SCC: Integrating Heterogeneous Wide-Area Networks and Advanced Data Science to Bridge the Digital Divide in Rural Emergency Preparedness and Response

这个智能互联社区(SCC)项目将在网络架构和协议方面进行创新研究，使农村地区的应急人员能够在移动宽带稀缺或不存在的地区使用电视白空间、WiFi和袖珍交换进行通信。有了这一新知识，该项目可以开发和实施农村社区应急人员信息交流的框架。因此，这项科学研究贡献支持了国家科学基金会的使命，即促进科学进步，促进我们的国家福利，为农村社区的安全以及社会和经济振兴做出贡献。在其他农村背景和政策领域(例如执法和卫生)方面，预期成果具有普遍性。研究内容和关键成果将被纳入现有和新的本科和研究生课程，展示跨学科研究的积极影响，并向不同的学生群体推广核心学科。该项目的目标是开发、实施和系统分析一个全面的框架和多层平台，用于及时收集、整合、交流和传播信息，以支持农村社区的EPR。这一目标将通过三项主要活动实现。首先，该项目将开发一个不同的网络架构和相应的协议，利用电视空白区域的广域无线回程、WiFi和袖珍交换为居民提供(I)连续通信和(Ii)容忍延迟的信息访问。此外，该项目还将设计一款智能手机应用程序，支持从不同来源收集信息，并在急救人员、政府机构和居民之间进行交流。其次，收集的移动模式和网络可用性将使开发动态概率社区网络模型成为可能。新的图论算法将识别信息枯竭的子社区，并提供最优的信息传播策略。最后，该项目将评估不同社区成员对技术的采用和使用，以最大限度地利用通过技术手段传播的及时、丰富和高质量的信息。数据供应、应用程序设计、影响联合评估和项目可持续性路径的持续社区参与活动是项目成功的关键因素。该框架将与纽约州瑟曼镇合作共同设计和试点。可转移到更广泛的农村背景将通过与微软的Airband计划协调让另外两个农村社区参与进行评估。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This Smart and Connected Communities (SCC) project will conduct innovative research in network architectures and protocols to allow emergency responders in rural areas to use TV white space, WiFi and pocket-switching for communications in areas where mobile broadband are scarce to non-existent. With this new knowledge, this project can develop and implement a framework for information exchange for emergency responders in rural communities. This scientific research contribution thus supports NSF's mission to promote the progress of science and to advance our national welfare with benefits that contribute to the safety and social and economic revitalization of rural communities. Generalizability of results is expected in relation to other rural contexts and policy domains (e.g., law enforcement and health). Research components and key results will be incorporated in existing and new undergraduate and graduate courses, demonstrating the positive impact of interdisciplinary research and promoting the core disciplines to diverse groups of students.The goal of this project is to develop, implement, and systematically analyze a comprehensive framework and a multi-layer platform for timely information collection, integration, exchange and dissemination to support EPR in rural communities. This goal will be met through three primary activities. First, the project will develop a heterogeneous network architecture and corresponding protocols that leverage wide-area wireless backhaul over TV white spaces, WiFi and pocket-switching to provide (i) continuous communication to first responders and (ii) delay-tolerant information access to residents. In addition, the project will design a smartphone app which will support the collection of information from different sources and its exchange among first responders, government agencies and residents. Second, the mobility patterns and network availability collected will enable the development of a dynamic probabilistic community network model. Novel graph-theoretic algorithms will identify information-depleted sub-communities and inform optimal information dissemination strategies. Finally, the project will assess adoption and use of the technologies by various community members to maximize the benefits associated with timely, rich and high-quality information, disseminated through technological devices. Continuous community engagement activities for data provisioning, app design, impact co-evaluation and path to sustainability of the project are key factors for success. The framework will be co-designed and piloted in collaboration with the Town of Thurman, NY. Transferability to the broader rural context will be assessed by engaging two additional rural communities in coordination with Microsoft's Airband initiative.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.