Course Description

The 3 Most Important Emerging  Telecommunications Technologies Of Our Times

Course given on November 23rd, 2011 in Louvain-la-Neuve, by Mischa Dohler, CTTC, Spain

Abstract

This lecture series will be dedicated to the arguably 3 most influential telecommunications technologies of our times: machine-to-machine, femto cells, and smart grids.

Course Outline

Concerning machine-to-machine, it pertains to a family of technologies which allows machines to communicate with each other without human intervention. What sounds like a trifling problem, bears in fact endless challenges from an engineering point of view. The aim of this part of the lecture is thus to provide a detailed technical insight into latest key aspects of M2M networks. To this end, we will discuss major developments and updates related to the heterogeneous set of available end-device technologies applicable to M2M systems. Notably, on cellular M2M level, ETSI M2M and 3GPP MTC are pacing at an incredible speed to facilitate standardization of said systems. Also, on capillary M2M level, the IEEE and IETF are extraordinary active to ensure viable system designs. All of these developments will be discussed in great details, as well as open research challenges in the area of cellular M2M. We will finally dwell on the applicability of M2M in emerging Smart Grids and Smart City applications.

Concerning femto cells, it pertains to a family of technologies which capitalizes on an incredible increase in offered capacity due to shorter communication distances, where users place femto access points just like Wifi access points in their home or at work. Again, seemingly an easy design approach, using femto cells bears an endless amount of problems which are mainly related to the interference created to the macro cell as well as between femto cells. The aim of this part of the lecture is hence to elaborate on latest cutting-edge developments in this exciting area of R&D.

Finally, concerning smart grids, it pertains to a family of technologies which aim to make the current power grid more efficient. We will dwell on various technologies which can serve as a candidate, as well as latest standardization efforts throughout. The challenges which engineers need to tackle here mainly relate to reliable and low-delay communications. Given the enormous economic stimulus of federal budgets, smart grid technologies are likely to play a pivotal role in the way humanity manages energy.

The material presented is heavily based on previous tutorials on M2M, as well as the ICT projects EXALTED, BeFEMTO and BuNGee.

Location

Louvain-la-Neuve, Salle de Séminaire ISV,  Bâtiment Carnoy, Place Croix du Sud 4-5, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve

Schedule

10h00-10h15: welcome
11h10-11h30: coffee break
12h30-14h00: lunch break
15h50-16h20: coffee break
18h15: end

M. Dohler 's biography

Mischa Dohler is now leading the Intelligent Energy [IQe] group at CTTC in Barcelona, with focus on Smart Grids and Green Radios, where he is working on wireless sensor, machine-to-machine, femto, cooperative, cognitive and docitive networks. He is also currently CTO of Worldsensing, an award-winning company with focus on Smart City markets. Prior to this, from June 2005 to February 2008, he has been Senior Research Expert in the R&D division of France Telecom, France. From September 2003 to June 2005, he has been lecturer at King's College London, UK. At that time, he has also been London Technology Network Business Fellow receiving appropriate Anglo-Saxon business training, as well as Student Representative of the IEEE UKRI Section and member of the Student Activity Committee of IEEE Region 8 (Europe, Africa, Middle-East and Russia). He obtained his PhD in Telecommunications from King's College London, UK, in 2003, his Diploma in Electrical Engineering from Dresden University of Technology, Germany, in 2000, and his MSc degree in Telecommunications from King's College London, UK, in 1999. Prior to Telecommunications, he studied Physics in Moscow. He has won various competitions in Mathematics and Physics, and participated in the 3rd round of the International Physics Olympics for Germany. In the framework of the Mobile VCE, he has pioneered research on distributed cooperative space-time encoded communication systems, dating back to December 1999. He has published 138 technical journal and conference papers at a citation h-index of 24 and citation g-index of 50, holds 13 patents, authored, co-edited and contributed to 19 books, has given 25 international short-courses, and participated in standardisation activities. He has been TPC member and co-chair of various conferences, such as technical chair of IEEE PIMRC 2008 held in Cannes, France. He is EiC of ETT and is/has been holding various editorial positions for numerous IEEE and non-IEEE journals. He is Senior Member of the IEEE. He is fluent in 6 languages. In addition to being an experienced lecturer in academia (4 years of MSc and BSc courses at King's College London) and industry (7 years at Mobile VCE and 3 years in France Telecom), he has given over 20 international short-courses on UMTS and Beyond, distributed cooperative systems, wireless sensor networks, issues pertaining to the design of the Internet of Things, and M2M systems.

Registration fee

The course is free of charge, but  registration is required on Musics website

Practical information

Location : Square E8, building 13 on the following map http://www.uclouvain.be/271269.html

If you come by train, the station is located in square D6-7

For people coming by car, here is a  with free parking places : http://www.uclouvain.be/cps/ucl/doc/mobilite/documents/depliantparkingjuillet2008.pdf