MRI/Dev.: Mobile WARP: Platform for Next Generation Wireless Networks & Mobile Applications
This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).
Project Proposed: This collaborative project, developing a mobile, open, and all-layers programmable platform for wireless communication systems research, supports the design, development, and dissemination of a community platform instrument, for collaborative architecting next-generation wireless networks and mobile applications, including medical applications. Wireless Open-Access Research Platform (mobileWARP), targets fundamental new research for next generation mobile network clients. The work involves the following thrusts: - Programmable and Context-Aware Mobile Platform, - True Cross-Layer Design Flows, and - Open-Access for Research and Education. Mobile WARP will be completely reprogrammable at all 7 layers of the networking stack and will support a touch-based user interface to develop state-of-the-art applications. With battery-operated portable form factor, it will integrate context measurements from a variety of sensors (location, motion, power consumption, and health) and enable fundamentally new ideas in context-aware networking and applications. Two new design flows will be developed in support of the new hardware, one for the design of energy-efficient networking components on mobile handsets and the other for the design of mobile applications. Each design flow will be architected such that researchers at each layer do not have to learn any programming languages that they traditionally do not use. Lastly, to realize community-powered development, every part of mobileWARP will be open source: hardware designs, sensor subsystems, and all layers of the networking stack. Semester-long courses, laboratory exercises, operational reference designs, and hands-on mobileWARP workshops will also be developed. Reprogrammability at all layers ensures that clean state designs can be verified in a realistic design and testing environment. The platform opens an opportunity to explore merging application domains that could revolutionize the use of wireless. An important category of mobile healthcare for chronic illnesses will serve as a concrete example. Emphasis will be placed on always-available, ultra-low power designs for sensor, processing, and wireless subsystems.
Broader Impacts: Embodying a bold convergence concept, and with a potential for transformative change in wireless networking and mobile applications, the project directly impacts diverse research communities, cross-cutting multiple areas and application domains, including mobile healthcare for chronic illnesses. Furthermore, courses developed, as well as laboratory exercises, allow students to explore all layers of wireless radio communication.
