Molecular Communication and Networking: Opportunities and Challenges

Abstract

The ability of engineered biological nanomachines to communicate with biological systems at the molecular level is anticipated to enable future applications such as monitoring the condition of a human body, regenerating biological tissues and organs, and interfacing artificial devices with neural systems. From the viewpoint of communication theory and engineering, molecular communication is proposed as a new paradigm for engineered biological nanomachines to communicate with the natural biological nanomachines which form a biological system. Distinct from the current telecommunication paradigm, molecular communication uses molecules as the carriers of information; sender biological nanomachines encode information on molecules and release the molecules in the environment, the molecules then propagate in the environment to receiver biological nanomachines, and the receiver biological nanomachines biochemically react with the molecules to decode information. Current molecular communication research is limited to small-scale networks of several biological nanomachines. Key challenges to bridge the gap between current research and practical applications include developing robust and scalable techniques to create a functional network from a large number of biological nanomachines. Developing networking mechanisms and communication protocols is anticipated to introduce new avenues into integrating engineered and natural biological nanomachines into a single networked system. In this paper, we present the state-of-the-art in the area of molecular communication by discussing its architecture, features, applications, design, engineering, and physical modeling. We then discuss challenges and opportunities in developing networking mechanisms and communication protocols to create a network from a large number of bio-nanomachines for future applications.

A vertical channel model of molecular communication and its test-bed

“…The MCvD system [20] is shown in Figure 1. The general processes of MCvD system include Encoding, Sending(Emission), Propagation(Diffusion), Reception(Absorption), and Decoding [6,[21][22][23]. Encoding is the process in which a transmitter node translates information into information molecules that the receiver node can detect.…”

On the capacity of diffusion-based molecular communications with SiNW FET-based receiver

“…MC has been studied from several perspectives, including that of information theory [3], [4]. However, except for a few studies, the design of transceiving units and corresponding physical limitations have been largely neglected in the literature.…”

“…In our recent review of design options for the MC receiver, we justify that nanobioelectronic designs are feasible and more convenient in most cases [6]. Electrical output of a nanobioelectronic receiver provides the advantage of highspeed information processing, making the design more suitable for the complex communication schemes and protocols developed for MC [4].…”

Establishing A Molecular Communication Channel for Nano Networks

“…Such networks are termed as "Nano networks". An exhaustive overview of nano networking concepts can be found in [2,3]. Nano machines connected in nano network may communicate with each other using technologies like electromagnetic, acoustic, nano-mechanical or molecular.…”

“…Passive transport can be either by using calcium signalling or by diffusion. This type of transport can be used for long range communications (mm to km) [3,4,5]. MC is stochastic in nature, exhibits a large delay and shorter range compared to telecommunication.…”