Katzis, Konstantinos

Opportunistic networks are an emerging networking paradigm aiming to exploit the spectrum availability in a distributed ad-hoc manner. In such types of networks communication between source and destination is established on-the-fly and depends on a number of parameters related to the channel. In this paper, we present an algorithm for routing optimization in hierarchical cognitive radio enabled networks, using the access base stations. We describe how spatial and temporal system parameters between nodes can be employed to design optimum routes between the nodes thus becoming invaluable for deriving optimum opportunistic algorithms. Initial results of this work indicate that traffic history can improve the performance of the routing algorithm by identifying the nodes that are most likely to be available for routing thus minimizing retransmissions and reducing blocking probability. One of the challenges in dealing with these records is the memory and processing requirements needed by the power hungry algorithms.

The recent phenomenon of worldwide declining enrolments in engineering-related degrees has led to the gradual decrease in the number of engineering graduates. This decrease occurs at a time of increasing demand in the labour market for highly qualified engineers, who are necessary for the implementation of fundamental societal functions. This paper initially presents a survey of practices, which are currently employed by academic institutions in Europe in order to increase the attractiveness of their engineering studies. It then provides a detailed analysis of the benefits and proliferation of distance education to increase attractiveness of engineering studies based on a set of interviews. Results of this study, highlight a lack of a distance-learning dimension in the implementation of engineering studies in the European Area and discusses in detail ways in which distance learning can be utilised in engineering studies for the benefit of increasing their attractiveness. It has also been noted that institutions employing distance learning as part of their engineering studies, see this as highly beneficial for their students but also for the academic institution itself with some reservations in terms of the pedagogical adequacy of materials and instructional approaches used in distance education courses.

Modern Implantable Medical Devices (IMDs), implement capabilities that have contributed significantly to patient outcomes, as well as quality of life. The ever increasing connectivity of IMD's does raise security concerns though there are instances where implemented security measures might impact on patient safety. The paper discusses challenges of addressing both of these attributes in parallel.

Providing mobile cloud services requires seamless integration between various platforms to offer mobile users optimum performance. To achieve this, many fundamental problems such as bandwidth availability and reliability, resource scarceness, and finite energy must be addressed before rolling out such services. This chapter aims to explore technological challenges for mobile cloud computing in the area of resource management focusing on both parts of the infrastructure: mobile devices and cloud networks. Starting with introducing mobile cloud computing, it then stresses the importance of resource management in the operation of mobile cloud services presenting various types of resources available for cloud computing. Furthermore, it examines the various types of resource management techniques available for mobile clouds. Finally, future directions in the field of resource management for mobile cloud computing environment are presented.

Providing mobile cloud services requires seamless integration between various platforms to offer mobile users optimum performance. To achieve this, many fundamental problems such as bandwidth availability and reliability, resource scarceness, and finite energy must be addressed before rolling out such services. This chapter aims to explore technological challenges for mobile cloud computing in the area of resource management focusing on both parts of the infrastructure: mobile devices and cloud networks. Starting with introducing mobile cloud computing, it then stresses the importance of resource management in the operation of mobile cloud services presenting various types of resources available for cloud computing. Furthermore, it examines the various types of resource management techniques available for mobile clouds. Finally, future directions in the field of resource management for mobile cloud computing environment are presented.

The number of students studying engineering has been falling, prompting warnings about serious shortage of skilled engineers around Europe [1-4]. As a result, societies lack of qualified engineers who are necessary for the implementation of fundamental societal functions. This has led to the growing need to increase attractiveness of engineering studies and promote their awareness to potential students of engineering degrees. Furthermore it has prompt the importance identifying the right sort of students for a degree in engineering, ensuring that only those who really want to become engineers are enrolled, thus decreasing the number of dropout students. Previous work [5] investigated ways that Universities employ to attract students into engineering disciplines. In the context of the Academic Network of European and Global Engineering Education (EUGENE), a line of activities has been formulated which examines the concept of attractiveness of engineering studies within the European educational area. One of the main objectives of these activities has been to identify and disseminate the good practices in attracting students to engineering disciplines and degrees [5]. The purpose of this work is to go a step backwards by looking how students are guided and advised through the last three years of their high-school life (Unified Lyceum). This is a regional based survey that was designed and implemented for the educational system of Cyprus. The outcome of this work stressed the role of the SCs and showed that it is a provision in schools that is employed by many countries. The duties and responsibilities are specified according to the needs of each country's educational system. Regarding the Cypriot school counselling model, the results of our survey-based methodology depicted that very few school counsellors come from an engineering related background or in fact other related science backgrounds. Furthermore, most of the SCs have a postgraduate degree in school counselling related area. Advising is taking place in collaboration with the students and their parents. Students are advised to select a number of courses that will allow them to study a degree. This is done based on their skills, inclination and general interests. In addition, engineering related degrees are not as popular as others. However it is unknown whether the SCs have the capacity and the eligibility to give enough details and stir the interest of the students to follow an engineering discipline. In our view it is important that school counsellors who provide career advising to students who want to study engineering, should have engineering background themselves and should be in touch with the industry. An alternative solution from employing additional school counsellors coming from an engineering discipline is to involve people from industry who better understand the requirements of the current and future market and are up-to-date with the technological advances in industry.

Providing mobile cloud services requires seamless integration between various platforms to offer mobile users optimum performance. To achieve this, many fundamental problems such as bandwidth availability and reliability, resource scarceness, and finite energy must be addressed before rolling out such services. This chapter aims to explore technological challenges for mobile cloud computing in the area of resource management focusing on both parts of the infrastructure: mobile devices and cloud networks. Starting with introducing mobile cloud computing, it then stresses the importance of resource management in the operation of mobile cloud services presenting various types of resources available for cloud computing. Furthermore, it examines the various types of resource management techniques available for mobile clouds. Finally, future directions in the field of resource management for mobile cloud computing environment are presented.

Employing technological advances in communications along with the available aerial and space platforms can enable us, to setup a safety monitoring and management system for delivering proactive and reactive surveillance of our forests. This work stresses the importance of protecting our forests considering the socioeconomic impact they have on our world. It also outlines the available platform technologies and proposes a tool for setting up a monitoring system that employs current technologies. This tool simulates forest fires and uses wireless sensors to monitor the fire. Results show that the number and the location of the sensors in a forest are critical in increasing the chances of sensing the fire on time. Since positioning sensors in an organized manner within a forest is tedious if not impossible to implement, it is recommended that areas with higher flammability are equipped with greater number of sensors.

A Urine Monitoring Device (UMOD) has been designed and implemented for monitoring postoperative urination. This device has been created primarily to assist nurses and doctors monitor patients during their postoperative and recovery period. Furthermore, to reduce the burden of the nursing staff required to regularly monitor and empty the urine bags saving them precious time. The device consists of a stand and a load cell where the urine bag is attached. The stand is light and can easily move shall the patient require to move. An ESP Wi-Fi microprocessor module is used to calculate the rate of flow of urine in real time, identify and ignore any false readings due to accidental movements of the urine bag using an accelerometer and transmit the readings to a server / cloud through the local Wi-Fi.

Recent technological advances in electronics, wireless communications and low cost medical sensors generated a plethora of Wearable Medical Devices (WMDs), which are capable of generating considerably large amounts of new, unstructured real-time data. This contribution outlines how this data can be propagated to a healthcare system through the internet, using long distance Radio Access Networks (RANs) and proposes a novel communication system architecture employing White Space Devices (WSD) to provide seamless connectivity to its users. Initial findings indicate that the proposed communication system can facilitate broadband services over a large geographical area taking advantage of the freely available TV White Spaces (TVWS).