B8397 - INTERNET OF THINGS M

Learning outcomes

This course introduces wireless communications for the Internet of Things (IoT). The course will describe the most used wireless technologies enabling the deployment of IoT networks. The theoretical part of the course will provide to students skills for designing an IoT network, accounting for connectivity, medium access control layer and routing issues, while considering the propagation environment where the network is located. Laboratory activities will allow students to use wireless devices to setup and run small IoT networks in a realistic environment and study their performance.

Course contents

The course is divided into three parts: 1) Theoretical part; 2) Laboratory sessions; 3) Seminars on case studies.

In the first part (approx. 25 hours) lectures will be dedicated to present IoT protocols to be used at the different layers, which are physical, medium access control (MAC), network and application layers. Main focus will be on MAC and network layer protocols, where some guidelines for the design will be given.

In the laboratory sessions (approx. 25 hours, starting from middle Oct.) is concerned students will have possibility to program MC1322 Freescale 802.15.4-compliant devices in order to setup a real IoT network. On one hand, the laboratory activities will consist in the observation of the network behavior (e.g., network formation, data transmission, etc.) and measurement of some performance metrics (e.g., throughput and delays). On the other hand, students will have the opportunity to implement their own applications and measure performance metrics when considering different parameter settings.

The third part (approx. 10 hours) seminars, dealing with some research hot topics and applications, like smart city, smart buildings and smart manufacturing, will be presented.

Prerequisites: it is requested students have knowledge of basic aspects of Telecommunications. In particular, basics concepts on spectrum analysis, modulations, thermal noise, performance of pass-band systems, basics of antennas and propagations in wireless medium.

Readings/Bibliography

Slidesets and material made available by the instructor.

Suggested book for students without background on telecommunications signal and systems: A. Bruce Carlson, "Communication Systems: An Introduction to Signals and Noise in Electrical Communication", ed. by Mcraw-Hill International Editions. The following Sections are those useful to follow the course: 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3. Send an email to Prof. Buratti to requested the book.

Slides of the course will be available on VIRTUALE.

Teaching methods

Chalk and Talk - approx. 25 hours

Lab sessions (performed in groups of maximum 3 people) - approx. 25 hours

Problem and Enquiry sessions - approx. 10 hours

Assessment methods

The exam will be composed of: 1) one open book (notes available) written part, including exercises on PHY and MAC layers (result: passed/borderline/not passed); 2) oral exam. In case the result of the written part is borderline, the oral is composed of: i) one question on the written part (PHY and MAC layers); ii) one question on the second part of the course, that is network and application layers; iii) 10 minutes presentation (with power point slides) on the laboratory activity. In case the result of the written part is passed, question i) above is skipped.

The presentation of the lab activity could be based on: i) one of the activity performed in Lab1 during the course and the related measurement results OR ii) a project invented, devised and implemented by the students. The latter project could be performed in group of maximum 3 people.

The final mark will be based on the performance achieved during the oral exam. The mark at the oral is derived as follows: starting from 30 and decreasing at each wrong reply. Laude is considered only for students presenting projects (option ii above) for the lab activity.

Students with specific learning disorders (SLD) or temporary/permanent disabilities:

We recommend contacting the University Office responsible for support services in a timely manner (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en ). The office will evaluate the students' needs and, where appropriate, propose possible accommodations. These must in any case be submitted for approval at least 15 days in advance to the course instructor, who will assess their suitability also in relation to the learning objectives of the course.

 

Teaching tools

Laboratory: Freescale 802.15.4-compliant devices, sniffers, PCs.

Theoretical part tools: Slides, books, scientific papers.

Office hours

See the website of Chiara Buratti