WNCG faculty have strong interests in wireless networking algorithms, architecture and technology. Our interests cover all aspects of the design and analysis of algorithms, implementation and architecture issues, as well as security and management issues.
Mesh Networks
A mesh network consists of a large collection of low-cost wireless nodes that dynamically configure and cooperate in order to provide overlapping and redundant coverage over large areas. These networks are currently in their infancy, but initial deployments indicate great promise. However, for this technology to mature, a wide array of technical issues need to be addressed: how to dynamically reconfigure during massive failures (e.g., a large fraction of the nodes are destroyed); how to securely support a mixture of traffic types such as voice, video and data efficiently in real-time; how to rapidly adapt in a cognitive manner in the presence of dynamic spectrum, radio and hardware resources; how to design and deploy evolvable mesh networks to enable the latest wireless technologies to be constantly incorporated; and perhaps most importantly, how to do so in an autonomous manner with minimal human intervention. (de Veciana, Heath, Nettles, Qiu, Shakkottai)
Mobile Ad hoc Networks (MANETs)
The design and analysis of algorithms and architecture of mobile ad hoc networks -- where mobile nodes cooperate to relay information without the aid of large-scale fixed infrastructure -- are of critical importance in many applications (e.g. emergency responders, battlefield scenarios). WNCG faculty are actively researching fundamental performance bounds as well as PHY and network algorithms for providing performance guarantees (e.g. throughput, delay, robustness) over MANETs. (Andrews, de Veciana, Heath, Nettles, Qiu, Shakkottai, Vishwanath)
Sensor Networks
With the emergence of a variety of low cost sensing and actuating capabilities, sensor networks that combine sensing, computation and wireless networking are impacting a wide range of applications (e.g., manufacturing, environmental sensing, distributed surveillance). (de Veciana, Shakkottai)
Wireless network management and security
Sending traffic through other relay nodes may raise privacy and security concerns. To address the privacy concerns, we can use end-to-end encryptions. To prevent man-in-the-middle attacks, we need to verify that the relay nodes indeed perform the forwarding. Developing algorithms and methods for addressing these issues with minimal human management and intervention is of current interest. (Qiu and Vishwanath)
Control and optimization over wireless networks
There are two aspects on this front: a) Joint design of communication and control systems and b) Use of system and optimization-theoretic tools to analyze and design networks. (Arapostathis, Caramanis and Shakkottai)