87206 - Internet of Things T

Learning outcomes

The student will be capable of identifying relevant and business-oriented applications of the IoT, the enabling wireless technologies and platforms, and predict network performance. Ten hours of team working will constitute a conceptual lab where ideas will be shared, compared and assessed under the supervision of the instructor.

Course contents

The syllabus is reported below. More info on the approach to the course can be found on www.robertoverdone.org.

Part I - Introduction (3 hours)

INT.1 IoT: Definition

INT.2 IoT: A Communication Perspective

INT.3 IoT: Application Domains

INT.4 IoT: General Framework

INT.5 The Course

Part II - Fundamental Tools (15 hours)

NFU.1 Fundamentals of Wireless Communications

NFU.2 Fundamentals of Wireless Networks

NMA.1 Fundamentals of Wireless Controlled and Random MAC

NMA.2 Aloha and S-Aloha in Compact Networks

NMA.3 CSMA in Compact Networks

NMA.4 CSMA in Sparse Networks: Hidden and Exposed Node Problem

RNA.1 Radio Network Architectures

EWT.1 Short Range Systems: 802.15.4 and Zigbee

EWT.2 Long Range Systems: LoRa and LoRaWAN

EWT.3 Long Range Systems: NB-IOT

EWT.4 5G

Part III - Making the IoT (6 hours)

APP.1 Cybersecurity in IoT

APP.2 Smart Cities

APP.3 Smart Manufacturing

LIC.1 Team Working: Identify Your Application (INVENT)

LIC.2 Team Working: Identify Your Wireless Technology and the HW/FW Platform (CONCEIVE)

LDA.1 Team Working: Design Your Network (DESIGN)

LDA.2 Team Working: Assess Your Network (ASSESS)

LPD.1 Present Your Idea

Part IV - Lab (12 hours)

LHO.1 Hands-on sessions with LoRaWAN

LHO.2 Hands-on sessions with NB-IOT

LHO.3 Hands-on sessions with 5G

Readings/Bibliography

Slidesets made available by the instructor.

Teaching methods

The course is based on an innovative approach for a number of reasons;

1) after the first three hours of introduction in the class (INTRO),

2) 12 hours of lectures will be offered via pre-recorded videos that the student can watch whenever they want during the week without the need to attend the class (OFFLINE),

3) 9 hours will be spent in the class to consolidate the conceptual parts via numerical exercises, discussions on real world use-cases, team working sessions held in class (CLASS),

4) 12 hours of lectures will be based on hands-on sessions in the class (LAB).

The preliminar schedule is as follows (in case of unexpected problems, the instructor will provide updated schedules via virtuale.unibo.it).

Sept 22 - INTRO

Sept 29 - OFFLINE

Oct 6 - CLASS

Oct 13 - OFFLINE

Oct 20 - OFFLINE

Oct 27 - CLASS

Nov 3 - CLASS

Nov 10 - LAB

Nov 17 - LAB

Nov 24 - LAB

Dec 1 - LAB

Dec 15 - OFFLINE

Assessment methods

The exam will consist of two parts: a written exam and a discussion of the outcomes of the group work.

The written exam will consist of some numerical exercises, based on the contents of Part I and II of the course, and a closed answer questionnaire with 30 questions.

For the discussion the students will provide a five-minute pitch; the pitch will either 1) focus on a selected IoT application describing the problem addressed (INVENT), the solution envisaged (CONCEIVE), the networking technologies identified (DESIGN), discussing the scalability of the solution (ASSESS), or will 2) present one of the hands-on activities performed including the numerical achievements.

The two parts will be made on the same date.

The outcome of the exam is pass or fail.

Teaching tools

Material provided by the instructor: slidesets, links, templates, datasets.

Office hours

See the website of Roberto Verdone