Dense heterogeneous networks constitute the paradigm for the future networks. In fact, recent studies demonstrate that the data traffic demand increases exponentially and the traditional cellular networks are not able to provide enough capacity. For this reason operators and standardisation bodies are particularly eager to solve the problem, hence there is a lot of ongoing research on this direction. In this paper we focus on extremely dense networks, that could be found, e.g., in crowded public places or in offices. In such deployments, energy consumption must be kept proportional to the traffic dispatched, otherwise operational costs will render them unsustainable from an economic perspective. In this paper, we propose a network model for the estimation of the power consumption of an LTE dense network of small cells, which takes into account the backhaul network. Furthermore, we introduce a new mechanism for the association of the users to base stations, aiming at minimizing the energy consumption of the LTE access network. The achieved trade-off among capacity and power consumption is then evaluated by means of a classical association policy that connects each user to the base station which received signal is the strongest.
Everyday activities and tasks should in theory be easily carried by everyone, including the blind. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has been widely used for supporting solutions. However, the solutions can be problematic for the visually impaired since familiarity with digital devices is often required. Or, indeed the procedure can be perceived as fiddly or impractical particularly for repetitive tasks due to the number/type of steps required to complete the task. This paper introduces a simple audio-based tool aimed at supporting visually-impaired people in the seemingly simple activity of checking whether the light in a room is on or off. It is an example of potential low tech devices that can be designed without the need for specific skills or knowledge by the user, and that functions in a practical way. In this context, we discuss the main issues and considerations for totally blind users in identifying whether a light is switched on. The proposed prototype is based on a simple circuit and a form of auditory feedback which informs the user whether they are switching on or off the light. Two prototypes have been designed and built for two different kinds of installation. For the subsequent second prototype, three different versions are proposed to provide a blind person with further support in easily identifying the light status at home. The new design includes enhanced auditory feedback and modifications to the dimensions. The evaluation conducted by involving various groups of endusers revealed the usefulness of the proposed tool. In addition, a survey conducted with 100 visually-impaired people reported the limitations and difficulties encountered by the blind in using existing devices. Moreover, the study revealed the interest from 94% of the participants for a potential (new) basic tool integrable with the existing lighting system.This study gives a contribution in the ambient intelligence field by (1) showing how an auditory-based tool can be used to support totally blind people to check the lights in an autonomous and relatively simple way; (2) proposing an idea that can be exploited in other application cases that use light feedback; and (3) proposing seven potential recommendations for designing assistive technology tools and common everyday devices, based on information gathered from the online survey.
The deployment of more sustainable land transportation is a non-debatable global issue. It is generally agreed that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) will play the role of the main enabler to achieve the ambitious objective of improving transportation efficiency, thus reducing pollution, time and resource wastage, and accidents. In this paper we first discuss the general architecture of the ICT infrastructure for the new generation of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITSs). Then, we focus on the data network for transferring information between the devices that are installed road-side and in the vehicles, and the data center where the actual storage and logic resides. Specifically, the state-of-theart on wireless technologies that can be used to this purpose is reviewed, and one solution is investigated in details by also providing results from preliminary laboratory trials showing its effectiveness in practical scenarios.
Decentralized control of a large number of agents acting as a single swarm is an active ¯eld of research. More recently the problem of how to instruct the swarm to perform certain tasks, and in particular, how to interface the swarm to a human operator has arisen. This paper describes a Human Swarm Interface under development at University of Pisa which aims at providing the human operator with an easy to use display console and an input device which allows him/her to intuitively control and monitor a swarm position and shape over time. The swarm position and shape is de¯ned using an abstraction based approach; each single swarm agent estimates the swarm state via a distributed consensus algorithm and moves according to a steepest descent algorithm toward minimization of the error between human operator command and swarm state. The paper presents some new developments of the DEAS testbed as well, where the proposed interface is implemented and tested, which face the issues of inter agent synchronization and con°ict-free wireless communications. Simulation and experimental results are shown
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.