Telecommunications
A Survey on Over-the-Air Computation
Communication and computation are often viewed as separate tasks. This approach is very effective from the perspective of engineering as isolated optimizations can be performed. However, for many computation-oriented applications, the main interest is a function of the local information at the devices, rather than the local information itself. In such scenarios, information theoretical results show that harnessing the interference in a multiple access channel for computation, i.e., over-the-air computation (OAC), can provide a significantly higher achievable computation rate than separating communication and computation tasks. Moreover, the gap between OAC and separation in terms of computation rate increases with more participating nodes. Given this motivation, in this study, we provide a comprehensive survey on practical OAC methods. After outlining fundamentals related to OAC, we discuss the available OAC schemes with their pros and cons. We provide an overview of the enabling mechanisms for achieving reliable computation in the wireless channel. Finally, we summarize the potential applications of OAC and point out some future directions.
Physics Constrained Flow Neural Network for Short-Timescale Predictions in Data Communications Networks
Cheng, Xiangle, He, James, Xiao, Shihan, Zhang, Yingxue, Chen, Zhitang, Poupart, Pascal, Li, Fenglin
Machine learning is gaining growing momentum in various recent models for the dynamic analysis of information flows in data communications networks. These preliminary models often rely on off-the-shelf learning models to predict from historical statistics while disregarding the physics governing the generating behaviors of these flows. This paper instead introduces Flow Neural Network (FlowNN) to improve the feature representation with learned physical bias. This is implemented by an induction layer, working upon the embedding layer, to impose the physics connected data correlations, and a self-supervised learning strategy with stop-gradient to make the learned physics universal. For the short-timescale network prediction tasks, FlowNN achieves 17% - 71% of loss decrease than the state-of-the-art baselines on both synthetic and real-world networking datasets, which shows the strength of this new approach.
In-situ Model Downloading to Realize Versatile Edge AI in 6G Mobile Networks
Huang, Kaibin, Wu, Hai, Liu, Zhiyan, Qi, Xiaojuan
The sixth-generation (6G) mobile networks are expected to feature the ubiquitous deployment of machine learning and AI algorithms at the network edge. With rapid advancements in edge AI, the time has come to realize intelligence downloading onto edge devices (e.g., smartphones and sensors). To materialize this version, we propose a novel technology in this article, called in-situ model downloading, that aims to achieve transparent and real-time replacement of on-device AI models by downloading from an AI library in the network. Its distinctive feature is the adaptation of downloading to time-varying situations (e.g., application, location, and time), devices' heterogeneous storage-and-computing capacities, and channel states. A key component of the presented framework is a set of techniques that dynamically compress a downloaded model at the depth-level, parameter-level, or bit-level to support adaptive model downloading. We further propose a virtualized 6G network architecture customized for deploying in-situ model downloading with the key feature of a three-tier (edge, local, and central) AI library. Furthermore, experiments are conducted to quantify 6G connectivity requirements and research opportunities pertaining to the proposed technology are discussed.
Branch Identification in Passive Optical Networks using Machine Learning
Abdelli, khouloud, Tropschug, Carsten, Griesser, Helmut, Jansen, Sander, Pachnicke, Stephan
PON systems are primarily deployed in fiber-to-thehome (FTTH) networks to deliver a wide range of communication and multimedia services [1]. Due to the omission of active electronic components, OPEX is reduced, and this also makes them less failure-prone in the outside plant. Implementing and deploying effective monitoring schemes in these systems can result in significant additional OPEX savings. Optical time domain reflectometry (OTDR), a technique based on Rayleigh backscattering, has primarily been used to monitor individual optical fiber spans. However, applying OTDR to monitor PON systems can be challenging because the backscattered signals from each branch are added together, making it difficult to distinguish between the backward signals of the individual branches [2]. In the case of (almost) equidistant branch terminations, event analysis becomes most difficult as the reflected signals from the branches with the same length overlap and add up.
MAGNNETO: A Graph Neural Network-based Multi-Agent system for Traffic Engineering
Bernárdez, Guillermo, Suárez-Varela, José, López, Albert, Shi, Xiang, Xiao, Shihan, Cheng, Xiangle, Barlet-Ros, Pere, Cabellos-Aparicio, Albert
Current trends in networking propose the use of Machine Learning (ML) for a wide variety of network optimization tasks. As such, many efforts have been made to produce ML-based solutions for Traffic Engineering (TE), which is a fundamental problem in ISP networks. Nowadays, state-of-the-art TE optimizers rely on traditional optimization techniques, such as Local search, Constraint Programming, or Linear programming. In this paper, we present MAGNNETO, a distributed ML-based framework that leverages Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning and Graph Neural Networks for distributed TE optimization. MAGNNETO deploys a set of agents across the network that learn and communicate in a distributed fashion via message exchanges between neighboring agents. Particularly, we apply this framework to optimize link weights in OSPF, with the goal of minimizing network congestion. In our evaluation, we compare MAGNNETO against several state-of-the-art TE optimizers in more than 75 topologies (up to 153 nodes and 354 links), including realistic traffic loads. Our experimental results show that, thanks to its distributed nature, MAGNNETO achieves comparable performance to state-of-the-art TE optimizers with significantly lower execution times. Moreover, our ML-based solution demonstrates a strong generalization capability to successfully operate in new networks unseen during training.
Domain Adversarial Graph Convolutional Network Based on RSSI and Crowdsensing for Indoor Localization
Zhang, Mingxin, Fan, Zipei, Shibasaki, Ryosuke, Song, Xuan
In recent years, the use of WiFi fingerprints for indoor positioning has grown in popularity, largely due to the widespread availability of WiFi and the proliferation of mobile communication devices. However, many existing methods for constructing fingerprint datasets rely on labor-intensive and time-consuming processes of collecting large amounts of data. Additionally, these methods often focus on ideal laboratory environments, rather than considering the practical challenges of large multi-floor buildings. To address these issues, we present a novel WiDAGCN model that can be trained using a small number of labeled site survey data and large amounts of unlabeled crowdsensed WiFi fingerprints. By constructing heterogeneous graphs based on received signal strength indicators (RSSIs) between waypoints and WiFi access points (APs), our model is able to effectively capture the topological structure of the data. We also incorporate graph convolutional networks (GCNs) to extract graph-level embeddings, a feature that has been largely overlooked in previous WiFi indoor localization studies. To deal with the challenges of large amounts of unlabeled data and multiple data domains, we employ a semi-supervised domain adversarial training scheme to effectively utilize unlabeled data and align the data distributions across domains. Our system is evaluated using a public indoor localization dataset that includes multiple buildings, and the results show that it performs competitively in terms of localization accuracy in large buildings.
This is Perplexity AI -- my new favorite ChatGPT iPhone app
Stop me if you've heard this one before: ChatGPT is huge right now. After exploding in popularity in late 2022, the AI chatbot has been on an enormous rise, with no sign of slowing down. One of the ways we've seen ChatGPT expand is its continued integration into smartphone apps. Whether it's Bing Chat coming to mobile or a ChatGPT iPhone keyboard, it's all been fascinating to watch unfold. One of the latest ChatGPT mobile apps to hit the scene is one called "Perplexity AI," which is an iPhone app that brings ChatGPT directly to your smartphone.
TileDB Launches Cross-Language Access to Single-Cell Data
TileDB, the database for any complex data and compute, announced the launch of TileDB-SOMA, the first collection of software libraries that implement the open-source SOMA API specification. SOMA and TileDB-SOMA are the result of a collaboration between the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and TileDB to accelerate single-cell research by eliminating data silos and enable large-scale computations that are otherwise too challenging to execute on commodity hardware. "By streamlining access to enormous datasets, powerful new tools like TileDB-SOMA will accelerate the research efforts of single-cell biologists" New technologies and analysis tools have led to the exponential growth of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data, requiring new solutions that can accommodate datasets at scale. Advancements in genomics technologies have also enabled researchers to combine multiple modalities of data collected from the same cell samples, increasing the complexity and impact of single-cell analysis. "The unsaid assumption in single-cell research is that dataset size is bound by RAM, but instead of asking researchers to change their computational tools, we're rethinking how the data model itself could do more heavy lifting for scientists," said Stavros Papadopoulos, Founder & CEO, TileDB, Inc. "With TileDB-SOMA for R and Python, computational biologists can work across programming languages and combine data that was previously formatted specifically for Seurat, Anndata/Scanpy or Bioconductor. This breaks down data silos, and allows scientists to collaborate without the hassle of converting or duplicating data. Everyone can access the dataset, stored locally or in the cloud, at any scale."
Network Optimization With a Cognitive Time Series Forecasting Solution
Telecommunication companies are generating billions of dollars in revenue annually by leveraging the power of Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, and IoT integrations. In 2020, a potential American telecom company/operator, AT&T, generated €161.5 billion in revenue, but there is a decline in annual revenues compared to 2021 and 2022. The reason behind the revenue decline can be the abandonment of Artificial intelligence technologies. So, what should these companies have to do? To achieve success over the competitors and increase revenue streams in 2023.
Fast inference of latent space dynamics in huge relational event networks
Relational events are a type of social interactions, that sometimes are referred to as dynamic networks. Its dynamics typically depends on emerging patterns, so-called endogenous variables, or external forces, referred to as exogenous variables. Comprehensive information on the actors in the network, especially for huge networks, is rare, however. A latent space approach in network analysis has been a popular way to account for unmeasured covariates that are driving network configurations. Bayesian and EM-type algorithms have been proposed for inferring the latent space, but both the sheer size many social network applications as well as the dynamic nature of the process, and therefore the latent space, make computations prohibitively expensive. In this work we propose a likelihood-based algorithm that can deal with huge relational event networks. We propose a hierarchical strategy for inferring network community dynamics embedded into an interpretable latent space. Node dynamics are described by smooth spline processes. To make the framework feasible for large networks we borrow from machine learning optimization methodology. Model-based clustering is carried out via a convex clustering penalization, encouraging shared trajectories for ease of interpretation. We propose a model-based approach for separating macro-microstructures and perform a hierarchical analysis within successive hierarchies. The method can fit millions of nodes on a public Colab GPU in a few minutes. The code and a tutorial are available in a Github repository.