This EAGER project will deploy an experimental wireless testbed in the downtown area of Philadelphia. The proposed testbed will be based on WiMAX technologies and will be jointly administered by Temple and Drexel University faculty with a wide range of expertise, including wireless networks, sensor applications and wireless security. The proposed platform is unique and has the following characteristics: (a) Open Access. The testbed will be integrated into GENI, which has a national footprint and is available at many campuses across the country. (b) Urban location. The projected coverage area includes a metropolitan downtown area with many tall buildings and competing wireless services. (c) Potential for expansion. At this initial stage, two base stations are planned, one on each campus. But both Temple and Drexel have other buildings across the city where more base stations can be located in the future. (d) Alignment with Digital Philadelphia. This project is a good match with the current vision for Philadelphia, which seeks to provide gigabit connectivity throughout the City. Specifically, the PIs will 1) complete the installation and testing of the testbed and the corresponding hardware (smartphones, laptops, sensors and vehicular devices), 2) integrate the testbed with GENI, and 3) carry out experiments that make extensive use of the testbed. The current portfolio of experiments include air quality sensor networks for urban environmental monitoring, WiMAX-based data network for law enforcement, mobile content delivery networks, sensor-based telemedicine, and location-based services for tourists. In terms of broader impacts, the proposed testbed will serve the research community, allowing a realistic platform on which to conduct experiments not possible elsewhere. In addition, the testbed will be integrated into classes at Drexel and Temple, facilitating the education and training of undergraduate and graduate students in next generation wireless networking, large-systems research. The testbed will also be used in outreach to local middle and high school students.
The popularity of wireless networks have led to significant investments in next generation wire- less technologies such as WiMAX and LTE. These new technologies promise, among other things, better coverage and higher bandwidth rates, than existing WiFi networks. Given the popularity of smartphones together with peoples’ demand for richer mobile content, these new wireless technologies are poised to play an important role in the future of wireless communication. The objective of this project is to build an open, large-scale, outdoor wireless testbed to advance the state of next generation wireless network research in the United States. Deploying a WiMAX network in an urban area involves higher risk due to the interference and multipath effects from clusters of office buildings. The payoff will be great, since urban cities are the prime candidates for this type of network. The research platform that has been constructed through this project has the following unique characteristics: Open access. The testbed is designed to be integrated into the GENI framework, an ambitious experimental platform for future Internet research. This will facilitate easy access for researchers from other institutions. Urban location. The projected coverage area includes a metropolitan downtown area with many tall buildings and competing wireless services (the coverage area will co-exist with commercial WiMAX providers). This type of environment is more representative of urban and densely populated areas as compared to indoor or rural environments. The WiMAX base station will be installed on top of Millennium Hall in Drexel University’s campus. The equipment includes two WiMAX base stations, antennas, and a Linux server. Two base stations will be installed, each of which will cover a 120 degree sector area. The antennas will be placed on the 18th floor roof of Millennium Hall along a mast of height less than 6 meters to meet the FCC guidelines. Due to the complexity of installing high-powered wireless equipment on the top of a 17-story building, installation of the WiMAX base station has taken longer than originally expected, though progress is still being made. The hardware selected for the WiMAX basestation is the Airspan Air4G platform. This platform provides the required functionality and is the selected platform choice for the GENI network. In order to coordinate with the existing GENI network, and leverage work done by universities participating in the group, Drexel has chosen the same base station hardware for use in their WiMAX network. The site selected for base station installation is Drexel’s Millennium Hall residence hall located at 34th and Powelton Ave in Philadelphia, PA. This location provides a tall building suitable for mounting base station hardware, while targeting the surrounding area of interest for various experiments and outreach activities. The basestation support equipment and servers were originally planned to go into the building's "elevator room" on the roof, though unforseen limitations has caused the team to pick a new location for the equipment. A work order has been submitted to set up a shelf to house the equipment inside the building, though this process has encountered a few issues and is still awaiting installation. Due the sensitive location of the base station, Drexel contracted Mainstay Engineering to design a mast structure for mounting the Airspan Air4G base station hardware. Because of the height of the building, the mast structure must take into account unique public safety concerns. Drexel University’s mast structure supports a 3 ft. high base station manufactured by Airspan at a clear elevation of 10 ft. above the base roof structure and stairs. This is done to provide a safe distance from the emitting antenna to people in the building or working on the roof. Support is done via a galvanized steel tube assembly bolted directly to the roof structure of Millennium Hall adjacent to the corner of the building. Figure 4 shows a design drawing of the mast structure. The mast structure provides a covered staircase to a raised platform. This raised platform pro- vides access to two masts that can support the mounting of the Airspan Air4G base station hardware. The mast design takes into account various aspects of public safety and weather-related precautions to make sure the installed structure is safe and functional. The design and manufacturing of the mast has been completed. The mast was installed on March 27th, 2014 and Kiva Networks has been selected to install the base station hardware on the mast once the shelving system to hold the support equipment is in place. The installation of the basestation hardware has required coordination and permitting from Drexel University, the city of Philadelphia, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). In addition, the fabrication, installation, and mounting of necessary hardware has been contracted to P. Agnes Construction, and KIVA Networks for their expertise in these fields.
