Adaptive device-to-device communication using Wi-Fi Direct in smart cities

Wi-Fi Direct has become vastly popular in the last few years. Due to its fast network setup and the provision of high transmission rates, it is expected to be the piggyback technology for high speed device-to-device communications in smart cities. The increasing demand on Wi-Fi Direct networks and its co-location in the same band with other Wi-Fi ad-hoc and infrastructure networks have entailed the need for developing new adaptive techniques to utilize the wireless spectrum efficiently. In this paper, we introduce, analyze and implement a self-organizing algorithm designed specifically for pop-up Wi-Fi Direct networks. The algorithm dynamically changes the operating channels of pop-up Wi-Fi Direct networks according to their performance in a non-cooperative manner. It utilizes the spectrum efficiently, reduces congestion and enhances performance. Moreover, the modified Wi-Fi Direct network running the proposed algorithm is interoperable with all other Wi-Fi network modes and setups and does not affect their functionalities. On the contrary, it enhances their performance implicitly. We implement the algorithm using the driver of RTL8188CUS chipset in a Linux environment and conduct experiments to evaluate its performance. The obtained results illustrate the benefits of using the proposed algorithm.     

Bio-cellular processes modeling on silicon substrate: receptor–ligand binding and Michaelis Menten reaction

Reducing transmit power is the most straightforward way towards more energy-efficient communications, but it results in lower SNRs at the receiver which can add a performance and/or complexity cost. At low SNRs, synchronization and channel estimation errors erode much of the gains achieved through powerful turbo and LDPC codes. Further expanding the turbo concept through an iterative receiver—which brings synchronization and equalization modules inside the loop—can help, but this solution is prohibitively complex and it is not clear what can and what cannot be a part of the iterative structure. This paper fills two important gaps in this field: (1) as compared to previous research which either focuses on a subset of the problem assuming perfect remaining parameters or is computationally too complex, we propose a proper partitioning of algorithm blocks in the iterative receiver for manageable delay and complexity, and (2) to the best of our knowledge, this is the first physical demonstration of an iterative receiver based on experimental radio hardware. We have found that for such a receiver to work, (1) iterative timing synchronization is impractical, iterative carrier synchronization can be avoided by using our proposed approach, while iterative channel estimation is essential, and (2) the SNR gains claimed in previous publications are validated in indoor channels. Finally, we propose a heuristic algorithm for simplifying the carrier phase synchronization in an iterative receiver such that computations of the log likelihood ratios of the parity bits can be avoided to strike a tradeoff between complexity and performance.     

The hall effect in some liquid alloys

The Hall coefficient has been measured for (a) liquid CuTe, AgTe and AuTe₂ and (b) liquid Cu-Sn alloy. The results are discussed in terms of the possible semiconducting nature of liquids comprising group (a) and in terms of bound state formation around the Sn atoms for those in group (b).     

The synthesis and physical evaluation of 5-alkoxy-1,3-thiazoles prepared via Lawesson's reagent-mediated cyclisation of α-benzamido esters

The synthesis of the first series of 5-alkoxy-1,3-thiazole-based liquid crystals is reported. The aforementioned liquid crystals were synthesised through a Lawesson's reagent-mediated cyclisation of appropriate α-benzamido esters. This methodology was found to be highly efficient, even on a large scale, and the resulting 5-alkoxy-1,3-thiazoles could be purified without the use of column chromatography. The synthesis and mesomorphic properties of a family of 5-alkoxy-2-(4-cyanophenyl)-1,3-thiazole liquid crystals prepared via this approach are discussed and compared with their thiophene and phenyl analogues.     

Infrared evidence for the folded-chain model of trans-1,4-polybutadiene

The influence of the first-order crystalline transformation at about 60°C on the infrared bands of trans-1,4-polybutadiene yields microscopic information that supports the two-component microcrystalline model of a folded chain having loose and tight end loops at the lamellar surfaces. The temperature dependence of the band parameters of the 908-cm^?1 vinyl band indicates that 1,2-(side vinyl) units are not easily taken into the crystalline component, thus forming long loops at the crystal surface that account for the micro-Brownian motion detected in the low-temperature phase. The results argue that infrared band parameters are excellent probes for details of the thermodynamics and morphology of polymers.     

Electrical Impedance Spectroscopic Study of CNT/Ethylene-alt-CO/Propylene-alt-CO Polyketones Nanocomposite

Impedance spectroscopy was utilized to investigate the dielectric properties, ac conductivity and charge transport mechanisms in propylene-alt-CO/ethylene-alt-CO (EPEC) random terpolymer filled with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) as a function of nanofiller content, frequency, and temperature. Equivalent resistor-capacitor (RC) circuit models were proposed to describe the impedance characteristics of the unfilled terpolymer and the nanocomposite at different temperatures. For the nanocomposites, the ac conductivity tended to be frequency independent at low frequencies. At high frequencies, the ac conductivity increased with frequency. The dc conductivity (i.e., plateau of the ac conductivity at low frequencies) at room temperature increased from 10^?9 (Ω·m)^?1 for the unfilled polymer to l0^?3 (Ω·m)^?1 for the 6 wt% MWCNT/EPEC nanocomposite. At low temperatures, the equivalent RC model for EPEC-0 and EPEC-2 was found to consist of a parallel RC circuit. However, for 6 wt% MWCNT/EPEC nanocomposite, an RC model consisting of an R/constant phase element (CPE) circuit and a resistor in series was required to describe the impedance behavior of the nanocomposite.