NetSE:Large: MONACO: Fundamentals of Molecular Nano-Communication Networks

NetSE：大：MONACO：分子纳米通信网络的基础知识

• 批准号: 1110947
• 负责人: Ian Akyildiz
• 金额: $ 300万
• 依托单位: Georgia Tech Research Corporation
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-09-15 至 2016-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1110947&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: NetSE; Large; MONACO; Fundamentals; Molecular

Nanotechnologies are providing a new set of tools to the engineering community to design and manufacture devices in a scale ranging from one to a few hundred nanometers. At this scale, a nanomachine is defined as the most basic functional unit, which is able to perform only very simple tasks, such as computing, data storing, sensing and actuation. Nanonetworks, i.e., the interconnection of nanomachines in networks, will expand the capabilities of single nano-devices by providing them a way to cooperate and share information. Traditional communication technologies based on electromagnetic waves need to undergo a profound rethinking in order to meet the requirements of these networks. Moreover, there are specific applications of nanonetworks in which the utilization of electromagnetic waves is not feasible, such as in intra-body applications. Alternatively, molecular communication, i.e., the use of molecules to encode and transmit information among nanomachines, represents a radically new communication paradigm that demands novel solutions, including the identification of existing molecular communication mechanisms, the establishment of the foundations of molecular information theory, or the development of architectures and networking protocols for nanomachines. This project will address the above challenges to realize this new communication paradigm.Intellectual Merit: This project seeks to develop a research area spanning across diverse fields, which include communication and information theory, computer science and biology. Specifically, this project will make contributions along four broad directions. First, the researchers will develop Theoretical Foundations of Molecular Nanonetworks, which include the definition and modeling of the attenuation, delay and noises affecting the emission, propagation, and reception processes in molecular communication. In addition, they will analyze the information capacity of nanonetworks first for a network with only two nodes and then for a network with N nodes, for which the effect of interference and collaborative communication will be taken into account. Second, the researchers will design Protocols for Molecular Nanonetworks based on the development of novel principles, primitives and services. Third, the researchers will implement a Simulation Tool for Molecular Nanonetworks in order to validate the information theoretical results as well as to evaluate the performance of the proposed protocols, by accounting for the interactions in the network molecule by molecule. Finally, the researchers will develop an Experimental Validation Platform for Molecular Nanonetworks by using a concrete testbed based on bacteria communication to verify the correctness of the information theoretical results and the protocols developed within the project.Broader Impact: The project will pave the way for research in nanoscale communication. The outcomes of this work is expected to have a significant impact on research in nanotechnology, biology and information and communication technologies, since this project will represent the entrance of these three main communities to this converging field and will follow a realistic and integrated approach. The range of potential applications of nanonetworks is astonishingly wide, covering from intra-body networks for health monitoring, cancer detection or drug delivery, amongst others, to chemical attack prevention systems. The principal investigators teach a variety of classes in Georgia Tech spanning information theory, network algorithms, communication protocols and biology. They will immediately incorporate output from the proposed research into their classes. The team will develop an open source simulation tool to test the solutions developed and the tool will be made available for public use. This tool will represent the first simulation tool for molecular nanonetworks and will also be used in class projects as an educational tool to provide insights and deep understanding of nanosensor/actuator networks. Scientific results will be disseminated at international conferences, journals and magazines in the field.

纳米技术正在为工程界提供一套新的工具，以设计和制造从一纳米到几百纳米的设备。在这个尺度上，纳米机器被定义为最基本的功能单元，它只能执行非常简单的任务，如计算、数据存储、传感和驱动。纳米网络，即网络中纳米机器的互联，将通过为单个纳米设备提供合作和共享信息的方式来扩展它们的能力。传统的基于电磁波的通信技术需要进行深刻的反思，以适应这些网络的要求。此外，在纳米网络的特定应用中，利用电磁波是不可行的，例如在体内应用。另一方面，分子通信，即使用分子在纳米机器之间编码和传输信息，代表了一种全新的通信范式，它需要新的解决方案，包括识别现有的分子通信机制，建立分子信息论的基础，或开发纳米机器的体系结构和联网协议。该项目将解决上述挑战，以实现这一新的通信范式。智力优势：该项目寻求发展一个跨越不同领域的研究领域，包括通信和信息理论、计算机科学和生物学。具体地说，这个项目将沿着四个大方向做出贡献。首先，研究人员将发展分子纳米网络的理论基础，包括分子通信中影响发射、传播和接收过程的衰减、延迟和噪声的定义和建模。此外，他们还将分析纳米网络的信息容量，首先分析只有两个节点的网络，然后分析N个节点的网络，其中将考虑干扰和协作通信的影响。其次，研究人员将基于新原理、原语和服务的开发来设计分子纳米网络的协议。第三，研究人员将实现一个分子纳米网络模拟工具，以验证信息理论结果以及评估所提出的协议的性能，通过逐个分子地考虑网络中的相互作用。最后，研究人员将通过使用基于细菌通信的具体试验台来开发分子纳米网络实验验证平台，以验证项目中开发的信息理论结果和协议的正确性。广泛影响：该项目将为纳米级通信的研究铺平道路。这项工作的结果预计将对纳米技术、生物学以及信息和通信技术的研究产生重大影响，因为该项目将代表这三个主要群体进入这一融合领域，并将采用现实和综合的方法。纳米网络的潜在应用范围令人惊讶地广泛，从用于健康监测、癌症检测或药物输送的体内网络到化学攻击预防系统等。主要研究人员在佐治亚理工学院教授各种课程，涵盖信息论、网络算法、通信协议和生物学。他们将立即将拟议研究的成果纳入他们的课堂。该团队将开发一个开源模拟工具来测试所开发的解决方案，并将向公众提供该工具。这个工具将代表分子纳米网络的第一个模拟工具，也将被用作课堂项目中的教育工具，以提供对纳米传感器/致动器网络的洞察和深入理解。科学成果将在该领域的国际会议、期刊和杂志上传播。