Open Access
Building decentralized fog computing-based smart parking systems: from deterministic propagation modeling to practical deployment
(IEEE, 2020) Celaya Echarri, Mikel; Froiz Míguez, Iván; Azpilicueta Fernández de las Heras, Leyre; López Iturri, Peio; Falcone Lanas, Francisco; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa, Elektronikoaren eta Telekomunikazio Ingeniaritzaren; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC; Ingeniería Eléctrica, Electrónica y de Comunicación
The traditional process of finding a vacant parking slot is often inefficient: it increases driving time, traffic congestion, fuel consumption and exhaust emissions. To address such problems, smart parking systems have been proposed to help drivers to find available parking slots faster using latest sensing and communications technologies. However, the deployment of the communications infrastructure of a smart parking is not straightforward due to multiple factors that may affect wireless propagation. Moreover, a smart parking system needs to provide not only accurate information on available spots, but also fast responses while guaranteeing the system availability even in the case of lacking connectivity. This article describes the development of a decentralized low-latency smart parking system: from its conception, design and theoretical simulation, to its empirical validation. Thus, this work first characterizes a real-world scenario and proposes a fog computing and Internet of Things (IoT) based communications architecture to provide smart parking services. Next, a thorough analysis on the wireless channel properties is carried out by means of an in-house developed deterministic 3D-Ray Launching (3D-RL) tool. The obtained results are validated through a real-world measurement campaign and then the communications architecture is implemented by using ZigBee sensor nodes. The implemented architecture also makes use of Bluetooth Low Energy beacons, an Android app, a decentralized database and fog computing gateways, whose performance is evaluated in terms of response latency and processing rate. Results show that the proposed system is able to deliver information to the drivers fast, with no need for relying on remote servers. As a consequence, the presented development methodology and communications evaluation tool can be useful for future smart parking developers, which can determine the optimal locations of the wireless transceivers during the simulation stage and then deploy a system that can provide fast responses and decentralized services.
Open Access
Analysis of low power wide area network wireless technologies in smart agriculture for large-scale farm monitoring and tractor communications
(Elsevier, 2022) Klaina, Hicham; Picallo Guembe, Imanol; López Iturri, Peio; Campo-Bescós, Miguel; Azpilicueta Fernández de las Heras, Leyre; Aghzout, Otman; Falcone Lanas, Francisco; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa, Elektronikoaren eta Telekomunikazio Ingeniaritzaren; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC; Ingeniería Eléctrica, Electrónica y de Comunicación
In this paper, the assessment of multiple scenario cases for large-scale farm monitoring using Low-Power Wide-Area Network (LPWAN) based near-ground sensor nodes with the interaction of both tractors and farmers are presented. The proposed scenario under analysis considers multiple communication links, namely nodes to infrastructure, nodes to tractor, nodes to farmer, tractor to infrastructure and farmer to infrastructure communications. Moreover, these scenarios are proposed for tractors and agricultural equipment performance improvement and tracking, as well as resources management within the farm field. Different link type configurations are tested in order to consider the impact of ground, spatial distribution as well as infrastructure elements. The results show that LPWAN-based WSNs can provide better performance in terms of coverage and radio link quality results than ZigBee for a non-flat large-scale farm field in both cases of near-ground fixed nodes and moving tractor and farmer. The proposed systems are validated by cloud-based platforms for LoRaWAN, Sigfox and NB-IoT communications, providing flexible and scalable solutions to enable interactive farming applications.
Open Access
Design and experimental validation of an augmented reality system with wireless integration for context aware enhanced show experience in auditoriums
(IEEE, 2021) Picallo Guembe, Imanol; Vidal Balea, A.; Blanco Novoa, Óscar; López Iturri, Peio; Fraga Lamas, Paula; Azpilicueta Fernández de las Heras, Leyre; Falcone Lanas, Francisco; Fernández Caramés, Tiago M.; Klaina, Hicham; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa, Elektronikoaren eta Telekomunikazio Ingeniaritzaren; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC; Ingeniería Eléctrica, Electrónica y de Comunicación
The development of multiple cultural and social related activities, such as shows related with the performing arts, conferences or presentations rely on facilities such as auditoriums, theatres and conference sites, which are progressively including multiple technological features in order to enhance user experience. There are still however situations in which user experience is limited owing to lack of environment adaption, such as people with disabilities. In this sense, the adoption of Context Aware paradigms within auditoriums can provide adequate functionalities in order to comply with specific needs. This work is aimed at demonstrating the feasibility in enhancing user experience (e.g., improving the autonomy of disabled people) within auditorium and theatre environments, by means of an Augmented Reality (AR) device (HoloLens smart glasses) with wireless system integration. To carry out the demonstration, different elements to build AR applications are described and tested. First, an intensive measurement campaign was performed in a real auditorium in the city of Pamplona (Baluarte Congress Center) in order to evaluate the feasibility of using Wi-Fi enabled AR devices in a complex wireless propagation scenario. The results show that these environments exhibit high levels of interference, owing to the co-existence and non-coordinated operation of multiple wireless communication systems, such as on site and temporary Wi-Fi access points, wireless microphones or communications systems used by performers, staff and users. Deterministic wireless channel estimation based in volumetric 3D Ray Launching have been obtained for the complete scenario volume, in order to assess quality of service metrics. For illustration purposes, a user-friendly application to help hearing impaired people was developed and its main features were tested in the auditorium. Such an application provides users with a 3D virtual space to visualize useful multimedia content like subtitles or additional information about the show, as well as an integrated call button. © 2013 IEEE.
Open Access
Spatial characterization of radio propagation channel in urban vehicle-to-infrastructure environments to support WSNs deployment
(MDPI, 2017) Granda, Fausto; Azpilicueta Fernández de las Heras, Leyre; Vargas Rosales, César; López Iturri, Peio; Aguirre Gallego, Erik; Astrain Escola, José Javier; Villadangos Alonso, Jesús; Falcone Lanas, Francisco; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa eta Elektronikoa; Matematika eta Informatika Ingeniaritza; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC; Ingeniería Eléctrica y Electrónica; Ingeniería Matemática e Informática
Vehicular ad hoc Networks (VANETs) enable vehicles to communicate with each other as well as with roadside units (RSUs). Although there is a significant research effort in radio channel modeling focused on vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), not much work has been done for vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) using 3D ray-tracing tools. This work evaluates some important parameters of a V2I wireless channel link such as large-scale path loss and multipath metrics in a typical urban scenario using a deterministic simulation model based on an in-house 3D Ray-Launching (3D-RL) algorithm at 5.9 GHz. Results show the high impact that the spatial distance; link frequency; placement of RSUs; and factors such as roundabout, geometry and relative position of the obstacles have in V2I propagation channel. A detailed spatial path loss characterization of the V2I channel along the streets and avenues is presented. The 3D-RL results show high accuracy when compared with measurements, and represent more reliably the propagation phenomena when compared with analytical path loss models. Performance metrics for a real test scenario implemented with a VANET wireless sensor network implemented ad-hoc are also described. These results constitute a starting point in the design phase of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) radio-planning in the urban V2I deployment in terms of coverage.
Open Access
IIoT low-cost Zigbee-based WSN implementation for enhanced production efficiency in a solar protection curtains manufacturing workshop
(MDPI, 2024) Klaina, Hicham; Picallo Guembe, Imanol; López Iturri, Peio; Biurrun, Aitor; Alejos, Ana V.; Azpilicueta Fernández de las Heras, Leyre; Socorro Leránoz, Abián Bentor; Falcone Lanas, Francisco; Ingeniería Eléctrica, Electrónica y de Comunicación; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa, Elektronikoaren eta Telekomunikazio Ingeniaritzaren
Nowadays, the Industry 4.0 concept and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) are considered essential for the implementation of automated manufacturing processes across various industrial settings. In this regard, wireless sensor networks (WSN) are crucial due to their inherent mobility, easy deployment and maintenance, scalability, and low power consumption, among other benefits. In this context, the presented paper proposes an optimized and low-cost WSN based on ZigBee communication technology for the monitoring of a real manufacturing facility. The company designs and manufactures solar protection curtains and aims to integrate the deployed WSN into the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system in order to optimize their production processes and enhance production efficiency and cost estimation capabilities. To achieve this, radio propagation measurements and 3D ray launching simulations were conducted to characterize the wireless channel behavior and facilitate the development of an optimized WSN system that can operate in the complex industrial environment presented and validated through on-site wireless channel measurements, as well as interference analysis. Then, a low-cost WSN was implemented and deployed to acquire real-time data from different machinery and workstations, which will be integrated into the ERP system. Multiple data streams have been collected and processed from the shop floor of the factory by means of the prototype wireless nodes implemented. This integration will enable the company to optimize its production processes, fabricate products more efficiently, and enhance its cost estimation capabilities. Moreover, the proposed system provides a scalable platform, enabling the integration of new sensors as well as information processing capabilities.
Open Access
Effects of the body wearable sensor position on the UWB localization accuracy
(MDPI, 2019) Otim, Timothy; Díez, Luis E.; Bahillo, Alfonso; López Iturri, Peio; Falcone Lanas, Francisco; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa, Elektronikoaren eta Telekomunikazio Ingeniaritzaren; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC; Ingeniería Eléctrica, Electrónica y de Comunicación
Over the years, several Ultrawideband (UWB) localization systems have been proposed and evaluated for accurate estimation of the position for pedestrians. However, most of them are evaluated for a particular wearable sensor position; hence, the accuracy obtained is subject to a given wearable sensor position. This paper is focused on studying the effects of body wearable sensor positions i.e., chest, arm, ankle, wrist, thigh, forehead, and hand, on the localization accuracy. According to our results, the forehead and the chest provide the best and worst body sensor location for tracking a pedestrian, respectively. With the wearable sensor at the forehead and chest position, errors lower than 0.35 m (90th percentile) and 4 m can be obtained, respectively. The reason for such a contrast in the performance lies in the fact that, in non-line-of-sight (NLOS) situations, the chest generates the highest multipath of any part of the human body. Thus, the large errors obtained arise due to the signal arriving at the target wearable sensor by multiple reflections from interacting objects in the environment rather than by direct line-of-sight (LOS) or creeping wave propagation mechanism.
Open Access
Performance evaluation and interference characterization of wireless sensor networks for complex high-node density scenarios
(MDPI, 2019) Celaya Echarri, Mikel; Azpilicueta Fernández de las Heras, Leyre; López Iturri, Peio; Aguirre Gallego, Erik; Falcone Lanas, Francisco; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa, Elektronikoaren eta Telekomunikazio Ingeniaritzaren; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC; Ingeniería Eléctrica, Electrónica y de Comunicación
The uncontainable future development of smart regions, as a set of smart cities’ networks assembled, is directly associated with a growing demand of full interactive and connected ubiquitous smart environments. To achieve this global connection goal, large numbers of transceivers and multiple wireless systems will be involved to provide user services and applications anytime and anyplace, regardless the devices, networks, or systems they use. Adequate, efficient and effective radio wave propagation tools, methodologies, and analyses in complex indoor and outdoor environments are crucially required to prevent communication limitations such as coverage, capacity, speed, or channel interferences due to high-node density or channel restrictions. In this work, radio wave propagation characterization in an urban indoor and outdoor wireless sensor network environment has been assessed, at ISM 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bands. The selected scenario is an auditorium placed in an open free city area surrounded by inhomogeneous vegetation. User density within the scenario, in terms of inherent transceivers density, poses challenges in overall system operation, given by multiple node operation which increases overall interference levels. By means of an in-house developed 3D ray launching (3D-RL) algorithm with hybrid code operation, the impact of variable density wireless sensor network operation is presented, providing coverage/capacity estimations, interference estimation, device level performance and precise characterization of multipath propagation components in terms of received power levels and time domain characteristics. This analysis and the proposed simulation methodology, can lead in an adequate interference characterization extensible to a wide range of scenarios, considering conventional transceivers as well as wearables, which provide suitable information for the overall network performance in crowded indoor and outdoor complex heterogeneous environments.
Open Access
Enabling anything to anything connectivity within urban environments towards cognitive frameworks
(IEEE, 2024-08-23) Picallo Guembe, Imanol; Klaina, Hicham; López Iturri, Peio; Azpilicueta Fernández de las Heras, Leyre; Celaya Echarri, Mikel; Astrain Escola, José Javier; Villadangos Alonso, Jesús; Falcone Lanas, Francisco; Ingeniería Eléctrica, Electrónica y de Comunicación; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa, Elektronikoa eta Telekomunikazio Ingeniaritza; Estadística, Informática y Matemáticas; Estatistika, Informatika eta Matematika; Ciencias; Zientziak; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC
The evolution from Smart Cities towards Cognitive Cities is enabled, among others, by the use of flexible and adaptive communication systems, capable of providing high levels of interactivity among multiple systems and users. In this work, wireless connectivity in full volumetric scale is analyzed, in order to provide wireless links between any device/user within the scenario, spanning to different applications from vehicular connectivity at different levels or infrastructure related communications, among others.
Open Access
5G spatial modeling of personal RF-EMF assessment within aircrafts cabin environments
(IEEE, 2022) Celaya Echarri, Mikel; Azpilicueta Fernández de las Heras, Leyre; Rodríguez Corbo, Fidel Alejandro; López Iturri, Peio; Shubair, Raed M.; Ramos González, Victoria; Falcone Lanas, Francisco; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa, Elektronikoaren eta Telekomunikazio Ingeniaritzaren; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC; Ingeniería Eléctrica, Electrónica y de Comunicación
Recently, new wireless communication systems within aircrafts cabins have drawn higher attention due to the growing demand of passenger services and applications and their corresponding requirements and constraints. In this regard, the fifth generation (5G) of wireless communication becomes an attractive and promising alternative to enable aircraft passengers' comfort and entertainment along the flight, considering its potential benefits in term of high data transfers and low latencies. Nevertheless, general population concern about radio frequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) safety in general and, in particular to the environmental exposure at which we are all exposed in these flights, increases at the same time. Thus, in this work, we present an experimental campaign of measurements for current passengers' environmental exposure assessment, performed in different real generalizable type of flights and aircrafts' cabins, in order to provide current RF-EMF exposure insight within these complex heterogeneous environments. In addition, worst-case uplink 5G scenarios, where all 5G cellular handsets of the passengers operate at the same time, have been simulated by means of an in-house developed 3D Ray Launching (3D-RL) deterministic technique. Before takeoff and after landing, critical scenarios with the aircrafts' doors closed have been selected and assessed considering different types of modeled aircrafts full of passengers, considering 5G frequency range 2 (5G-FR2) operating links. The obtained results show that the operation frequency and the morphology and topology of the aircraft cabin have a great influence in the environmental RF-EMF passengers' spatial distribution and overall exposure, but not exceeding, even in worst case conditions, the international established regulatory limits. © 2022 IEEE.
Open Access
Optimized wireless channel characterization in large complex environments by hybrid ray launching-collaborative filtering approach
(IEEE, 2017) Casino, Fran; Azpilicueta Fernández de las Heras, Leyre; López Iturri, Peio; Aguirre Gallego, Erik; Falcone Lanas, Francisco; Solanas, Agustí; Ingeniería Eléctrica y Electrónica; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa eta Elektronikoa
Simulation techniques based on deterministic methods such as Ray Tracing and Ray Launching, are widely used to perform radioplanning tasks. However, the quality of the simulations depends on the number of rays and the angular resolution. The computational cost of these simulations in High Definition prevents their use in complex environments and their Low Definition counterparts are used instead. In this article we propose a technique based on collaborative filtering to lessen the poor quality problems of Low Definition simulations. We show that our approach obtains results very similar to those of High Definition in much less time. Also, we compare our approach with other well-known techniques and we show that it performs better in terms of accuracy and precision. The use of combined deterministic/collaborative filtering techniques allows the estimation of radioplanning tasks in large, complex scenarios with a potentially large amount of transceivers.