With this project the Center for Wireless Information Network Studies (CWINS) at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) aims to significantly enhance their research activities in wireless networks for multi-media applications with the support of an experimental wireless LAN testbed that will be used to construct a test environment for multi-layer design and performance monitoring. In this testbed, researchers working at all layers of the network will conduct their research to evaluate the impact of the wireless broadband access on the design and performance analysis. Multimedia services such as voice, text and image streams will be provided to terminals dispersed over the geographical area covered by the testbed. The requested equipment includes wireless access points, a central router and switch, a network management and monitoring software, laptop computers, PDAs, wireless LAN IP phones, and head mounted displays. Other requested equipment includes network analyzer, spectrum analyzer, and RF power meter for physical layer scenario development as well as traffic generator and protocol analyzers for packet generation and performance monitoring, the wireless LAN Network Interface Cards (NIC) include IEEE 802.11 as well as Bluetooth NIC cards for both laptop computers and PDAs.
With acquisition of this instrumentation we further current research and make the following intellectual contributions:
Development of analytical and simulation models and benchmarks for multi-layer performance evaluation of multi-media location-aware wireless networks using various wireless LAN technologies and different interference scenarios. Design of distributed architectures to support interactive location-aware networked 3D graphics applications. Emphasis would be on the development of power efficient 3D graphics for mobile users with low precision displays, limited storage and CPU capabilities. Integration of existing ad-hoc network solutions that have been proposed at the ETSI MANET group, to understand and model their behavior in real network scenarios. Study of the performance of the emerging wireless network security protocols, specifically, to understand the impact of the wireless medium on the newly adopted Advanced Encryption Standard, which will replace the old Data Encryption Standard in all government, corporate and individual communications. Development and analysis of audio and video streaming protocols using wireless medium in specific emerging applications such as home networking where streaming is challenging. Development of radio propagation model for indoor positioning and UWB communications using frequencies up to several tens of GHz. Development, testing and demonstration of a software radio platform for various modulation techniques for educational purposes.
Broader Impact: Several faculty members, graduate students and senior undergraduates in the ECE and CS departments at the CWINS will share the use of this equipment with others involved in the Computer Communication Networks (CCN) program to develop, examine and implement the above seven research and educational projects.
