Showing 1–29 of 29 results for author: Pesch, D

nascTime: A Full-Stack 5G-TSN Bridge Simulation Framework with SDAP-Based QoS Mapping and IEEE 802.1AS Transparent Clock

Authors: Mohamed Seliem, Utz Roedig, Cormac Sreenan, Dirk Pesch

Abstract: 3GPP Release~16 specifies how a 5G system can operate as a transparent IEEE~802.1 TSN bridge, yet no existing simulation framework implements the complete bridge architecture with end-to-end QoS mapping through the SDAP layer, per-flow Data Radio Bearer selection, and IEEE~802.1AS transparent clock behaviour with measured residence time. Existing tools model either QoS mapping without time synchro… ▽ More 3GPP Release~16 specifies how a 5G system can operate as a transparent IEEE~802.1 TSN bridge, yet no existing simulation framework implements the complete bridge architecture with end-to-end QoS mapping through the SDAP layer, per-flow Data Radio Bearer selection, and IEEE~802.1AS transparent clock behaviour with measured residence time. Existing tools model either QoS mapping without time synchronisation, or time synchronisation without a data plane. This paper presents nascTime, a simulation framework built on OMNeT++~6.3, INET~4.6, and Simu5G that implements the full 3GPP 5G-TSN bridge model. The NW-TT and DS-TT are realised as modular compound modules that integrate with INET's \texttt{LayeredEthernetInterface} and streaming PHY. QoS mapping traverses the complete PCP\,$\rightarrow$\,DSCP\,$\rightarrow$\,QFI\,$\rightarrow$\,SDAP/DRB pipeline, and gPTP frames are transported through the simulated 5G radio path via L2-in-GTP-U encapsulation with per-message residence-time correction. We validate the framework with a three-endpoint factory topology under both ideal and fading channel conditions. In the ideal scenario, high-priority traffic achieves 99.9\% delivery with a mean end-to-end delay of 2.58\,ms, while the measured 5GS residence time exhibits a variance below 0.2\,$μ$s. Under a fading channel, residence-time variance increases to 48\,$μ$s, confirming that the framework captures radio-induced timing effects absent from abstract-delay simulators. nascTime is publicly available and constitutes the first full-stack 5G-TSN bridge simulation with SDAP-based QoS differentiation and measured IEEE~802.1AS transparent clock behaviour. △ Less

Submitted 8 April, 2026; v1 submitted 6 April, 2026; originally announced April 2026.

Comments: This is an intial draft of the manuscript, which is intended for submission to IEEE ETFA 2026

A Framework for Hybrid Collective Inference in Distributed Sensor Networks

Authors: Andrew Nash, Dirk Pesch, Krishnendu Guha

Abstract: With the ever-increasing range of applications of Internet in Things (IoT) and sensor networks, challenges are emerging in various categories of classification tasks. Applications such as vehicular networking, UAV swarm coordination and cyber-physical systems require global classification over distributed sensors, with tight constraints on communication and computation resources. There has been mu… ▽ More With the ever-increasing range of applications of Internet in Things (IoT) and sensor networks, challenges are emerging in various categories of classification tasks. Applications such as vehicular networking, UAV swarm coordination and cyber-physical systems require global classification over distributed sensors, with tight constraints on communication and computation resources. There has been much research in decentralized and distributed data-exchange for communication-efficient collective inference. Likewise, there has been considerable research involving the use of cloud and edge computing paradigms for efficient task allocation. To the best of our knowledge, there has been no research on the integration of these two concepts to create a hybrid cloud and distributed approach that makes dynamic runtime communication strategy decisions. In this paper, we focus on aspects of combining distributed and hierarchical communication and classification approaches for collective inference. We derive optimal policies for agents that implement this hybrid approach, and evaluate their performance under various scenarios of the distribution of underlying data. Our analysis shows that this approach can maintain a high level of classification accuracy (comparable to that of centralised joint inference over all data), at reduced theoretical communication cost. We expect there is potential for our approach to facilitate efficient collective inference for real-world applications, including instances that involves more complex underlying data distributions. △ Less

Submitted 19 February, 2026; originally announced March 2026.

QoS-Aware Proportional Fairness Scheduling for Multi-Flow 5G UEs: A Smart Factory Perspective

Authors: Mohamed Seliem, Utz Roedig, Cormac Sreenan, Dirk Pesch

Abstract: Private 5G networks are emerging as key enablers for smart factories, where a single device often handles multiple concurrent traffic flows with distinct Quality of Service (QoS) requirements. Existing simulation frameworks, however, lack the fidelity to model such multi-flow behavior at the QoS Flow Identifier (QFI) level. This paper addresses this gap by extending Simu5G to support per-QFI model… ▽ More Private 5G networks are emerging as key enablers for smart factories, where a single device often handles multiple concurrent traffic flows with distinct Quality of Service (QoS) requirements. Existing simulation frameworks, however, lack the fidelity to model such multi-flow behavior at the QoS Flow Identifier (QFI) level. This paper addresses this gap by extending Simu5G to support per-QFI modeling and by introducing a novel QoS-aware Proportional Fairness (QoS-PF) scheduler. The scheduler dynamically balances delay, Guaranteed Bit Rate (GBR), and priority metrics to optimize resource allocation across heterogeneous flows. We evaluate the proposed approach in a realistic smart factory scenario featuring edge-hosted machine vision, real-time control loops, and bulk data transfer. Results show that QoS-PF improves deadline adherence and fairness without compromising throughput. All extensions are implemented in a modular and open-source manner to support future research. Our work provides both a methodological and architectural foundation for simulating and analyzing advanced QoS policies in industrial 5G deployments. △ Less

Submitted 29 August, 2025; originally announced August 2025.

Comments: (c) 2025 IEEE. This is the author's version of a paper accepted for presentation at the IEEE MSWiM 2025 conference. The final version will appear in the conference proceedings

SDAP-based QoS Flow Multiplexing Support in Simu5G for 5G NR Simulation

Authors: Mohamed Seliem, Utz Roedig, Cormac Sreenan, Dirk Pesch

Abstract: The Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP) plays a central role in 5G New Radio (NR), acting as a bridge between the core and radio networks, by enabling QoS Flow multiplexing over shared Data Radio Bearers (DRBs). However, most 5G simulation frameworks, including the popular OMNet++-based Simu5G, lack SDAP support, limiting their ability to model realistic QoS behavior. This paper presents a mod… ▽ More The Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP) plays a central role in 5G New Radio (NR), acting as a bridge between the core and radio networks, by enabling QoS Flow multiplexing over shared Data Radio Bearers (DRBs). However, most 5G simulation frameworks, including the popular OMNet++-based Simu5G, lack SDAP support, limiting their ability to model realistic QoS behavior. This paper presents a modular, standardscompliant SDAP extension for Simu5G. The implementation includes core elements such as QoS Flow Identifer (QFI) flow tagging, SDAP header insertion/removal, and configurable logical DRB mapping. The proposed design supports multi-QFI simulation scenarios and enables researchers to model differentiated QoS flows and flowaware scheduling policies. Validation results confirm correct SDAP behavior and pave the way for advanced 5G simulations involving per-flow isolation, latency-sensitive traffic, and industrial QoS profiles. △ Less

Submitted 18 August, 2025; originally announced August 2025.

Comments: (c) 2025 IEEE. This is the author's version of a paper accepted for presentation at the IEEE CAMAD 2025 conference. The final version will appear in the conference proceedings

Resilient Time-Sensitive Networking for Industrial IoT: Configuration and Fault-Tolerance Evaluation

Authors: Mohamed Seliem, Dirk Pesch, Utz Roedig, Cormac Sreenan

Abstract: Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) is increasingly adopted in industrial systems to meet strict latency, jitter, and reliability requirements. However, evaluating TSN's fault tolerance under realistic failure conditions remains challenging. This paper presents IN2C, a modular OMNeT++/INET-based simulation framework that models two synchronized production cells connected to centralized infrastructure.… ▽ More Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) is increasingly adopted in industrial systems to meet strict latency, jitter, and reliability requirements. However, evaluating TSN's fault tolerance under realistic failure conditions remains challenging. This paper presents IN2C, a modular OMNeT++/INET-based simulation framework that models two synchronized production cells connected to centralized infrastructure. IN2C integrates core TSN features, including time synchronization, traffic shaping, per-stream filtering, and Frame Replication and Elimination for Redundancy (FRER), alongside XML-driven fault injection for link and node failures. Four fault scenarios are evaluated to compare TSN performance with and without redundancy. Results show that FRER eliminates packet loss and achieves submillisecond recovery, though with 2-3x higher link utilization. These findings offer practical guidance for deploying TSN in bandwidth-constrained industrial environments. △ Less

Submitted 15 July, 2025; originally announced July 2025.

Comments: (c) 2025 IEEE. This is the author's version of a paper accepted for presentation at the IEEE ETFA 2025 conference. The final version will appear in the conference proceedings

Scalability Analysis of 5G-TSN Applications in Indoor Factory Settings

Authors: Kouros Zanbouri, Md. Noor-A-Rahim, Dirk Pesch

Abstract: While technologies such as Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) improve deterministic behaviour, real-time functionality, and robustness of Ethernet, future industrial networks aim to be increasingly wireless. While wireless networks facilitate mobility, reduce cost, and simplify deployment, they do not always provide stringent latency constraints and highly dependable data transmission as required by… ▽ More While technologies such as Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) improve deterministic behaviour, real-time functionality, and robustness of Ethernet, future industrial networks aim to be increasingly wireless. While wireless networks facilitate mobility, reduce cost, and simplify deployment, they do not always provide stringent latency constraints and highly dependable data transmission as required by many manufacturing systems. The advent of 5G, with its Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communication (URLLC) capabilities, offers potential for wireless industrial networks. 5G offers elevated data throughput, very low latency, and negligible jitter. As 5G networks typically include wired connections from the base station to the core network, integration of 5G with time-sensitive networking is essential to provide rigorous QoS standards. This paper assesses the scalability of 5G-TSN for various indoor factory applications and conditions using OMNET++ simulation. Our research shows that 5G-TSN has the potential to provide bounded delay for latency-sensitive applications in scalable indoor factory settings. △ Less

Submitted 10 February, 2025; v1 submitted 22 January, 2025; originally announced January 2025.

Comments: This paper has been accepted for presentation at IEEE Wireless Communications and Networking Conference (WCNC) 2025 Workshops. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:2501.12792

Comparative Performance Evaluation of 5G-TSN Applications in Indoor Factory Environments

Authors: Kouros Zanbouri, Md. Noor-A-Rahim, Dirk Pesch

Abstract: While Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) enhances the determinism, real-time capabilities, and reliability of Ethernet, future industrial networks will not only use wired but increasingly wireless communications. Wireless networks enable mobility, have lower costs, and are easier to deploy. However, for many industrial applications, wired connections remain the preferred choice, particularly those re… ▽ More While Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) enhances the determinism, real-time capabilities, and reliability of Ethernet, future industrial networks will not only use wired but increasingly wireless communications. Wireless networks enable mobility, have lower costs, and are easier to deploy. However, for many industrial applications, wired connections remain the preferred choice, particularly those requiring strict latency bounds and ultra-reliable data flows, such as for controlling machinery or managing power electronics. The emergence of 5G, with its Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communication (URLLC) promises to enable high data rates, ultra-low latency, and minimal jitter, presenting a new opportunity for wireless industrial networks. However, as 5G networks include wired links from the base station towards the core network, a combination of 5G with time-sensitive networking is needed to guarantee stringent QoS requirements. In this paper, we evaluate 5G-TSN performance for different indoor factory applications and environments through simulations. Our findings demonstrate that 5G-TSN can address latency-sensitive scenarios in indoor factory environments. △ Less

Submitted 10 February, 2025; v1 submitted 22 January, 2025; originally announced January 2025.

Comments: This paper has been accepted for presentation at IEEE Wireless Communications and Networking Conference (WCNC) 2025

A Survey and Tutorial of Redundancy Mitigation for Vehicular Cooperative Perception: Standards, Strategies and Open Issues

Authors: Tengfei Lyu, Md Noor-A-Rahim, Dirk Pesch, Aisling O'Driscoll

Abstract: This paper provides an in-depth review and discussion of the state of the art in redundancy mitigation for the vehicular Collective Perception Service (CPS). We focus on the evolutionary differences between the redundancy mitigation rules proposed in 2019 in ETSI TR 103 562 versus the 2023 technical specification ETSI TS 103 324, which uses a Value of Information (VoI) based mitigation approach. W… ▽ More This paper provides an in-depth review and discussion of the state of the art in redundancy mitigation for the vehicular Collective Perception Service (CPS). We focus on the evolutionary differences between the redundancy mitigation rules proposed in 2019 in ETSI TR 103 562 versus the 2023 technical specification ETSI TS 103 324, which uses a Value of Information (VoI) based mitigation approach. We also critically analyse the academic literature that has sought to quantify the communication challenges posed by the CPS and present a unique taxonomy of the redundancy mitigation approaches proposed using three distinct classifications: object inclusion filtering, data format optimisation, and frequency management. Finally, this paper identifies open research challenges that must be adequately investigated to satisfactorily deploy CPS redundancy mitigation measures. Our critical and comprehensive evaluation serves as a point of reference for those undertaking research in this area. △ Less

Submitted 26 January, 2025; v1 submitted 2 January, 2025; originally announced January 2025.

Auction-based Adaptive Resource Allocation Optimization in Dense and Heterogeneous IoT Networks

Authors: Nirmal D. Wickramasinghe, John Dooley, Dirk Pesch, Indrakshi Dey

Abstract: Efficient and reliable resource allocation within densely-deployed massive IoT networks remains a key challenge due to resource constraints among low-size, weight, and power (SWaP) IoT devices and within the network and limitations of conventional centralized methods under incomplete information. We propose a novel auction-based framework for adaptive resource allocation, combining space-time-freq… ▽ More Efficient and reliable resource allocation within densely-deployed massive IoT networks remains a key challenge due to resource constraints among low-size, weight, and power (SWaP) IoT devices and within the network and limitations of conventional centralized methods under incomplete information. We propose a novel auction-based framework for adaptive resource allocation, combining space-time-frequency spreading (STFS) techniques with Bayesian Game approaches. We introduce novel modified Simultaneous Ascending Auction (mSAA) mechanism tailored to densely-deployed and low-complexity IoT networks, enabling distributed computation and reduced power consumption. By incorporating Bayesian game-based bidding strategies and optimizing dispersion matrices for signal transmission, the proposed approach ensures enhanced channel throughput and energy efficiency. Comparative analysis against traditional auction types, including First-Price and Second-Price Sealed-Bid Auctions, as well as the Vickery-Clarke-Groves (VCG) mechanism, demonstrates the superiority of mSAA in terms of surplus maximization, revenue efficiency, and robustness in risk-prone bidding environments. Simulation results validate the model's adaptability to heterogeneous IoT nodes and its potential for dense deployment across different environments and verticals. △ Less

Submitted 16 October, 2025; v1 submitted 26 September, 2024; originally announced September 2024.

Comments: 21 pages

Semantic Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) Communications Towards 6G

Authors: Tengfei Lyu, Md. Noor-A-Rahim, Aisling O'Driscoll, Dirk Pesch

Abstract: Semantic Communication (SEM-COM) has emerged as one of the disruptive technologies facilitating the evolution towards sixth-generation (6G) wireless networks. This article presents the potential of SEM-COM to transform Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) communications, with a particular emphasis on its ability to enhance communication efficiency and intelligence. We discuss the core components and metric… ▽ More Semantic Communication (SEM-COM) has emerged as one of the disruptive technologies facilitating the evolution towards sixth-generation (6G) wireless networks. This article presents the potential of SEM-COM to transform Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) communications, with a particular emphasis on its ability to enhance communication efficiency and intelligence. We discuss the core components and metrics that characterize SEM-COM, providing insights into its operational framework within the context of V2X communications. We illustrate the applicability and practicality of SEM-COM through real-world vehicular use cases, demonstrate the potential of SEM-COM to enhance aspects of intelligent mobility, such as communication efficiency and decision-making. Finally, the article identifies key open research questions for SEM-COM V2X, pointing to areas that require further exploration and thus setting a foundation for future work in this evolving domain. △ Less

Submitted 24 July, 2024; originally announced July 2024.

Comments: 8 pages, 4 figures

Unmasking the Nuances of Loneliness: Using Digital Biomarkers to Understand Social and Emotional Loneliness in College Students

Authors: Malik Muhammad Qirtas, Evi Zafeirid, Dirk Pesch, Eleanor Bantry White

Abstract: Background: Loneliness among students is increasing across the world, with potential consequences for mental health and academic success. To address this growing problem, accurate methods of detection are needed to identify loneliness and to differentiate social and emotional loneliness so that intervention can be personalized to individual need. Passive sensing technology provides a unique techni… ▽ More Background: Loneliness among students is increasing across the world, with potential consequences for mental health and academic success. To address this growing problem, accurate methods of detection are needed to identify loneliness and to differentiate social and emotional loneliness so that intervention can be personalized to individual need. Passive sensing technology provides a unique technique to capture behavioral patterns linked with distinct loneliness forms, allowing for more nuanced understanding and interventions for loneliness. Methods: To differentiate between social and emotional loneliness using digital biomarkers, our study included statistical tests, machine learning for predictive modeling, and SHAP values for feature importance analysis, revealing important factors in loneliness classification. Results: Our analysis revealed significant behavioral differences between socially and emotionally lonely groups, particularly in terms of phone usage and location-based features , with machine learning models demonstrating substantial predictive power in classifying loneliness levels. The XGBoost model, in particular, showed high accuracy and was effective in identifying key digital biomarkers, including phone usage duration and location-based features, as significant predictors of loneliness categories. Conclusion: This study underscores the potential of passive sensing data, combined with machine learning techniques, to provide insights into the behavioral manifestations of social and emotional loneliness among students. The identification of key digital biomarkers paves the way for targeted interventions aimed at mitigating loneliness in this population. △ Less

Submitted 2 April, 2024; originally announced April 2024.

Evolving AI for Wellness: Dynamic and Personalized Real-time Loneliness Detection Using Passive Sensing

Authors: Malik Muhammad Qirtas, Evi Zafeiridi, Eleanor Bantry White, Dirk Pesch

Abstract: Loneliness is a growing health concern as it can lead to depression and other associated mental health problems for people who experience feelings of loneliness over prolonged periods of time. Utilizing passive sensing methods that use smartphone and wearable sensor data to capture daily behavioural patterns offers a promising approach for the early detection of loneliness. Given the subjective na… ▽ More Loneliness is a growing health concern as it can lead to depression and other associated mental health problems for people who experience feelings of loneliness over prolonged periods of time. Utilizing passive sensing methods that use smartphone and wearable sensor data to capture daily behavioural patterns offers a promising approach for the early detection of loneliness. Given the subjective nature of loneliness and people's varying daily routines, past detection approaches using machine learning models often face challenges with effectively detecting loneliness. This paper proposes a methodologically novel approach, particularly developing a loneliness detection system that evolves over time, adapts to new data, and provides real-time detection. Our study utilized the Globem dataset, a comprehensive collection of passive sensing data acquired over 10 weeks from university students. The base of our approach is the continuous identification and refinement of similar behavioural groups among students using an incremental clustering method. As we add new data, the model improves based on changing behavioural patterns. Parallel to this, we create and update classification models to detect loneliness among the evolving behavioural groups of students. When unique behavioural patterns are observed among student data, specialized classification models have been created. For predictions of loneliness, a collaborative effort between the generalized and specialized models is employed, treating each prediction as a vote. This study's findings reveal that group-based loneliness detection models exhibit superior performance compared to generic models, underscoring the necessity for more personalized approaches tailored to specific behavioural patterns. These results pave the way for future research, emphasizing the development of finely-tuned, individualized mental health interventions. △ Less

Submitted 8 February, 2024; originally announced February 2024.

A Comprehensive Survey of Wireless Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN): Architecture, Technologies, Applications, and Open Issues

Authors: Kouros Zanbouri, Md. Noor-A-Rahim, Jobish John, Cormac J. Sreenan, H. Vincent Poor, Dirk Pesch

Abstract: Time-sensitive networking (TSN) is expected to be a key component of critical machine-type communication networks in areas such as Industry 4.0, robotics and autonomous vehicles. With rising mobility requirements in industrial applications and the prevalence of wireless networks, wireless network integration into TSN is becoming increasingly important. This survey article presents a comprehensive… ▽ More Time-sensitive networking (TSN) is expected to be a key component of critical machine-type communication networks in areas such as Industry 4.0, robotics and autonomous vehicles. With rising mobility requirements in industrial applications and the prevalence of wireless networks, wireless network integration into TSN is becoming increasingly important. This survey article presents a comprehensive review of the current literature on wireless TSN, including an overview of the architecture of a wireless TSN network and an examination of the various wireless technologies and protocols that can be or are used in such networks. In addition, the article discusses industrial applications of wireless TSN, among them industrial automation, robotics, and autonomous vehicles. The article concludes by summarizing the challenges and open issues related to the integration of TSN into wireless networks, and by offering suggestions for future research directions. △ Less

Submitted 23 October, 2024; v1 submitted 2 December, 2023; originally announced December 2023.

Industry 4.0 and Beyond: The Role of 5G, WiFi 7, and TSN in Enabling Smart Manufacturing

Authors: Jobish John, Md. Noor-A-Rahim, Aswathi Vijayan, H. Vincent Poor, Dirk Pesch

Abstract: This paper explores the role that 5G, WiFi-7, and Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) can play in driving smart manufacturing as a fundamental part of the Industry 4.0 vision. The paper provides an in-depth analysis of each technology's application in industrial communications, with a focus on TSN and its key elements that enable reliable and secure communication in industrial networks. In addition, t… ▽ More This paper explores the role that 5G, WiFi-7, and Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) can play in driving smart manufacturing as a fundamental part of the Industry 4.0 vision. The paper provides an in-depth analysis of each technology's application in industrial communications, with a focus on TSN and its key elements that enable reliable and secure communication in industrial networks. In addition, the paper includes a comparative study of these technologies, analyzing them based on a number of industrial use-cases, supported secondary applications, industry adoption, and current market trends. The paper concludes by highlighting the challenges and future directions for the adoption of these technologies in industrial networks and emphasizes their importance in realizing the Industry 4.0 vision within the context of smart manufacturing. △ Less

Submitted 3 October, 2023; originally announced October 2023.

The Relationship between Loneliness and Depression among College Students: Mining data derived from Passive Sensing

Authors: Malik Muhammad Qirtas, Evi Zafeiridi, Eleanor Bantry White, Dirk Pesch

Abstract: Loneliness and depression are interrelated mental health issues affecting students well-being. Using passive sensing data provides a novel approach to examine the granular behavioural indicators differentiating loneliness and depression, and the mediators in their relationship. This study aimed to investigate associations between behavioural features and loneliness and depression among students, e… ▽ More Loneliness and depression are interrelated mental health issues affecting students well-being. Using passive sensing data provides a novel approach to examine the granular behavioural indicators differentiating loneliness and depression, and the mediators in their relationship. This study aimed to investigate associations between behavioural features and loneliness and depression among students, exploring the complex relationships between these mental health conditions and associated behaviours. This study combined regression analysis, mediation analysis, and machine learning analysis to explore relationships between behavioural features, loneliness, and depression using passive sensing data, capturing daily life behaviours such as physical activity, phone usage, sleep patterns, and social interactions. Results revealed significant associations between behavioural features and loneliness and depression, emphasizing their interconnected nature. Increased activity and sleep duration were identified as protective factors. Distinct behavioural features for each condition were also found. Mediation analysis highlighted significant indirect effects in the relationship between loneliness and depression. The XGBoost model achieved the highest accuracy in predicting these conditions. This study demonstrated the importance of using passive sensing data and a multi-method approach to understand the complex relationship between loneliness, depression, and associated behaviours. Identifying specific behavioural features and mediators contributes to a deeper understanding of factors influencing loneliness and depression among students. This comprehensive perspective emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration for a more nuanced understanding of complex human experiences. △ Less

Submitted 29 August, 2023; originally announced August 2023.

Comments: N/A

Wireless Communications for Smart Manufacturing and Industrial IoT: Existing Technologies, 5G, and Beyond

Authors: Md. Noor-A-Rahim, Jobish John, Fadhil Firyaguna, Dimitrios Zorbas, Hafiz Husnain Raza Sherazi, Sergii Kushch, Eoin O Connell, Dirk Pesch, Brendan O Flynn, Martin Hayes, Eddie Armstrong

Abstract: Smart manufacturing is a vision and major driver for change in industrial environments. The goal of smart manufacturing is to optimize manufacturing processes through constantly monitoring and adapting processes towards more efficient and personalised manufacturing. This requires and relies on technologies for connected machines incorporating a variety of computation, sensing, actuation, and machi… ▽ More Smart manufacturing is a vision and major driver for change in industrial environments. The goal of smart manufacturing is to optimize manufacturing processes through constantly monitoring and adapting processes towards more efficient and personalised manufacturing. This requires and relies on technologies for connected machines incorporating a variety of computation, sensing, actuation, and machine to machine communications modalities. As such, understanding the change towards smart manufacturing requires knowledge of the enabling technologies, their applications in real world scenarios and the communications protocols that they rely on. This paper presents an extensive review of wireless machine to machine communication protocols currently applied in manufacturing environments and provides a comprehensive review of the associated use cases whilst defining their expected impact on the future of smart manufacturing. Based on the review, we point out a number of open challenges and directions for future research. △ Less

Submitted 13 August, 2022; originally announced August 2022.

Comments: The manuscript has been submitted to IEEE for possible publication

Towards Industry 5.0: Intelligent Reflecting Surface (IRS) in Smart Manufacturing

Authors: Md. Noor-A-Rahim, Fadhil Firyaguna, Jobish John, M. Omar Khyam, Dirk Pesch, Eddie Armstrong, Holger Claussen, H. Vincent Poor

Abstract: Industry 5.0 envisions close cooperation between humans and machines requiring ultra-reliable and low latency communications (URLLC). The Intelligent Reflecting Surface (IRS) has the potential to play a crucial role in realizing wireless URLLC for Industry 5.0. IRS is forecast to be a key enabler of 6G wireless communication networks as it can significantly improve wireless network performance by… ▽ More Industry 5.0 envisions close cooperation between humans and machines requiring ultra-reliable and low latency communications (URLLC). The Intelligent Reflecting Surface (IRS) has the potential to play a crucial role in realizing wireless URLLC for Industry 5.0. IRS is forecast to be a key enabler of 6G wireless communication networks as it can significantly improve wireless network performance by creating a controllable radio environment. In this paper, we first provide an overview of IRS technology and then conceptualize the potential for IRS implementation in a future smart manufacturing environment to support the emergence of Industry 5.0 with a series of applications. Finally, to stimulate future research in this area, we discuss the strength, open challenges, and opportunities of IRS technology in modern smart manufacturing. △ Less

Submitted 23 June, 2022; v1 submitted 6 January, 2022; originally announced January 2022.

Comments: Accepted in IEEE Communications Magazine

LUCID: Receiver-aware Model-based Data Communication for Low-power Wireless Networks

Authors: Indika S. A. Dhanapala, Ramona Marfievici, Dirk Pesch

Abstract: In the last decade, the advancement of the Internet of Things (IoT) has caused unlicensed radio spectrum, especially the 2.4 GHz ISM band, to be immensely crowded with smart wireless devices that are used in a wide range of application domains. Due to their diversity in radio resource use and channel access techniques, when collocated, these wireless devices create interference with each other, kn… ▽ More In the last decade, the advancement of the Internet of Things (IoT) has caused unlicensed radio spectrum, especially the 2.4 GHz ISM band, to be immensely crowded with smart wireless devices that are used in a wide range of application domains. Due to their diversity in radio resource use and channel access techniques, when collocated, these wireless devices create interference with each other, known as Cross-Technology Interference (CTI), which can lead to increased packet losses and energy consumption. CTI is a significant problem for low-power wireless networks, such as IEEE 802.15.4, as it decreases the overall dependability of the wireless network. To improve the performance of low-power wireless networks under CTI conditions, we propose a data-driven proactive receiver-aware MAC protocol, LUCID, based on interference estimation and white space prediction. We leverage statistical analysis of real-world traces from two indoor environments characterised by varying channel conditions to develop CTI prediction methods. The CTI models that generate accurate predictions of interference behaviour are an intrinsic part of our solution. LUCID is thoroughly evaluated in realistic simulations and we show that depending on the application data rate and the network size, our solution achieves higher dependability, 1.2% increase in packet delivery ratio and 0.02% decrease in duty-cycle under bursty indoor interference than state of the art alternative methods. △ Less

Submitted 5 July, 2021; originally announced July 2021.

Comments: 22 pages, 19 figures, 6 tables

MSC Class: 68M12 ACM Class: C.2.2

Social Behavior and Mental Health: A Snapshot Survey under COVID-19 Pandemic

Authors: Sahraoui Dhelim, Liming Luke Chen, Huansheng Ning, Sajal K Das, Chris Nugent, Devin Burns, Gerard Leavey, Dirk Pesch, Eleanor Bantry-White

Abstract: Online social media provides a channel for monitoring people's social behaviors and their mental distress. Due to the restrictions imposed by COVID-19 people are increasingly using online social networks to express their feelings. Consequently, there is a significant amount of diverse user-generated social media content. However, COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we live, study, socialize and… ▽ More Online social media provides a channel for monitoring people's social behaviors and their mental distress. Due to the restrictions imposed by COVID-19 people are increasingly using online social networks to express their feelings. Consequently, there is a significant amount of diverse user-generated social media content. However, COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we live, study, socialize and recreate and this has affected our well-being and mental health problems. There are growing researches that leverage online social media analysis to detect and assess user's mental status. In this paper, we survey the literature of social media analysis for mental disorders detection, with a special focus on the studies conducted in the context of COVID-19 during 2020-2021. Firstly, we classify the surveyed studies in terms of feature extraction types, varying from language usage patterns to aesthetic preferences and online behaviors. Secondly, we explore detection methods used for mental disorders detection including machine learning and deep learning detection methods. Finally, we discuss the challenges of mental disorder detection using social media data, including the privacy and ethical concerns, as well as the technical challenges of scaling and deploying such systems at large scales, and discuss the learnt lessons over the last few years. △ Less

Submitted 17 May, 2021; originally announced May 2021.

Comments: Submitted to ACM Computing Surveys

6G for Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) Communications: Enabling Technologies, Challenges, and Opportunities

Authors: Md. Noor-A-Rahim, Zilong Liu, Haeyoung Lee, M. Omar Khyam, Jianhua He, Dirk Pesch, Klaus Moessner, Walid Saad, H. Vincent Poor

Abstract: We are on the cusp of a new era of connected autonomous vehicles with unprecedented user experiences, tremendously improved road safety and air quality, highly diverse transportation environments and use cases, as well as a plethora of advanced applications. Realizing this grand vision requires a significantly enhanced vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication network which should be extremely int… ▽ More We are on the cusp of a new era of connected autonomous vehicles with unprecedented user experiences, tremendously improved road safety and air quality, highly diverse transportation environments and use cases, as well as a plethora of advanced applications. Realizing this grand vision requires a significantly enhanced vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication network which should be extremely intelligent and capable of concurrently supporting hyper-fast, ultra-reliable, and low-latency massive information exchange. It is anticipated that the sixth-generation (6G) communication systems will fulfill these requirements of the next-generation V2X. In this article, we outline a series of key enabling technologies from a range of domains, such as new materials, algorithms, and system architectures. Aiming for truly intelligent transportation systems, we envision that machine learning will play an instrumental role for advanced vehicular communication and networking. To this end, we provide an overview on the recent advances of machine learning in 6G vehicular networks. To stimulate future research in this area, we discuss the strength, open challenges, maturity, and enhancing areas of these technologies. △ Less

Submitted 1 May, 2022; v1 submitted 14 December, 2020; originally announced December 2020.

Machine Learning in Event-Triggered Control: Recent Advances and Open Issues

Authors: Leila Sedghi, Zohaib Ijaz, Md. Noor-A-Rahim, Kritchai Witheephanich, Dirk Pesch

Abstract: Networked control systems have gained considerable attention over the last decade as a result of the trend towards decentralised control applications and the emergence of cyber-physical system applications. However, real-world wireless networked control systems suffer from limited communication bandwidths, reliability issues, and a lack of awareness of network dynamics due to the complex nature of… ▽ More Networked control systems have gained considerable attention over the last decade as a result of the trend towards decentralised control applications and the emergence of cyber-physical system applications. However, real-world wireless networked control systems suffer from limited communication bandwidths, reliability issues, and a lack of awareness of network dynamics due to the complex nature of wireless networks. Combining machine learning and event-triggered control has the potential to alleviate some of these issues. For example, machine learning can be used to overcome the problem of a lack of network models by learning system behavior or adapting to dynamically changing models by continuously learning model dynamics. Event-triggered control can help to conserve communication bandwidth by transmitting control information only when necessary or when resources are available. The purpose of this article is to conduct a review of the literature on the use of machine learning in combination with event-triggered control. Machine learning techniques such as statistical learning, neural networks, and reinforcement learning-based approaches such as deep reinforcement learning are being investigated in combination with event-triggered control. We discuss how these learning algorithms can be used for different applications depending on the purpose of the machine learning use. Following the review and discussion of the literature, we highlight open research questions and challenges associated with machine learning-based event-triggered control and suggest potential solutions. △ Less

Submitted 9 August, 2022; v1 submitted 27 September, 2020; originally announced September 2020.

5G NR-V2X: Towards Connected and Cooperative Autonomous Driving

Authors: Hamidreza Bagheri, Md Noor-A-Rahim, Zilong Liu, Haeyoung Lee, Dirk Pesch, Klaus Moessner, Pei Xiao

Abstract: This paper is concerned with the key features and fundamental technology components for 5G New Radio (NR) for genuine realization of connected and cooperative autonomous driving. We discuss the major functionalities of physical layer, Sidelink features and its resource allocation, architecture flexibility, security and privacy mechanisms, and precise positioning techniques with an evolution path f… ▽ More This paper is concerned with the key features and fundamental technology components for 5G New Radio (NR) for genuine realization of connected and cooperative autonomous driving. We discuss the major functionalities of physical layer, Sidelink features and its resource allocation, architecture flexibility, security and privacy mechanisms, and precise positioning techniques with an evolution path from existing cellular vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology towards NR-V2X. Moreover, we envisage and highlight the potential of machine learning for further enhancement of various NR-V2X services. Lastly, we show how 5G NR can be configured to support advanced V2X use cases in autonomous driving. △ Less

Submitted 8 September, 2020; originally announced September 2020.

How to make Firmware Updates over LoRaWAN Possible

Authors: Khaled Abdelfadeel, Tom Farrell, David McDonald, Dirk Pesch

Abstract: Embedded software management requirements due to concerns about security vulnerabilities or for feature updates in the Internet of Things (IoT) deployments have raised the need for Firmware Update Over The Air (FUOTA). With FUOTA's support, security updates, new functionalities, and optimization patches can be deployed with little human intervention to embedded devices over their lifetime. However… ▽ More Embedded software management requirements due to concerns about security vulnerabilities or for feature updates in the Internet of Things (IoT) deployments have raised the need for Firmware Update Over The Air (FUOTA). With FUOTA's support, security updates, new functionalities, and optimization patches can be deployed with little human intervention to embedded devices over their lifetime. However, supporting FUTOA over one of the most promising IoT networking technologies, LoRaWAN, is not a straightforward task due to LoRaWAN's limitations that do not provide for data bulk transfer such as a firmware image. Therefore, the LoRa Alliance has proposed new specifications to support multicast, fragmentation, and clock synchronization, which are essential features to enable efficient FUOTA in LoRaWAN. In this paper, we review these new specifications and evaluate the FUOTA process in order to quantify the impact of the different FUOTA parameters in terms of the firmware update time, the device's energy consumption, and the firmware update efficiency, showing different trade-offs among the parameters. For this, we developed FUOTASim, a simulation tool that allows us to determine the best FUOTA parameters. △ Less

Submitted 20 February, 2020; originally announced February 2020.

A Survey on Resource Allocation in Vehicular Networks

Authors: Md. Noor-A-Rahim, Zilong Liu, Haeyoung Lee, G. G. Md. Nawaz Ali, Dirk Pesch, Pei Xiao

Abstract: Vehicular networks, an enabling technology for Intelligent Transportation System (ITS), smart cities, and autonomous driving, can deliver numerous on-board data services, e.g., road-safety, easy navigation, traffic efficiency, comfort driving, infotainment, etc. Providing satisfactory Quality of Service (QoS) in vehicular networks, however, is a challenging task due to a number of limiting factors… ▽ More Vehicular networks, an enabling technology for Intelligent Transportation System (ITS), smart cities, and autonomous driving, can deliver numerous on-board data services, e.g., road-safety, easy navigation, traffic efficiency, comfort driving, infotainment, etc. Providing satisfactory Quality of Service (QoS) in vehicular networks, however, is a challenging task due to a number of limiting factors such as erroneous and congested wireless channels (due to high mobility or uncoordinated channel-access), increasingly fragmented and congested spectrum, hardware imperfections, and anticipated growth of vehicular communication devices. Therefore, it will be critical to allocate and utilize the available wireless network resources in an ultra-efficient manner. In this paper, we present a comprehensive survey on resource allocation schemes for the two dominant vehicular network technologies, e.g. Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) and cellular based vehicular networks. We discuss the challenges and opportunities for resource allocations in modern vehicular networks and outline a number of promising future research directions. △ Less

Submitted 24 August, 2020; v1 submitted 30 September, 2019; originally announced September 2019.

FREE -- Fine-grained Scheduling for Reliable and Energy Efficient Data Collection in LoRaWAN

Authors: Khaled Q. Abdelfadeel, Dimitrios Zorbas, Victor Cionca, Dirk Pesch

Abstract: LoRaWAN promises to provide wide-area network access to low-cost devices that can operate for up to 10 years on a single 1000 mAh battery. This makes LoRaWAN particularly suited to data collection applications (e.g. monitoring applications), where device lifetime is a key performance metric. However, when supporting a large number of devices, LoRaWAN suffers from a scalability issue due to the hig… ▽ More LoRaWAN promises to provide wide-area network access to low-cost devices that can operate for up to 10 years on a single 1000 mAh battery. This makes LoRaWAN particularly suited to data collection applications (e.g. monitoring applications), where device lifetime is a key performance metric. However, when supporting a large number of devices, LoRaWAN suffers from a scalability issue due to the high collision probability of its Aloha-based MAC layer. The performance worsens further when using acknowledged transmissions due to the duty cycle restriction at the gateway. For this, we propose FREE, a fine-grained scheduling scheme for reliable and energy-efficient data collection in LoRaWAN. FREE takes advantage of applications that do not have hard delay requirements on data delivery by supporting synchronized bulk data transmission. This means data is buffered for transmission in scheduled time slots instead of transmitted straight away. FREE allocates spreading factors, transmission powers, frequency channels, time slots, and schedules slots in frames for LoRaWAN end-devices. As a result, FREE overcomes the scalability problem of LoRaWAN by eliminating collisions and grouping acknowledgments. We evaluate the performance of FREE versus different legacy LoRaWAN configurations. The numerical results show that FREE scales well and achieves almost 100% data delivery and the device lifetime is estimated to over 10 years independent of traffic type and network size. Comparing to poor scalability, low data delivery and device lifetime of fewer than 2 years for acknowledged data traffic in the standard LoRaWAN configurations. △ Less

Submitted 24 October, 2019; v1 submitted 13 December, 2018; originally announced December 2018.

Comments: 16 pages, 8 figures, 5 tables, and 2 algorithms

Fair Adaptive Data Rate Allocation and Power Control in LoRaWAN

Authors: Khaled Q. Abdelfadeel, Victor Cionca, Dirk Pesch

Abstract: In this paper, we present results of a study of the data rate fairness among nodes within a LoRaWAN cell. Since LoRa/LoRaWAN supports various data rates, we firstly derive the fairest ratios of deploying each data rate within a cell for a fair collision probability. LoRa/LoRaWAN, like other frequency modulation based radio interfaces, exhibits the \textit{capture effect} in which only the stronger… ▽ More In this paper, we present results of a study of the data rate fairness among nodes within a LoRaWAN cell. Since LoRa/LoRaWAN supports various data rates, we firstly derive the fairest ratios of deploying each data rate within a cell for a fair collision probability. LoRa/LoRaWAN, like other frequency modulation based radio interfaces, exhibits the \textit{capture effect} in which only the stronger signal of colliding signals will be extracted. This leads to unfairness, where far nodes or nodes experiencing higher attenuation are less likely to see their packets received correctly. Therefore, we secondly develop a transmission power control algorithm to balance the received signal powers from all nodes regardless of their distances from the gateway for a fair data extraction. Simulations show that our approach achieves higher fairness in data rate than the state-of-art in almost all network configurations. △ Less

Submitted 28 February, 2018; originally announced February 2018.

Comments: 9 pages, 7 figures, 1 algorithm, submitted to WoWMoM 2018

A Fair Adaptive Data Rate Algorithm for LoRaWAN

Authors: Khaled Q. Abdelfadeel, Victor Cionca, Dirk Pesch

Abstract: LoRaWAN exhibits several characteristics that can lead to an unfair distribution of the Data Extracted Rate (DER) among nodes. Firstly, the capture effect leads to a strong signal suppressing a weaker signal at the gateway and secondly, the spreading codes used are not perfectly orthogonal, causing packet loss if an interfering signal is strong enough. In these conditions, nodes experiencing highe… ▽ More LoRaWAN exhibits several characteristics that can lead to an unfair distribution of the Data Extracted Rate (DER) among nodes. Firstly, the capture effect leads to a strong signal suppressing a weaker signal at the gateway and secondly, the spreading codes used are not perfectly orthogonal, causing packet loss if an interfering signal is strong enough. In these conditions, nodes experiencing higher attenuation are less likely to see their packets received correctly. We develop FADR, a Fair Adaptive Data Rate algorithm for LoRaWAN that exploits the different Spreading Factors (SFs) and Transmission Powers (TPs) settings available in LoRa to achieve a fair Data Extraction Rate among all nodes while at the same time avoiding excessively high TPs. Simulations show that FADR, in highly congested cells, achieves 300% higher fairness than the minimum airtime allocation approach and 22% higher fairness than Brechts approach, while consuming almost 22% lower energy. △ Less

Submitted 1 January, 2018; originally announced January 2018.

Comments: 2 pages, 6 figures and 1 algorithm

Modeling WiFi Traffic for White Space Prediction in Wireless Sensor Networks

Authors: Indika S. A. Dhanapala, Ramona Marfievici, Sameera Palipana, Piyush Agrawal, Dirk Pesch

Abstract: Cross Technology Interference (CTI) is a prevalent phenomenon in the 2.4 GHz unlicensed spectrum causing packet losses and increased channel contention. In particular, WiFi interference is a severe problem for low-power wireless networks as its presence causes a significant degradation of the overall performance. In this paper, we propose a proactive approach based on WiFi interference modeling fo… ▽ More Cross Technology Interference (CTI) is a prevalent phenomenon in the 2.4 GHz unlicensed spectrum causing packet losses and increased channel contention. In particular, WiFi interference is a severe problem for low-power wireless networks as its presence causes a significant degradation of the overall performance. In this paper, we propose a proactive approach based on WiFi interference modeling for accurately predicting transmission opportunities for low-power wireless networks. We leverage statistical analysis of real-world WiFi traces to learn aggregated traffic characteristics in terms of Inter-Arrival Time (IAT) that, once captured into a specific 2nd order Markov Modulated Poisson Process (MMPP(2)) model, enable accurate estimation of interference. We further use a hidden Markov model (HMM) for channel occupancy prediction. We evaluated the performance of i) the MMPP(2) traffic model w.r.t. real-world traces and an existing Pareto model for accurately characterizing the WiFi traffic and, ii) compared the HMM based white space prediction to random channel access. We report encouraging results for using interference modeling for white space prediction. △ Less

Submitted 26 September, 2017; originally announced September 2017.

Comments: This is the extended version of the paper "Modeling WiFi Traffic for White Space Prediction in Wireless Sensor Networks" accepted for publication at the 42nd IEEE Conference on Local Computer Networks (LCN), October 9-12, 2017, Singapore. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other uses

LSCHC: Layered Static Context Header Compression for LPWANs

Authors: Khaled Q. Abdelfadeel, Victor Cionca, Dirk Pesch

Abstract: Supporting IPv6/UDP/CoAP protocols over Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWANs) can bring open networking, interconnection, and cooperation to this new type of Internet of Things networks. However, accommodating these protocols over these very low bandwidth networks requires efficient header compression schemes to meet the limited frame size of these networks, where only one or two octets are availa… ▽ More Supporting IPv6/UDP/CoAP protocols over Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWANs) can bring open networking, interconnection, and cooperation to this new type of Internet of Things networks. However, accommodating these protocols over these very low bandwidth networks requires efficient header compression schemes to meet the limited frame size of these networks, where only one or two octets are available to transmit all headers. Recently, the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) LPWAN working group drafted the Static Context Header Compression (SCHC), a new header compression scheme for LPWANs, which can provide a good compression factor without complex synchronization. In this paper, we present an implementation and evaluation of SCHC. We compare SCHC with IPHC, which also targets constrained networks. Additionally, we propose an enhancement of SCHC, Layered SCHC (LSCHC). LSCHC is a layered context that reduces memory consumption and processing complexity, and adds flexibility when compressing packets. Finally, we perform calculations to show the impact of SCHC/LSCHC on an example LPWAN technology, e.g. LoRaWAN, from the point of view of transmission time and reliability. △ Less

Submitted 17 August, 2017; originally announced August 2017.

Comments: 6 pages, 8 figures, accepted fir publication in CHANTS workshop in ACM MobiCom