I-Corps: AirBox: Bringing the Cloud to the Edge

该项目针对移动的边缘计算（MEC），这是一种分布式计算架构，结合了云功能和蜂窝网络，以支持要求低延迟响应的实时应用。由远程云后端系统支持的交互式、数据丰富的最终用户服务面临着巨大的挑战。为了提供响应迅速的用户体验，他们需要在处理不断增加的数据量时保持低的、可预测的访问延迟。具体而言，诸如增强现实、远程触觉交互、自动驾驶汽车等应用，需要接近1毫秒的端到端时延，同时需要来自移动的设备的大量数据传输。这种互动的数据需求总量预计将达到每月24.2艾字节。当信息必须通过日益拥挤的互联网主干网在远程服务器之间来回移动时，这些需求很难得到满足。远程服务对本地上下文数据（如定位和信号强度）的访问也有限或无法访问。该项目旨在探索移动的边缘计算（MEC）为应对这些挑战提供的机会。MEC基于分布式基础设施元素，从无线接入点到位于终端用户附近的高密度/低功率微处理器。MEC允许从无线边缘交付企业和消费者服务，从而在多个行业实现新的业务机会，目标是传统服务、内容交付引擎、内部企业应用程序等。该项目的具体目标是：（1）调查利用边缘基础设施部署和执行各种边缘功能的经济模型和实际挑战;（2）了解在此边缘层中提供和执行服务的技术要求，并提供足够的性能和安全保证。鉴于移动的生态系统的范围和复杂性，I-Corps团队意识到，要确定初创公司成功的利基市场，需要进行大量的客户发现和行业研究。此外，团队必须探索与边缘基础设施的部署、所有权和可行的经济模式相关的市场风险。该团队计划与广泛的客户和利益相关者合作，以发现一个或多个潜在的利基市场。

This project addresses Mobile Edge Computing (MEC), a distributed computing architecture that combines cloud capabilities and cellular networks to support real-time applications that demand low latency response.Interactive, data-rich end-user services supported by remote cloud back-end systems face formidable challenges. To provide a responsive user experience, they need low, predictable access latency while processing ever-increasing amounts of data. Concretely, applications such as augmented reality, remote tactile interaction, self-driving cars, etc., require close to 1 millisecond end to end latencies while requiring large data transfers from mobile devices. The aggregate data demand of such interactions is projected to reach 24.2 exabytes per month. Those needs are hard to meet when information must move to and from distant servers across an increasingly congested Internet backbone. Distant services also have limited or no access to local context data such as positioning and signal strength.This project is aimed at exploring the opportunities that Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) offers to address these challenges. MEC is based on distributed infrastructure elements, from wireless access points to high density/low-power micro-datacenters, situated near end users. MEC allows enterprise and consumer services to be delivered from the wireless edge, enabling fresh business opportunities across multiple sectors, targeting conventional services, content delivery engines, on premise enterprise applications, and more. The concrete goals of this project are (1) to investigate the economic models and practical challenges in leveraging the edge infrastructure for deployment and execution of various edge functions, and (2) to understand the technical requirements for provisioning and executing services in this edge tier, with adequate performance and security guarantees. Given the scope and complexity of the mobile ecosystem, this I-Corps team is aware of the fact that a great deal of customer discovery and industry research will be necessary to identify a niche where a startup company will succeed. Additionally, it is important for the team to explore the market risks associated with deployment, ownership and viable economic models for edge infrastructure. The team plans to engage a broad range of customers and stakeholders to uncover one or more potential niches.