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

该项目致力于移动边缘计算(MEC)，这是一种结合了云能力和蜂窝网络来支持要求低延迟响应的实时应用的分布式计算体系结构。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严峻的挑战。为了提供响应迅速的用户体验，他们需要在处理不断增长的数据量的同时具有较低的、可预测的访问延迟。具体地说，增强现实、远程触觉交互、自动驾驶汽车等应用需要近1毫秒的端到端延迟，同时需要从移动设备传输大量数据。此类交互的总数据需求预计将达到每月24.2艾字节。当信息必须在日益拥堵的互联网主干上往返于远程服务器时，这些需求很难满足。远程服务也无法访问本地环境数据，如定位和信号强度。该项目旨在探索移动边缘计算(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/低功耗微型数据中心。MEC允许从无线边缘交付企业和消费者服务，为多个行业带来新的商机，瞄准传统服务、内容交付引擎、内部部署企业应用等。该项目的具体目标是(1)调查利用EDGE基础设施部署和执行各种EDGE功能的经济模型和实际挑战，以及(2)了解在此EDGE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。考虑到移动生态系统的范围和复杂性，i-Corps团队意识到，为了确定初创公司将取得成功的利基市场，需要进行大量的客户发现和行业研究。此外，该团队还必须探索与EDGE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接触，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.