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Cross-Layer Investigation and Integration of Computing and Networking Aspects of Mobile Social Networks

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Mobile social networks

An EU team fostered collaboration with Chinese researchers in the field of mobile social networks (MSNs). The project organised staff exchanges, while the research yielded new cross-layer algorithms that improve MSN performance.

Digital Economy icon Digital Economy
Society icon Society

Various online social media allow large communities to easily connect and interact. A substantial and growing proportion of such interaction employs mobile devices. The EU-funded CLIMBER (Cross-layer investigation and integration of computing and networking aspects of mobile social networks) project fostered knowledge exchange between China and the EU in online social networking conducted on a mobile device – i.e. MSNs. The research was intended to combine the main elements of MSNs. The combination consisted of social computing and social networking at the application layer, and mobile wireless communication networks at lower layers. The result was cross-layer information exchange leading to a new, versatile kind of MSN. The project achieved its results via a staff exchange programme, designed to foster long-term collaboration between partners working on MSNs. The exchange was also planned to yield a shared knowledge base and research platform to be used for establishing future joint research projects. CLIMBER organised 172 person-months of exchanges and secondments, consisting of 109 successful visits. The project consortium also organised various other seminars, workshops and conferences. Technical work began with a requirements analysis and design of the MSN two-layer system architecture. The architecture design was based on case studies, and included four technical components, including privacy and security. Following the design phase, the team developed improved algorithms and protocols for wireless communication networks. The protocols utilise information received from social networks and social computing to improve MSN performance. Additional new algorithms make best use of social features. The team studied the introduction of social measures into utility functions and the deployment of data caches in Wi-Fi hotspot areas to enable faster messaging. Researchers developed and tested an application for the Android platform and the associated servers. Results demonstrated that fundamental functions and important design features work properly. An additional application was an online social networking system for scholars. The platform allows rapid exploration of linked academic data using a novel multi-relation interface. CLIMBER’s strengthening of research linkages will help foster further collaborations and develop the field of MSNs.

Keywords

Mobile social networks, mobile devices, CLIMBER, computing, online social networking

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