysis. Then, two simulators, software- and hardware-based, are proposed. After validation of the CTMC model, the proposed simulators are tested with previously developed video-based algorithms for the estimation of the RR and the detection of apnea events. Examples of application to assess the performance of systems for video-based RR estimation and apnea detection are presented. The results, in terms of Kullback–Leibler divergence, show that realistic breathing patterns, including specific respiratory disorders, can be accurately described by the proposed model; moreover, the simulators are able to reproduce practical breathing patterns for video analysis. The presented CTMC statistical model can be strategic to describe realistic breathing patterns and devise simulators useful to develop and test novel and effective video processing-based monitoring systems.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } The lack of large video databases obtained from real patients with respiratory disorders makes the design and optimization of video-based monitoring systems quite critical. The purpose of this study is the development of suitable models and simulators of breathing behaviors and disorders, such as respiratory pauses and apneas, in order to allow efficient design and test of video-based monitoring systems. More precisely, a novel Continuous-Time Markov Chain (CTMC) statistical model of breathing patterns is presented. The Respiratory Rate (RR) pattern, estimated by measured vital signs of hospital-monitored patients, is approximated as a CTMC, whose states and parameters are selected through an appropriate statistical analysis. Then, two simulators, software- and hardware-based, are proposed. After validation of the CTMC model, the proposed simulators are tested with previously developed video-based algorithms for the estimation of the RR and the detection of apnea events. Examples of application to assess the performance of systems for video-based RR estimation and apnea detection are presented. The results, in terms of Kullback–Leibler divergence, show that realistic breathing patterns, including specific respiratory disorders, can be accurately described by the proposed model; moreover, the simulators are able to reproduce practical breathing patterns for video analysis. The presented CTMC statistical model can be strategic to describe realistic breathing patterns and devise simulators useful to develop and test novel and effective video processing-based monitoring systems. |
2016 |
Matteo Giuberti; Gianluigi Ferrari A low-complexity activity classification algorithm with optimized selection of accelerometric features Journal Article 8 (6), pp. 681-695, 2016. @article{iospress, title = {A low-complexity activity classification algorithm with optimized selection of accelerometric features}, author = {Matteo Giuberti and Gianluigi Ferrari}, doi = {10.3233/AIS-160406}, year = {2016}, date = {2016-11-01}, booktitle = {Journal of Ambient Intelligence and Smart Environments}, volume = {8}, number = {6}, pages = {681-695}, abstract = {Activity classification consists in detecting and classifying a sequence of activities, choosing from a limited set of known activities, by observing the outputs generated by (typically) inertial sensor devices placed over the body of a user. To this end, machine learning techniques can be effectively used to detect meaningful patterns from data without explicitly defining classification rules. In this paper, we present a novel Body Sensor Network (BSN)-based low complexity activity classification algorithm, which can effectively detect activities performed by the user just analyzing the accelerometric signals generated by the BSN. A preliminary (computationally intensive) training phase, performed once, is run to automatically optimize the key parameters of the algorithm used in the following (computationally light) online phase for activity classification. In particular, during the training phase, optimized subsets of nodes are selected in order to minimize the number of relevant features and keep a good compromise between performance and time complexity. Our results show that the proposed algorithm outperforms other known activity classification algorithms, especially when using a limited number of nodes, and lends itself to real-time implementation.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Activity classification consists in detecting and classifying a sequence of activities, choosing from a limited set of known activities, by observing the outputs generated by (typically) inertial sensor devices placed over the body of a user. To this end, machine learning techniques can be effectively used to detect meaningful patterns from data without explicitly defining classification rules. In this paper, we present a novel Body Sensor Network (BSN)-based low complexity activity classification algorithm, which can effectively detect activities performed by the user just analyzing the accelerometric signals generated by the BSN. A preliminary (computationally intensive) training phase, performed once, is run to automatically optimize the key parameters of the algorithm used in the following (computationally light) online phase for activity classification. In particular, during the training phase, optimized subsets of nodes are selected in order to minimize the number of relevant features and keep a good compromise between performance and time complexity. Our results show that the proposed algorithm outperforms other known activity classification algorithms, especially when using a limited number of nodes, and lends itself to real-time implementation. |
Luca Davoli; Laura Belli; Antonio Cilfone; Gianluigi Ferrari Integration of Wi-Fi mobile nodes in a Web of Things Testbed Journal Article ICT Express, 2 (3), pp. 96 - 99, 2016, ISSN: 2405-9595, (Special Issue on ICT Convergence in the Internet of Things (IoT)). @article{Davoli201696, title = {Integration of Wi-Fi mobile nodes in a Web of Things Testbed}, author = {Luca Davoli and Laura Belli and Antonio Cilfone and Gianluigi Ferrari}, editor = {Yacine Ghamri-Doudane and Yeong Min Jang and Daeyoung Kim and Hossam Hassanein and JaeSeung Song}, url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405959516300637}, doi = {10.1016/j.icte.2016.07.001}, issn = {2405-9595}, year = {2016}, date = {2016-08-05}, journal = {ICT Express}, volume = {2}, number = {3}, pages = {96 - 99}, abstract = {The Internet of Things (IoT) is supposed to connect billions of devices to the Internet through IP-based communications. The main goal is to foster a rapid deployment of Web-enabled everyday objects, allowing end users to manage and control smart things in a simple way, by using Web browsers. This paper focuses on the integration of Wi-Fi nodes, hosting HTTP resources, into a Web of Things Testbed (WoTT). The main novelty of the proposed approach is that the WoTT integrates new nodes by using only standard mechanisms, allowing end-users to interact with all Smart Objects without worrying about protocol-specific details.}, note = {Special Issue on ICT Convergence in the Internet of Things (IoT)}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } The Internet of Things (IoT) is supposed to connect billions of devices to the Internet through IP-based communications. The main goal is to foster a rapid deployment of Web-enabled everyday objects, allowing end users to manage and control smart things in a simple way, by using Web browsers. This paper focuses on the integration of Wi-Fi nodes, hosting HTTP resources, into a Web of Things Testbed (WoTT). The main novelty of the proposed approach is that the WoTT integrates new nodes by using only standard mechanisms, allowing end-users to interact with all Smart Objects without worrying about protocol-specific details. |
Giovanni Albani; Corrado Azzaro; Federico Parisi; Claudia Ferraris; Matteo Giuberti; Laura Contin; Daniele Pianu; Luca G. Pradotto; Veronica Cimolin; Manuela Galli; Roberto Nerino; Gianluigi Ferrari; Alessandro Mauro A step forward to the future: UPDRS kinematic measures for telemedicine Journal Article Movement Disorders, 31 (suppl. 2), pp. S514, 2016, ISSN: 1531-8257. @article{Aletal_MDS15, title = {A step forward to the future: UPDRS kinematic measures for telemedicine}, author = {Giovanni Albani and Corrado Azzaro and Federico Parisi and Claudia Ferraris and Matteo Giuberti and Laura Contin and Daniele Pianu and Luca G. Pradotto and Veronica Cimolin and Manuela Galli and Roberto Nerino and Gianluigi Ferrari and Alessandro Mauro}, url = {http://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/a-step-forward-to-the-future-updrs-kinematic-measures-for-telemedicine/ http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/mds.26688}, issn = {1531-8257}, year = {2016}, date = {2016-06-01}, journal = {Movement Disorders}, volume = {31}, number = {suppl. 2}, pages = {S514}, abstract = {\textbf{Objective:} We set up an experimental instrumentation to quantify selected items of UPDRS by a Kinect technology and body sensory-network (BSN), destinated to an easy home-performance. \textbf{Background:} Remote medical communications in the form of telemedicine is one of the challenges to Parkinson’s disease (PD) problems. Among the tougher hurdles to overcome,there is an accurate, low-cost and manageable quantification of motor symptoms. \textbf{Methods:} For automatic assignment of UPDRS scores, we studied 20 controls subjects and 64 PD patients both by a BSN-based approach (for leg agility, sit-to stand and gait tasks), composed of a few body-horn wireless inertial nodes and an human-computer interface( Microsoft Kinect®) ((for finger-tapping task) based on a RGB-Depth camera, a monitor and two light-weight gloves with coloured markers. Movements are automatically translated in kinematic parameters and then classified by dedicated algorytms correlating with corresponding UPDRS clinical scores. We calculated the average of the predicted UPDRS classes weigthed by the probabilities that an evaluation belongs to a specific UPDRS classes, by a continuous measure that we call the neuromotor impairment W [figure1] \textbf{Results:} We found 19 and 34 kinematic parameters respectively both for finger and lower limbs movements correlating which corresponding UPDRS scores tasks [figure2]. \textbf{Conclusions:} These results show that the proposed technology is an accurate, feasible and low-cost approach useful for at distance evaluation of PD patients. Oral Presentation by Parkinson’s disease World Congress 2016 in Milan.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Objective: We set up an experimental instrumentation to quantify selected items of UPDRS by a Kinect technology and body sensory-network (BSN), destinated to an easy home-performance. Background: Remote medical communications in the form of telemedicine is one of the challenges to Parkinson’s disease (PD) problems. Among the tougher hurdles to overcome,there is an accurate, low-cost and manageable quantification of motor symptoms. Methods: For automatic assignment of UPDRS scores, we studied 20 controls subjects and 64 PD patients both by a BSN-based approach (for leg agility, sit-to stand and gait tasks), composed of a few body-horn wireless inertial nodes and an human-computer interface( Microsoft Kinect®) ((for finger-tapping task) based on a RGB-Depth camera, a monitor and two light-weight gloves with coloured markers. Movements are automatically translated in kinematic parameters and then classified by dedicated algorytms correlating with corresponding UPDRS clinical scores. We calculated the average of the predicted UPDRS classes weigthed by the probabilities that an evaluation belongs to a specific UPDRS classes, by a continuous measure that we call the neuromotor impairment W [figure1] Results: We found 19 and 34 kinematic parameters respectively both for finger and lower limbs movements correlating which corresponding UPDRS scores tasks [figure2]. Conclusions: These results show that the proposed technology is an accurate, feasible and low-cost approach useful for at distance evaluation of PD patients. Oral Presentation by Parkinson’s disease World Congress 2016 in Milan. |
Federico Parisi; Gianluigi Ferrari; Matteo Giuberti; Laura Contin; Veronica Cimolin; Corrado Azzaro; Giovanni Albani; Alessandro Mauro Inertial BSN-based Characterization and Automatic UPDRS Evaluation of the Gait Task of Parkinsonians Journal Article IEEE Transactions on Affective Computing, 7 (3), pp. 258-271, 2016. @article{PaFeGiCoCiAzAlMa15TAFFC, title = {Inertial BSN-based Characterization and Automatic UPDRS Evaluation of the Gait Task of Parkinsonians}, author = {Federico Parisi and Gianluigi Ferrari and Matteo Giuberti and Laura Contin and Veronica Cimolin and Corrado Azzaro and Giovanni Albani and Alessandro Mauro}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TAFFC.2016.2549533}, year = {2016}, date = {2016-04-01}, journal = {IEEE Transactions on Affective Computing}, volume = {7}, number = {3}, pages = {258-271}, abstract = {The analysis and assessment of motor tasks, such as gait, can provide important information on the progress of neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease (PD). In this paper, we design a Boby Sensor Network (BSN)-based system for the characterization of gait in Parkinsonians through the extraction of kinematic features, both in time and in frequency domains, embedding information on the status of the PD. The gait features extraction is performed on a set of 34 PD patients using a BSN formed by only three inertial nodes (one on the chest and one per thigh). We investigate also the relationship between the selected kinematic features and the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) scores assigned to patients by an expert neurologist. This work extends a previously proposed approach to the analysis of the leg agility task and represents a further step to develop a system for automatic evaluation of different PD motor tasks. A performance analysis of different classification techniques is carried out, showing the feasibility of an automatic (and, eventually, remote) UPDRS scoring system, suitable for tele-health applications in the realm of affective medicine.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } The analysis and assessment of motor tasks, such as gait, can provide important information on the progress of neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease (PD). In this paper, we design a Boby Sensor Network (BSN)-based system for the characterization of gait in Parkinsonians through the extraction of kinematic features, both in time and in frequency domains, embedding information on the status of the PD. The gait features extraction is performed on a set of 34 PD patients using a BSN formed by only three inertial nodes (one on the chest and one per thigh). We investigate also the relationship between the selected kinematic features and the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) scores assigned to patients by an expert neurologist. This work extends a previously proposed approach to the analysis of the leg agility task and represents a further step to develop a system for automatic evaluation of different PD motor tasks. A performance analysis of different classification techniques is carried out, showing the feasibility of an automatic (and, eventually, remote) UPDRS scoring system, suitable for tele-health applications in the realm of affective medicine. |
Laura Belli; Simone Cirani; Luca Davoli; Gianluigi Ferrari; Lorenzo Melegari; Marco Picone Applying Security to a Big Stream Cloud Architecture for the Internet of Things Journal Article International Journal of Distributed Systems and Technologies (IJDST), 7 (1), pp. 37-58, 2016, ISSN: 1947-3532. @article{becidafemepi2016, title = {Applying Security to a Big Stream Cloud Architecture for the Internet of Things}, author = {Laura Belli and Simone Cirani and Luca Davoli and Gianluigi Ferrari and Lorenzo Melegari and Marco Picone}, doi = {10.4018/IJDST.2016010103}, issn = {1947-3532}, year = {2016}, date = {2016-01-14}, journal = {International Journal of Distributed Systems and Technologies (IJDST)}, volume = {7}, number = {1}, pages = {37-58}, publisher = {IGI Global}, abstract = {The Internet of Things (IoT) is expected to interconnect billions (around 50 by 2020) of heterogeneous sensor/actuator-equipped devices denoted as Smart Objects (SOs), characterized by constrained resources in terms of memory, processing, and communication reliability. Several IoT applications have real-time and low-latency requirements and must rely on architectures specifically designed to manage gigantic streams of information (in terms of number of data sources and transmission data rate). We refer to Big Stream as the paradigm which best fits the selected IoT scenario, in contrast to the traditional Big Data concept, which does not consider real-time constraints. Moreover, there are many security concerns related to IoT devices and to the Cloud. In this paper, we analyze security aspects in a novel Cloud architecture for Big Stream applications, which efficiently handles Big Stream data through a Graph-based platform and delivers processed data to consumers, with low latency. The authors detail each module defined in the system architecture, describing all refinements required to make the platform able to secure large data streams. An experimentation is also conducted in order to evaluate the performance of the proposed architecture when integrating security mechanisms.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } The Internet of Things (IoT) is expected to interconnect billions (around 50 by 2020) of heterogeneous sensor/actuator-equipped devices denoted as Smart Objects (SOs), characterized by constrained resources in terms of memory, processing, and communication reliability. Several IoT applications have real-time and low-latency requirements and must rely on architectures specifically designed to manage gigantic streams of information (in terms of number of data sources and transmission data rate). We refer to Big Stream as the paradigm which best fits the selected IoT scenario, in contrast to the traditional Big Data concept, which does not consider real-time constraints. Moreover, there are many security concerns related to IoT devices and to the Cloud. In this paper, we analyze security aspects in a novel Cloud architecture for Big Stream applications, which efficiently handles Big Stream data through a Graph-based platform and delivers processed data to consumers, with low latency. The authors detail each module defined in the system architecture, describing all refinements required to make the platform able to secure large data streams. An experimentation is also conducted in order to evaluate the performance of the proposed architecture when integrating security mechanisms. |
Marco Martalò; Carlo Tripodi; Riccardo Raheli Simple upper bound on the information rate of the phase noise channel Journal Article Electronics Letters, 52 (7), pp. 517-519, 2016, ISSN: 0013-5194. @article{7444106, title = {Simple upper bound on the information rate of the phase noise channel}, author = {Marco Martalò and Carlo Tripodi and Riccardo Raheli}, url = {https://dx.doi.org/10.1049/el.2015.3170}, issn = {0013-5194}, year = {2016}, date = {2016-01-01}, journal = {Electronics Letters}, volume = {52}, number = {7}, pages = {517-519}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } |
Marco Martalò; Riccardo Raheli Models, statistics, and rates of binary correlated sources Journal Article Elsevier Physical Communication, pp. -, 2016, ISSN: 1874-4907. @article{Martalo2016, title = {Models, statistics, and rates of binary correlated sources}, author = {Marco Martalò and Riccardo Raheli}, url = {https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.phycom.2016.04.002}, issn = {1874-4907}, year = {2016}, date = {2016-01-01}, journal = {Elsevier Physical Communication}, pages = {-}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } |
Michele Amoretti; Laura Belli; Francesco Zanichelli UTravel: Smart mobility with a novel user profiling and recommendation approach Journal Article Pervasive and Mobile Computing, 38 (2), pp. 474-489, 2016. @article{amoretti2016utravel, title = {UTravel: Smart mobility with a novel user profiling and recommendation approach}, author = {Michele Amoretti and Laura Belli and Francesco Zanichelli}, url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1574119216301341}, doi = {10.1016/j.pmcj.2016.08.008}, year = {2016}, date = {2016-01-01}, journal = {Pervasive and Mobile Computing}, volume = {38}, number = {2}, pages = {474-489}, publisher = {Elsevier}, abstract = {The exponentially growing availability of online information calls for personalized search and recommendation. Such systems provide recommendations typically based on user profiles built taking into account user actions. Not yet fully explored, is the domain of context-aware recommendation. In this article, we introduce a novel approach, where user profiling and context-based data filtering both concur to recommendation production. Based on the aforementioned approach, UTravel is a smart mobility application that recommends points of interest (POIs) to end users. After describing the UTravel architecture and implementation, we present the results of an experimental evaluation we carried out involving both simulated and real users.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } The exponentially growing availability of online information calls for personalized search and recommendation. Such systems provide recommendations typically based on user profiles built taking into account user actions. Not yet fully explored, is the domain of context-aware recommendation. In this article, we introduce a novel approach, where user profiling and context-based data filtering both concur to recommendation production. Based on the aforementioned approach, UTravel is a smart mobility application that recommends points of interest (POIs) to end users. After describing the UTravel architecture and implementation, we present the results of an experimental evaluation we carried out involving both simulated and real users. |
Gianluigi Ferrari; Umberto Amadei Two-Level Quantized Soft-Output Demodulation of QAM Signals With Gray Labeling: A Geometric Approach Journal Article IEEE Communications Letters, 20 (10), pp. 1931-1934, 2016, ISSN: 1089-7798. @article{FeAm_CL16, title = {Two-Level Quantized Soft-Output Demodulation of QAM Signals With Gray Labeling: A Geometric Approach}, author = {Gianluigi Ferrari and Umberto Amadei}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/LCOMM.2016.2592963 http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7516648/}, issn = {1089-7798}, year = {2016}, date = {2016-01-01}, journal = {IEEE Communications Letters}, volume = {20}, number = {10}, pages = {1931-1934}, abstract = {We propose a geometric approach to the design of a look-up table-based two-level quantized soft-output (SO) demodulator for coded schemes with quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) signals with Gray bit labeling. This allows to derive quantized bit logarithmic likelihood ratios (LLRs) directly from the observables, without requiring the actual computation, followed by quantization, of LLRs at the output of the demodulator. The proposed approach is applied to a bit-interleaved coded modulation (BICM) scheme. The obtained results show a limited performance loss with respect to unquantized SO demodulation.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } We propose a geometric approach to the design of a look-up table-based two-level quantized soft-output (SO) demodulator for coded schemes with quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) signals with Gray bit labeling. This allows to derive quantized bit logarithmic likelihood ratios (LLRs) directly from the observables, without requiring the actual computation, followed by quantization, of LLRs at the output of the demodulator. The proposed approach is applied to a bit-interleaved coded modulation (BICM) scheme. The obtained results show a limited performance loss with respect to unquantized SO demodulation. |
Stefania Monica; Gianluigi Ferrari Low-complexity UWB-based collision avoidance system for automated guided vehicles Journal Article ICT Express, 2 (2), pp. 53 - 56, 2016, ISSN: 2405-9595. @article{Monica201653, title = {Low-complexity UWB-based collision avoidance system for automated guided vehicles}, author = {Stefania Monica and Gianluigi Ferrari}, url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405959516300182 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.icte.2016.05.004}, issn = {2405-9595}, year = {2016}, date = {2016-01-01}, journal = {ICT Express}, volume = {2}, number = {2}, pages = {53 - 56}, abstract = {This paper describes a low-complexity collision avoidance system for automated guided vehicles (AGVs) based on active ultra-wide band (UWB) modules. In particular, we consider an industrial warehouse where all the AGVs and target nodes (TNs) (e.g., people) are equipped with active UWB modules. A communication session between a pair of UWB modules permits the exchange of information and the estimation of the distance between them. The UWB module positioned on an AGV is connected to an on-board computer; whenever the UWB module on an AGV receives a message from a TN, it communicates all the received data to the on-board computer that can decide to stop the AGV if the range estimate is below a given threshold. This prevents undesired collisions between the AGV and the TN. In this paper, we present the experimental results of the proposed collision avoidance system obtained using the UWB modules, PulsON 410 ranging and communication modules (P410 RCMs), produced by Time Domain.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } This paper describes a low-complexity collision avoidance system for automated guided vehicles (AGVs) based on active ultra-wide band (UWB) modules. In particular, we consider an industrial warehouse where all the AGVs and target nodes (TNs) (e.g., people) are equipped with active UWB modules. A communication session between a pair of UWB modules permits the exchange of information and the estimation of the distance between them. The UWB module positioned on an AGV is connected to an on-board computer; whenever the UWB module on an AGV receives a message from a TN, it communicates all the received data to the on-board computer that can decide to stop the AGV if the range estimate is below a given threshold. This prevents undesired collisions between the AGV and the TN. In this paper, we present the experimental results of the proposed collision avoidance system obtained using the UWB modules, PulsON 410 ranging and communication modules (P410 RCMs), produced by Time Domain. |
Francesco Pisani; Elena Pavlidis; Luca Cattani; Gianluigi Ferrari; Riccardo Raheli; Carlotta Spagnoli Optimizing detection rate and characterisation of subtle paroxysmal neonatal abnormal facial movements with multi-camera video-EEG recordings Journal Article Neuropediatrics, 47 (3), pp. 169-174, 2016. @article{Pisani2016neuro, title = {Optimizing detection rate and characterisation of subtle paroxysmal neonatal abnormal facial movements with multi-camera video-EEG recordings}, author = {Francesco Pisani and Elena Pavlidis and Luca Cattani and Gianluigi Ferrari and Riccardo Raheli and Carlotta Spagnoli}, url = {http://www.thieme-connect.com/DOI/DOI?10.1055/s-0036-1582245 https://dx.doi.org/10.1055/s-0036-1582245}, year = {2016}, date = {2016-01-01}, journal = {Neuropediatrics}, volume = {47}, number = {3}, pages = {169-174}, abstract = {\textbf{Objectives} We retrospectively analyze the diagnostic accuracy for paroxysmal abnormal facial movements, comparing one camera versus multi-camera approach. Background Polygraphic video-electroencephalogram (vEEG) recording is the current gold standard for brain monitoring in high-risk newborns, especially when neonatal seizures are suspected. One camera synchronized with the EEG is commonly used.newline \textbf{Methods} Since mid-June 2012, we have started using multiple cameras, one of which point toward newborns’ faces. We evaluated vEEGs recorded in newborns in the study period between mid-June 2012 and the end of September 2014 and compared, for each recording, the diagnostic accuracies obtained with one-camera and multi-camera approaches.newline \textbf{Results} We recorded 147 vEEGs from 87 newborns and found 73 episodes of paroxysmal facial abnormal movements in 18 vEEGs of 11 newborns with the multicamera approach. By using the single-camera approach, only 28.8% of these events were identified (21/73). Ten positive vEEGs with multicamera with 52 paroxysmal facial abnormal movements (52/73, 71.2%) would have been considered as negative with the single-camera approach.newline \textbf{Conclusions} The use of one additional facial camera can significantly increase the diagnostic accuracy of vEEGs in the detection of paroxysmal abnormal facial movements in the newborns}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Objectives We retrospectively analyze the diagnostic accuracy for paroxysmal abnormal facial movements, comparing one camera versus multi-camera approach. Background Polygraphic video-electroencephalogram (vEEG) recording is the current gold standard for brain monitoring in high-risk newborns, especially when neonatal seizures are suspected. One camera synchronized with the EEG is commonly used.newline Methods Since mid-June 2012, we have started using multiple cameras, one of which point toward newborns’ faces. We evaluated vEEGs recorded in newborns in the study period between mid-June 2012 and the end of September 2014 and compared, for each recording, the diagnostic accuracies obtained with one-camera and multi-camera approaches.newline Results We recorded 147 vEEGs from 87 newborns and found 73 episodes of paroxysmal facial abnormal movements in 18 vEEGs of 11 newborns with the multicamera approach. By using the single-camera approach, only 28.8% of these events were identified (21/73). Ten positive vEEGs with multicamera with 52 paroxysmal facial abnormal movements (52/73, 71.2%) would have been considered as negative with the single-camera approach.newline Conclusions The use of one additional facial camera can significantly increase the diagnostic accuracy of vEEGs in the detection of paroxysmal abnormal facial movements in the newborns |
Stefania Monica; Gianluigi Ferrari A swarm-based approach to real-time 3D indoor localization: Experimental performance analysis Journal Article Applied Soft Computing, 43 , pp. 489 - 497, 2016, ISSN: 1568-4946. @article{Monica2016489, title = {A swarm-based approach to real-time 3D indoor localization: Experimental performance analysis}, author = {Stefania Monica and Gianluigi Ferrari}, url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1568494616300710 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.asoc.2016.02.020}, issn = {1568-4946}, year = {2016}, date = {2016-01-01}, journal = {Applied Soft Computing}, volume = {43}, pages = {489 - 497}, abstract = {In this paper, the problem of indoor localization in wireless networks is addressed relying on a swarm-based approach. We assume to know the positions of a few number of sensor nodes, denoted as anchor nodes (ANs), and we aim at finding the position of a target node (TN) on the basis of the estimated distances between each AN and the considered TN. Since ultra wide band (UWB) technology is particularly suited for localization purposes (owing to its remarkable time resolution), we consider a network composed of UWB devices. More precisely, we carry out an experimental investigation using the PulsOn 410 ranging and communication modules (RCMs) produced by time domain. Using four of them as ANs and one of them as TN, various topologies are considered in order to evaluate the accuracy of the proposed swarm-based localization approach, which relies on the pairwise (AN-TN) distances estimated by the RCMs. Then, we investigate how the accuracy of the proposed localization algorithm changes if we apply to the distance estimates a recently proposed stochastic correction, which is designed to reduce the distance estimation error. Our experimental results show that a good accuracy is obtained in all the considered scenarios, especially when applying the proposed swarm-based localization algorithm to the stochastically corrected distances. The obtained results are satisfying also in terms of software execution time, making the proposed approach applicable to real-time dynamic localization problems.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } In this paper, the problem of indoor localization in wireless networks is addressed relying on a swarm-based approach. We assume to know the positions of a few number of sensor nodes, denoted as anchor nodes (ANs), and we aim at finding the position of a target node (TN) on the basis of the estimated distances between each AN and the considered TN. Since ultra wide band (UWB) technology is particularly suited for localization purposes (owing to its remarkable time resolution), we consider a network composed of UWB devices. More precisely, we carry out an experimental investigation using the PulsOn 410 ranging and communication modules (RCMs) produced by time domain. Using four of them as ANs and one of them as TN, various topologies are considered in order to evaluate the accuracy of the proposed swarm-based localization approach, which relies on the pairwise (AN-TN) distances estimated by the RCMs. Then, we investigate how the accuracy of the proposed localization algorithm changes if we apply to the distance estimates a recently proposed stochastic correction, which is designed to reduce the distance estimation error. Our experimental results show that a good accuracy is obtained in all the considered scenarios, especially when applying the proposed swarm-based localization algorithm to the stochastically corrected distances. The obtained results are satisfying also in terms of software execution time, making the proposed approach applicable to real-time dynamic localization problems. |
Stefania Monica; Gianluigi Ferrari Maximum likelihood localization: When does it fail? Journal Article ICT Express, 2 (1), pp. 10 - 13, 2016, ISSN: 2405-9595, (Special Issue on Positioning Techniques and Applications). @article{Monica201610, title = {Maximum likelihood localization: When does it fail?}, author = {Stefania Monica and Gianluigi Ferrari}, url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405959515300928 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.icte.2016.02.004}, issn = {2405-9595}, year = {2016}, date = {2016-01-01}, journal = {ICT Express}, volume = {2}, number = {1}, pages = {10 - 13}, abstract = {Maximum likelihood is a criterion often used to derive localization algorithms. In particular, in this paper we focus on a distance-based algorithm for the localization of nodes in static wireless networks. Assuming that Ultra Wide Band (UWB) signals are used for inter-node communications, we investigate the ill-conditioning of the Two-Stage Maximum-Likelihood (TSML) Time of Arrival (ToA) localization algorithm as the Anchor Nodes (ANs) positions change. We analytically derive novel lower and upper bounds for the localization error and we evaluate them in some localization scenarios as functions of the ANs’ positions. We show that particular ANs’ configurations intrinsically lead to ill-conditioning of the localization problem, making the TSML-ToA inapplicable. For comparison purposes, we also show, through some examples, that a Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO)-based algorithm guarantees accurate positioning also when the localization problem embedded in the TSML-ToA algorithm is ill-conditioned.}, note = {Special Issue on Positioning Techniques and Applications}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Maximum likelihood is a criterion often used to derive localization algorithms. In particular, in this paper we focus on a distance-based algorithm for the localization of nodes in static wireless networks. Assuming that Ultra Wide Band (UWB) signals are used for inter-node communications, we investigate the ill-conditioning of the Two-Stage Maximum-Likelihood (TSML) Time of Arrival (ToA) localization algorithm as the Anchor Nodes (ANs) positions change. We analytically derive novel lower and upper bounds for the localization error and we evaluate them in some localization scenarios as functions of the ANs’ positions. We show that particular ANs’ configurations intrinsically lead to ill-conditioning of the localization problem, making the TSML-ToA inapplicable. For comparison purposes, we also show, through some examples, that a Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO)-based algorithm guarantees accurate positioning also when the localization problem embedded in the TSML-ToA algorithm is ill-conditioned. |
Andrea Abrardo; Marco Martalò; Gianluigi Ferrari Impact of the knowledge of nodes’ positions on spectrum sensing strategies in cognitive networks Journal Article Physical Communication, 19 , pp. 84 - 92, 2016, ISSN: 1874-4907. @article{Abrardo201684, title = {Impact of the knowledge of nodes’ positions on spectrum sensing strategies in cognitive networks}, author = {Andrea Abrardo and Marco Martalò and Gianluigi Ferrari}, url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1874490715000701 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.phycom.2015.12.004}, issn = {1874-4907}, year = {2016}, date = {2016-01-01}, journal = {Physical Communication}, volume = {19}, pages = {84 - 92}, abstract = {In this paper, we focus on cognitive wireless networking, where a primary wireless network (PWN) is co-located with a cognitive (or secondary) wireless network (CWN). The shared frequency spectrum is divided into disjoint “subchannels” and each subchannel is “freely” assigned (in a unique way) to a node of the PWN, denoted as primary user equipment (PUE). We assume that the nodes of the CWN, denoted as cognitive user equipments (CUEs), cooperate to sense the frequency spectrum and estimate the idle subchannels which can be used by the CWN (i.e., assigned to CUEs) without interfering the PWN. The sensing correlation among the CUEs is exploited to improve the reliability of the decision, taken by a secondary fusion center (FC), on the occupation status (by a node of the PWN) of each subchannel. In this context, we compute the mutual information between the occupation status and the observations at the FC, with and without knowledge of the positions of the nodes in the network, showing a potential significant benefit brought by this side information. Then, we derive the fusion rules at the FC: our numerical results, in terms of the network-wise probabilities of missed detection (MD) and false alarm (FA) at the secondary FC, indicate a significant performance improvement when knowledge of the CUEs’ positions is available at the secondary FC, confirming the mutual information-based theoretical prediction.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } In this paper, we focus on cognitive wireless networking, where a primary wireless network (PWN) is co-located with a cognitive (or secondary) wireless network (CWN). The shared frequency spectrum is divided into disjoint “subchannels” and each subchannel is “freely” assigned (in a unique way) to a node of the PWN, denoted as primary user equipment (PUE). We assume that the nodes of the CWN, denoted as cognitive user equipments (CUEs), cooperate to sense the frequency spectrum and estimate the idle subchannels which can be used by the CWN (i.e., assigned to CUEs) without interfering the PWN. The sensing correlation among the CUEs is exploited to improve the reliability of the decision, taken by a secondary fusion center (FC), on the occupation status (by a node of the PWN) of each subchannel. In this context, we compute the mutual information between the occupation status and the observations at the FC, with and without knowledge of the positions of the nodes in the network, showing a potential significant benefit brought by this side information. Then, we derive the fusion rules at the FC: our numerical results, in terms of the network-wise probabilities of missed detection (MD) and false alarm (FA) at the secondary FC, indicate a significant performance improvement when knowledge of the CUEs’ positions is available at the secondary FC, confirming the mutual information-based theoretical prediction. |
Andrea Gorrieri; Gianluigi Ferrari DiSIF: A Distance-Based Silencing Technique for Multi-Hop Broadcast Communications in Pedestrian Ad-Hoc Networks Journal Article IEEE Transactions on Mobile Computing, 15 (11), pp. 2706-2718, 2016, ISSN: 1536-1233. @article{7355348, title = {DiSIF: A Distance-Based Silencing Technique for Multi-Hop Broadcast Communications in Pedestrian Ad-Hoc Networks}, author = {Andrea Gorrieri and Gianluigi Ferrari}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TMC.2015.2508804}, issn = {1536-1233}, year = {2016}, date = {2016-01-01}, journal = {IEEE Transactions on Mobile Computing}, volume = {15}, number = {11}, pages = {2706-2718}, abstract = {In this paper, we focus on a particular type of opportunistic ad-hoc networks, namely Pedestrian Ad-hoc NETworks (PANETs). In PANETs, nodes are densely distributed and each node may transmit information to all other nodes in the network via multi-hop broadcasting. Even though flooding is the simplest technique to broadcast information with multi-hop communications, it can be very inefficient because of redundant transmissions which may induce collisions. This problem is known, in the literature, as the “broadcast storm problem.” In this work, we present a novel probabilistic forwarding technique, denoted as Distance-based Silencing IF (DiSIF), which is derived from the probabilistic broadcasting protocol Irresponsible Forwarding (IF) and one of its extensions, denotes Silencing IF (SIF). The performance of the DiSIF protocol is analyzed and compared with those of other existing protocols, investigating the impact of fundamental network parameters. Lower bounds (exact and approximate) on the average number of hops, expedient to evaluate the propagation efficiency of DiSIF, are also derived. Finally, under the assumption that each node (e.g., a smartphone) relies on Global Positioning System (GPS) to estimate its position, the robustness of DiSIF against a GPS positioning error is investigated.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } In this paper, we focus on a particular type of opportunistic ad-hoc networks, namely Pedestrian Ad-hoc NETworks (PANETs). In PANETs, nodes are densely distributed and each node may transmit information to all other nodes in the network via multi-hop broadcasting. Even though flooding is the simplest technique to broadcast information with multi-hop communications, it can be very inefficient because of redundant transmissions which may induce collisions. This problem is known, in the literature, as the “broadcast storm problem.” In this work, we present a novel probabilistic forwarding technique, denoted as Distance-based Silencing IF (DiSIF), which is derived from the probabilistic broadcasting protocol Irresponsible Forwarding (IF) and one of its extensions, denotes Silencing IF (SIF). The performance of the DiSIF protocol is analyzed and compared with those of other existing protocols, investigating the impact of fundamental network parameters. Lower bounds (exact and approximate) on the average number of hops, expedient to evaluate the propagation efficiency of DiSIF, are also derived. Finally, under the assumption that each node (e.g., a smartphone) relies on Global Positioning System (GPS) to estimate its position, the robustness of DiSIF against a GPS positioning error is investigated. |
Andrea Gorrieri; Marco Martalò; Stefano Busanelli; Gianluigi Ferrari Clustering and sensing with decentralized detection in vehicular ad hoc networks Journal Article Ad Hoc Networks, 36, Part 2 , pp. 450 - 464, 2016, ISSN: 1570-8705, (Vehicular Networking for Mobile Crowd Sensing). @article{Gorrieri2016450, title = {Clustering and sensing with decentralized detection in vehicular ad hoc networks}, author = {Andrea Gorrieri and Marco Martalò and Stefano Busanelli and Gianluigi Ferrari}, url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1570870515001249}, issn = {1570-8705}, year = {2016}, date = {2016-01-01}, journal = {Ad Hoc Networks}, volume = {36, Part 2}, pages = {450 - 464}, abstract = {In the near future, vehicles will be more and more advanced sensing platforms: for instance, at least one smartphone (with several on-board sensors) is likely to be inside each vehicle. Smartphone-based inter-vehicle communications thus support the creation of vehicular sensor networks (VSNs). In this paper, we analyze the performance of clustered VSNs, where (hierarchical) decentralized detection schemes are used to estimate the status of an observed spatially constant phenomenon of interest. Clustering makes processing efficient and the architecture scalable. Our approach consists of the creation, during a downlink phase, of a clustered VSN topology through fast broadcast of control messages, started from a remote sink (e.g., in the cloud), through a novel clustering protocol, denoted as cluster-head election irresponsible forwarding (CEIF). This clustered VSN topology is then exploited, during an uplink phase, to collect sensed data from the vehicles and perform distributed detection. The performance of the proposed scheme is investigated considering mostly IEEE 802.11b (smartphone-based) as well as IEEE 802.11p (inter-vehicle) communications in both highway-like and urban-like scenarios. Our results highlight the existing trade-off between decision delay and energy efficiency. The proposed VSN-based distributed detection schemes have to cope with the “ephemeral” nature of clusters. Therefore, proper cluster maintenance strategies are needed to prolong the cluster lifetime and, as a consequence, the maximum amount of data which can be collected before clusters break. This leads to the concept of decentralized detection “on the move.”}, note = {Vehicular Networking for Mobile Crowd Sensing}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } In the near future, vehicles will be more and more advanced sensing platforms: for instance, at least one smartphone (with several on-board sensors) is likely to be inside each vehicle. Smartphone-based inter-vehicle communications thus support the creation of vehicular sensor networks (VSNs). In this paper, we analyze the performance of clustered VSNs, where (hierarchical) decentralized detection schemes are used to estimate the status of an observed spatially constant phenomenon of interest. Clustering makes processing efficient and the architecture scalable. Our approach consists of the creation, during a downlink phase, of a clustered VSN topology through fast broadcast of control messages, started from a remote sink (e.g., in the cloud), through a novel clustering protocol, denoted as cluster-head election irresponsible forwarding (CEIF). This clustered VSN topology is then exploited, during an uplink phase, to collect sensed data from the vehicles and perform distributed detection. The performance of the proposed scheme is investigated considering mostly IEEE 802.11b (smartphone-based) as well as IEEE 802.11p (inter-vehicle) communications in both highway-like and urban-like scenarios. Our results highlight the existing trade-off between decision delay and energy efficiency. The proposed VSN-based distributed detection schemes have to cope with the “ephemeral” nature of clusters. Therefore, proper cluster maintenance strategies are needed to prolong the cluster lifetime and, as a consequence, the maximum amount of data which can be collected before clusters break. This leads to the concept of decentralized detection “on the move.” |
Marco Martalò; Gianluigi Ferrari; Muhammad Asim; Jonathan Gambini; Christian Mazzucco; Giacomo Cannalire; Sergio Bianchi; Riccardo Raheli Pragmatic phase noise compensation for high-order coded modulations Journal Article IET Communications, 10 (15), pp. 1956-1963, 2016, ISSN: 1751-8628. @article{Maetal_IET16, title = {Pragmatic phase noise compensation for high-order coded modulations}, author = {Marco Martalò and Gianluigi Ferrari and Muhammad Asim and Jonathan Gambini and Christian Mazzucco and Giacomo Cannalire and Sergio Bianchi and Riccardo Raheli}, url = {http://digital-library.theiet.org/content/journals/10.1049/iet-com.2016.0215}, issn = {1751-8628}, year = {2016}, date = {2016-01-01}, journal = {IET Communications}, volume = {10}, number = {15}, pages = {1956-1963}, publisher = {Institution of Engineering and Technology}, abstract = {This study discusses synchronisation in phase noise-impaired spectrally efficient communication systems employing high-order modulations. In particular, an iterative receiver, where demodulation and decoding are separate from maximum a posteriori probability (MAP) synchronisation, is presented. The authors’ separate approach is tailored to the design of pragmatic iterative receiver schemes employing ‘off-the-shelf’ demodulation and decoding blocks. This allows full compatibility with already existing systems, which is attractive from the implementation viewpoint. The proposed MAP synchronisation algorithm also requires very limited knowledge of the phase noise process and achieves near coherent performance with moderate computational complexity. Although the approach is very general, the authors discuss its performance for low-density parity-check-coded pilot symbol-aided quadrature amplitude modulation schemes, demonstrating that a significantly lower computational complexity can be achieved with respect to benchmark joint receivers.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } This study discusses synchronisation in phase noise-impaired spectrally efficient communication systems employing high-order modulations. In particular, an iterative receiver, where demodulation and decoding are separate from maximum a posteriori probability (MAP) synchronisation, is presented. The authors’ separate approach is tailored to the design of pragmatic iterative receiver schemes employing ‘off-the-shelf’ demodulation and decoding blocks. This allows full compatibility with already existing systems, which is attractive from the implementation viewpoint. The proposed MAP synchronisation algorithm also requires very limited knowledge of the phase noise process and achieves near coherent performance with moderate computational complexity. Although the approach is very general, the authors discuss its performance for low-density parity-check-coded pilot symbol-aided quadrature amplitude modulation schemes, demonstrating that a significantly lower computational complexity can be achieved with respect to benchmark joint receivers. |
Journals
2021 |
Hybrid LoRa-IEEE 802.11s Opportunistic Mesh Networking for Flexible UAV Swarming Journal Article Drones, 5 (2), 2021, ISSN: 2504-446X. |
Forecasting Air Temperature on Edge Devices with Embedded AI Journal Article Sensors, 21 (12), pp. 1-29, 2021, ISSN: 1424-8220. |
Ultrasonic-Based Environmental Perception for Mobile 5G-Oriented XR Applications Journal Article Sensors, 21 (4), pp. 1329, 2021, ISSN: 1424-8220. |
2020 |
On Driver Behavior Recognition for Increased Safety: A Roadmap Journal Article Safety, 6 (4), pp. 1-33, 2020, ISSN: 2313-576X. |
Embedded Artificial Intelligence: the ARTEMIS vision Journal Article Computer, 53 (11), pp. 65-69, 2020, ISSN: 0018-9162. |
IoT-Enabled Smart Sustainable Cities: Challenges and Approaches Journal Article Smart Cities, 3 , pp. 1039-1071, 2020. |
A novel approach for energy- and memory-efficient data loss prevention to support Internet of Things networks Journal Article International Journal of Distributed Sensor Networks, 16 (6), pp. 16 pages, 2020. |
LoRaFarM: A LoRaWAN-Based Smart Farming Modular IoT Architecture Journal Article Sensors, 20 (7), 2020, ISSN: 1424-8220. |
2019 |
Internet of Things e Industria 4.0. Un case study di successo di digital manufacturing Journal Article Management Control, (3), pp. 11-34, 2019, ISSN: 2239-4397. |
An Integrated Multi-Sensor Approach for the Remote Monitoring of Parkinson’s Disease Journal Article Sensors, 19 (21:4764), pp. 18 pages, 2019. |
A Wave-Based Request-Response Protocol for Latency Minimization in WSNs Journal Article IEEE Internet of Things Journal, 6 (5), pp. 7971-7979, 2019, ISSN: 2327-4662. |
Toward Industry 4.0 With IoT: Optimizing Business Processes in an Evolving Manufacturing Factory Journal Article Frontiers in ICT, 6 , pp. 17, 2019, ISSN: 2297-198X. |
A Next-generation core network architecture for mobile networks Journal Article Future Internet, 11 (7), pp. 25 pages, 2019. |
NEMO: A flexible and highly scalable network EMulatOr Journal Article SoftwareX, 10 , pp. 1-7, 2019, ISSN: 2352-7110. |
Energy efficient wireless networks Journal Article Wireless Communications and Mobile Computing, 2019 , pp. 1, 2019, (Article ID 1726458). |
Wireless Mesh Networking: An IoT-Oriented Perspective Survey on Relevant Technologies Journal Article Future Internet, 11 (4), 2019, ISSN: 1999-5903. |
Design and experimental performance analysis of a B.A.T.M.A.N.-based double Wi-Fi interface mesh network Journal Article Future Generation Computer Systems, 92 , pp. 593-603, 2019, ISSN: 0167-739X. |
DiRPL: A RPL-Based Resource and Service Discovery Algorithm for 6LoWPANs Journal Article Applied Sciences, 9 (1), pp. 15, 2019, ISSN: 2076-3417, (Special Issue IoT for Smart Cities). |
2018 |
Improving UWB-Based Localization in IoT Scenarios with Statistical Models of Distance Error Journal Article Sensors, 18 (5), pp. 23, 2018. |
Censoring-Based Cooperative Spectrum Sensing with Improved Energy Detectors and Multiple Antennas in Fading Channels Journal Article IEEE Transactions on Aerospace and Electronic Systems, 54 (2), pp. 537–553, 2018. |
From Micro to Macro IoT: Challenges and Solutions in the Integration of IEEE 802.15.4/802.11 and Sub-GHz Technologies Journal Article IEEE Internet of Things Journal, 5 (2), pp. 784-793, 2018, ISSN: 2327-4662. |
THORIN: an Efficient Module for Federated Access and Threat Mitigation in Big Stream Cloud Architectures Journal Article IEEE Cloud Computing, 5 (1), pp. 38-48, 2018, ISSN: 2325-6095. |
Impact of on-body IMU placement on inertial navigation Journal Article IET Wireless Sensor Systems - Special Issue on Body Sensor Networks , 8 (1), pp. 3-9, 2018, ISSN: 2043-6394. |
Enhancing precision agriculture by Internet of Things and cyber physical systems Journal Article Atti Soc. Tosc. Sci. Nat., Mem., Supplemento, 125 , pp. 53-60, 2018. |
Virtual Replication of IoT Hubs in the Cloud: A Flexible Approach to Smart Object Management Journal Article Journal of Sensor and Actuator Networks, 7 (2), pp. 16, 2018. |
2017 |
Connected Vehicles: Applications and Communication Challenges Journal Article Mobile Information Systems, 2017 , pp. 2, 2017, (Article ID 1082183). |
A Survey on Infrastructure-Based Vehicular Networks Journal Article Mobile Information Systems, 2017 , pp. 28, 2017, (Article ID 6123868). |
Iterative Synchronization for Dually-Polarized Independent Transmission Streams Journal Article IEEE Transactions on Communications, 65 (6), pp. 2534-2542, 2017, ISSN: 0090-6778. |
DINAS: A Lightweight and Efficient Distributed Naming Service for All-IP Wireless Sensor Networks Journal Article IEEE Internet of Things Journal, 4 (3), pp. 670-684, 2017, ISSN: 2327-4662. |
Improving Quality of Experience in Future Wireless Access Networks through Fog Computing Journal Article IEEE Internet Computing, 21 (2), pp. 26-33, 2017, ISSN: 1089-7801. |
Monitoring infants by automatic video processing: A unified approach to motion analysis Journal Article Computers in Biology and Medicine, 80 , pp. 158 - 165, 2017, ISSN: 0010-4825, (Honors status: top 9% of over 300 papers published in 2017). |
Information fusion for efficient target detection in large-scale surveillance Wireless Sensor Networks Journal Article Information Fusion, 38 , pp. 55 - 64, 2017, ISSN: 1566-2535. |
Markov chain modeling and simulation of breathing patterns Journal Article Biomedical Signal Processing and Control, 33 , pp. 245 - 254, 2017, ISSN: 1746-8094. |
2016 |
A low-complexity activity classification algorithm with optimized selection of accelerometric features Journal Article 8 (6), pp. 681-695, 2016. |
Integration of Wi-Fi mobile nodes in a Web of Things Testbed Journal Article ICT Express, 2 (3), pp. 96 - 99, 2016, ISSN: 2405-9595, (Special Issue on ICT Convergence in the Internet of Things (IoT)). |
A step forward to the future: UPDRS kinematic measures for telemedicine Journal Article Movement Disorders, 31 (suppl. 2), pp. S514, 2016, ISSN: 1531-8257. |
Inertial BSN-based Characterization and Automatic UPDRS Evaluation of the Gait Task of Parkinsonians Journal Article IEEE Transactions on Affective Computing, 7 (3), pp. 258-271, 2016. |
Applying Security to a Big Stream Cloud Architecture for the Internet of Things Journal Article International Journal of Distributed Systems and Technologies (IJDST), 7 (1), pp. 37-58, 2016, ISSN: 1947-3532. |
Simple upper bound on the information rate of the phase noise channel Journal Article Electronics Letters, 52 (7), pp. 517-519, 2016, ISSN: 0013-5194. |
Models, statistics, and rates of binary correlated sources Journal Article Elsevier Physical Communication, pp. -, 2016, ISSN: 1874-4907. |
UTravel: Smart mobility with a novel user profiling and recommendation approach Journal Article Pervasive and Mobile Computing, 38 (2), pp. 474-489, 2016. |
Two-Level Quantized Soft-Output Demodulation of QAM Signals With Gray Labeling: A Geometric Approach Journal Article IEEE Communications Letters, 20 (10), pp. 1931-1934, 2016, ISSN: 1089-7798. |
Low-complexity UWB-based collision avoidance system for automated guided vehicles Journal Article ICT Express, 2 (2), pp. 53 - 56, 2016, ISSN: 2405-9595. |
Optimizing detection rate and characterisation of subtle paroxysmal neonatal abnormal facial movements with multi-camera video-EEG recordings Journal Article Neuropediatrics, 47 (3), pp. 169-174, 2016. |
A swarm-based approach to real-time 3D indoor localization: Experimental performance analysis Journal Article Applied Soft Computing, 43 , pp. 489 - 497, 2016, ISSN: 1568-4946. |
Maximum likelihood localization: When does it fail? Journal Article ICT Express, 2 (1), pp. 10 - 13, 2016, ISSN: 2405-9595, (Special Issue on Positioning Techniques and Applications). |
Impact of the knowledge of nodes’ positions on spectrum sensing strategies in cognitive networks Journal Article Physical Communication, 19 , pp. 84 - 92, 2016, ISSN: 1874-4907. |
DiSIF: A Distance-Based Silencing Technique for Multi-Hop Broadcast Communications in Pedestrian Ad-Hoc Networks Journal Article IEEE Transactions on Mobile Computing, 15 (11), pp. 2706-2718, 2016, ISSN: 1536-1233. |
Clustering and sensing with decentralized detection in vehicular ad hoc networks Journal Article Ad Hoc Networks, 36, Part 2 , pp. 450 - 464, 2016, ISSN: 1570-8705, (Vehicular Networking for Mobile Crowd Sensing). |
Pragmatic phase noise compensation for high-order coded modulations Journal Article IET Communications, 10 (15), pp. 1956-1963, 2016, ISSN: 1751-8628. |