PUE attack detection in CWSNs using anomaly detection techniques

Cognitive wireless sensor network (CWSN) is a new paradigm, integrating cognitive features in traditional wireless sensor networks (WSNs) to mitigate important problems such as spectrum occupancy. Security in cognitive wireless sensor networks is an important problem since these kinds of networks manage critical applications and data. The specific constraints of WSN make the problem even more critical, and effective solutions have not yet been implemented. Primary user emulation (PUE) attack is the most studied specific attack deriving from new cognitive features. This work discusses a new approach, based on anomaly behavior detection and collaboration, to detect the primary user emulation attack in CWSN scenarios. Two non-parametric algorithms, suitable for low-resource networks like CWSNs, have been used in this work: the cumulative sum and data clustering algorithms. The comparison is based on some characteristics such as detection delay, learning time, scalability, resources, and scenario dependency. The algorithms have been tested using a cognitive simulator that provides important results in this area. Both algorithms have shown to be valid in order to detect PUE attacks, reaching a detection rate of 99% and less than 1% of false positives using collaboration.

Diseño de una metodología para la normalización del paisaje en España a partir del análisis de normas y de estudios cienciométricos: Aplicación al impacto paisajístico de las infraestructuras de transporte

La presente tesis se enmarca dentro de los trabajos realizados en el Proyecto CENIT OASIS (Operación de Autopistas Seguras Inteligentes y Sostenibles) sobre el impacto y la integración paisajística de las autopistas, y en los trabajos realizados por el grupo de trabajo GT 13 (paisaje) dentro del comité técnico nacional CTN 157 (proyectos) para normalización del Paisaje en España, del que la doctoranda es secretaria técnica. El objetivo principal de esta tesis es desarrollar una Metodología que permita la normalización del paisaje en España. Por ello, establece las bases para el desarrollo científico y profesional en el ámbito del paisaje, a través de la caracterización de la actividad científica y de la actividad normalizadora internacional. Para después elaborar una propuesta de documentos normativos para su regulación en España. Por último, se pone en práctica la única de las normas aplicables a un caso real, concretamente en la AP-7 a su paso por la provincia de Gerona. La caracterización de la actividad científica en el ámbito del paisaje proporciona una visión global que sirve de referencia a las futuras investigaciones en la materia, no existente hasta la fecha. Entre los múltiples resultados, se identifican las áreas de conocimiento y disciplinas afines desde las que se aborda el paisaje, se analiza la evolución de las temáticas y líneas de investigación en el campo, se determina la distribución e impacto de la producción científica, destacando los países y centros de investigación punteros y sus colaboraciones, y se determinan las publicaciones más destacadas en la materia. La caracterización de la actividad normativa internacional hasta la fecha supone un referente en este campo, habiendo traducido, analizado y clasificado decenas de documentos sobre temas como la terminología, la profesión de paisajista, las reglas generales para las intervenciones en el paisaje, las normas para la protección del paisaje y normas para la evaluación del impacto paisajístico. La tesis desarrolla tres documentos normativos, que se espera sean el germen de los futuros documentos legales para normalización del Paisaje en España. El principal objetivo de la normalización es dotar a los profesionales de las herramientas necesarias para desarrollar sus intervenciones en el paisaje. Para ello, se ha elaborado un documento normativo sobre terminología del concepto clave y los términos asociados en castellano, que sirva de referencia para un futuro documento normativo; un documento normativo que regule los estudios de integración e impacto paisajístico en España, definiendo una serie de pautas que ayuden a los profesionales a desarrollar los proyectos de intervención en el paisaje; un documento que regule y defina la profesión de arquitecto paisajista, identificando sus capacidades, formaciones y competencias. Por último, el documento de impacto e integración paisajística se aplica a un caso concreto de infraestructuras del transporte, dentro del proyecto OASIS, sirviendo como ejemplo a los profesionales de la materia para desarrollar futuras intervenciones. El enfoque de este documento coincide con el de paisaje ecológico, el análisis del paisaje se aborda desde lo visible (fenosistema) y desde los procesos que lo conforman (criptosistema). Y las medidas de integración pretenden conseguir que la infraestructura forme parte del paisaje y de los procesos que ocurren en él, lo que en la tesis se define como Infraestructuras Verdes. ABSTRACT The thesis is within the framework of the CENIT OASIS Project (Operation of Safe, Intelligent and Sustainable Highways) about the landscape impact and integration of highways, and the work done by the working group GT 13 (landscape) in the national technical committee CTN 157 (projects) for landscape standardization in Spain, of which the PhD is technical secretary. The main objective of this thesis is to develop a Methodology that allows the landscape standardization in Spain. Therefore, it establishes the basis for the scientific and professional development in the landscape field, through the characterization of scientific and international normalizing activity. It concludes with the proposal of regulatory documents for its use in Spain. Finally, it implements the only of the rules applicable to a real case, specifically in the AP- 7 passing through the Gerona province. The characterization of scientific activity in the landscape field provides an overview that is a reference in the researches in this field, non-existent to date. Among the many results, the areas of knowledge and related disciplines, from which the landscape is addressed, are identified; the evolution of topics and lines of research in the field are analyzed; the distribution and impact of scientific production is determined, highlighting the countries and leading research centers and collaborations; and the leading publications in the field are determined. The characterization of the international regulatory activity to date is a model in this field, having translated, analyzed and classified dozens of papers about terminology, the landscapist profession, general rules for intervention in the landscape, standards for the landscape protection and rules for the assessment of landscape impact. The thesis develops three normative documents, which are expected to be the germ of future legal documents for standardization landscape in Spain. The main objective of standardization is to provide the necessary tools for professionals who work developing interventions in the landscape. To do this, it has been developed a normative document about terminology on the key concept and the associated terms in Castilian, as a reference for a future normative document; a normative document that regulates studies of landscape integration and impact in Spain, defining a set of guidelines to help professionals to develop intervention projects in the landscape; a document to regulate and define the activities developed by the professionals, defining the profession of landscape architect, their capabilities and competencies. Finally, the document of landscape impact and integration is applied to a particular case of transport infrastructures within the OASIS project, serving as an example to professionals in the field to develop future interventions. The focus of this document coincides with the ecological landscape; the landscape analysis is approached from the visible (fenosystem) and from the processes that shape it (cryptosystem); and integration measures aim to achieve that the infrastructure take part of the landscape and its existing processes, which in this thesis is defined as Green Infrastructures.

Sistemas urbanos emergentes: procesos informales de gestión y producción de espacio público

Esta investigación analiza la capacidad del urbanismo de albergar sistemas emergentes de gestión urbana. El objetivo de esta tesis es describir estos procedimientos informales, realizando un exhaustivo recorrido a través de diversas experiencias de alteración del modo de gestión urbana al uso, para dar lugar a una sistematización de estos procesos que siente las bases para plantear nuevas formas de gestión urbana. Es decir, el fin no es tanto hacer una clasificación de las intervenciones más relevantes en materia urbana, sino descubrir su estructura, un orden para el desorden, una taxonomía en esas actuaciones que permita reformular las formas actuales de gestión de lo público. Se ha tratado de dibujar un mapa de oportunidades posibles en torno a la gestión del espacio urbano. A través de los procesos estudiados, esta investigación analiza los éxitos y fracasos obtenidos en los últimos cinco años de gestión alternativa de espacios vacantes, buscando extraer formulas susceptibles de incorporarse al modo actual de hacer ciudad. Este estudio pretende abordar un aspecto parcial, aunque fundamental del urbanismo, dando prioridad a lo público, sin la intención de negar el resto de formas del espacio urbano. Se concentra en los parámetros relativos a la interpretación de lo público: desatiende al conjunto urbano para descifrar ese fragmento. Así, el interés principal de esta tesis se concentra en la producción del espacio público. Al entender este ámbito como no exclusivo del urbanismo, otras actividades como el arte, la filosofía, la antropología o la sociología han aportado aspectos fundamentales dentro de esta investigación. De esta forma se ofrece un acercamiento poliédrico desde puntos de vista interdisciplinares, tratando de descubrir con rigor las posibilidades contrastadas de mejora del espacio urbano producido por los procesos emergentes de gestión informal de lo público. Mediante un metodología creada ex profeso (una estructura definida por tres líneas estratégicas: Gobernanza, Complejidad y Cohesión Social, que se desglosan en seis conceptos clave cada una) esta investigación analiza los aspectos relativos a la producción informal del espacio público de los sistemas emergentes. En relación con la Gobernanza, una parte de esta tesis se dedica al estudio de la informalidad, la transversalidad, la apropiación, la participación, la transparencia y las redes. La Complejidad se ha estudiado en su relación con la diversidad urbana, el uso sostenible del espacio público, la reactivación, la producción de espacio público, la ecología urbana y los procesos creativos. Para Cohesión Social se ha investigado la innovación en equipamientos, los procesos bottom-up, el rizoma, la identidad, los sistemas líquidos y el empoderamiento. Esta máquina para analizar se prueba en tres soportes urbanos: la escena urbana, los edificios-contenedores y los vacíos urbanos. Se han estudiado cinco situaciones urbanas en la ciudad de Madrid, seleccionados por ser las prácticas urbanas más relevantes de los últimos cinco años. Si bien este análisis nace de estos cincos casos, el modelo podría ser útil para otras investigaciones interesadas en los aspectos informales de la gestión urbana. Esta investigación se propone reclamar otras dimensiones más innovadoras que, si bien se escapan a los modos habituales de trabajar del urbanista, se revelan intensamente en los modos actuales de reclamar y producir espacio urbano. Se ha pretendido descubrir el espacio urbano como contenedor situacional del sentido público, potencial multiplicador de efectos funcionales como la gestión, la temporalidad, la participación, la rehabilitación, la multiplicidad de usos, la corrección del compacidad; efectos perceptuales y estéticos en la escena urbana; efectos políticos, de formación, de adquisición de poder; efectos sociales como la generación de nuevas redes, la creación de identidades. Se pretende que esta investigación arroje conclusiones que puedan tener aplicabilidad en la gestión y planificación del espacio público de ciudades y entornos urbanos inmersos a procesos semejantes. ABSTRACT This research examines the ability of urban planning to accommodate emerging urban management systems. The purpose of this thesis is to describe such informal procedures, by carrying out an exhaustive review across the different approaches to urban management, in order to systematize them as the basis for new ways of urban management. The aim is not, that is, to classify relevant urban interventions, but to recognize the intrinsic structure, an order for disorder, a taxonomy in those proceedings that could help reformulating existing forms of public management. The attempt has been to draw a map of possible opportunities around the management of urban space. Through the processes that have been the object of study, this research analyzes the successes and failures over the last five years of alternative management of vacant spaces, seeking to extract formulas that are likely to join the current way of making city. The focus of this urban study is the interpretation of public concepts, considered as key dimensions, not obliterating the other forms of urban space, but trying to make an in-depth analysis of this fragment within the global urban concept. Other activities intrinsically associated to public space generation, such as art, philosophy, anthropology or even sociology, are also contributing to this research. This interdisciplinary approach tries to enrich the research by recognizing the informal elements participating in emergent public management processes. The ex profeso devised methodology is structured by three main strategies: governance, complexity and Social Cohesiveness. Governance considers elements associated to informality, transversal dynamics, appropriation, participation, transparency and networking. Complexity encompasses elements of urban diversity, sustainable usage of public space, reactivation, urban space production, urban ecology and creative processes. Social Cohesiveness includes elements for equipment innovation, bottom-up processes, rhizome, identity, liquid systems and empowerment. This analyzing machine is tested on three urban scenarios: the urban scene, container buildings and empty spaces. Five relevant urban situations in Madrid have been selected, all of them developed in last five years, thus establishing the basis for other experiences of informal urban management. The result of the research, confirms the relevance of additional dimensions to traditional approaches for urban development. The urban space is recognized as a situational container of public sense and a potential multiplier of functional effects such as public management, temporality, participation, rehabilitation, multiplicity of uses, correction of compactness; perceptual and esthetic effects on the urban scene; politic effects, training, empowerment; social effects as generating new networks and identity creation. To sum up, the purpose of this thesis is to share the conclusions obtained by evaluating reference scenarios that could be applied in similar processes for cities and urban environment management and planning.

Multiwavelength study of quiescent states of MrK 421 with unprecedented hard x-Ray coverage provided by NuStar in 2013

We present coordinated multiwavelength observations of the bright, nearby BL Lacertae object Mrk 421 taken in 2013 January–March, involving GASP-WEBT, Swift, NuSTAR, Fermi-LAT, MAGIC, VERITAS, and other collaborations and instruments, providing data from radio to very high energy (VHE) γ-ray bands. NuSTAR yielded previously unattainable sensitivity in the 3–79 keV range, revealing that the spectrum softens when the source is dimmer until the X-ray spectral shape saturates into a steep G » 3 power law, with no evidence for an exponential cutoff or additional hard components up "aprox" 80keV. For the first time, we observed both the synchrotron and the inverse-Compton peaks of the spectral energy distribution (SED) simultaneously shifted to frequencies below the typical quiescent state by an order of magnitude. The fractional variability as a function of photon energy shows a double-bump structure that relates to the two bumps of the broadband SED. In each bump, the variability increases with energy, which, in the framework of the synchrotron self-Compton model, implies that the electrons with higher energies are more variable. The measured multi band variability, the significant X-ray-toVHE correlation down to some of the lowest fluxes ever observed in both bands, the lack of correlation between optical/UV and X-ray flux, the low degree of polarization and its significant (random) variations, the short estimated electron cooling time, and the significantly longer variability timescale observed in the NuSTAR light curves point toward in situ electron acceleration and suggest that there are multiple compact regions contributing to the broadband emission of Mrk 421 during low-activity states.

THE DESIGN OF A POWER SYSTEM FOR A WIRELESS SENSOR NETWORK FOR LONG-TERM OPERATION

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have shown wide applicability to many fields including monitoring of environmental, civil, and industrial settings. WSNs however are resource constrained by many competing factors that span their hardware, software, and networking. One of the central resource constrains is the charge consumption of WSN nodes. With finite energy supplies, low charge consumption is needed to ensure long lifetimes and success of WSNs. This thesis details the design of a power system to support long-term operation of WSNs. The power system’s development occurs in parallel with a custom WSN from the Queen’s MEMS Lab (QML-WSN), with the goal of supporting a 1+ year lifetime without sacrificing functionality. The final power system design utilizes a TPS62740 DC-DC converter with AA alkaline batteries to efficiently supply the nodes while providing battery monitoring functionality and an expansion slot for future development. Testing tools for measuring current draw and charge consumption were created along with analysis and processing software. Through their use charge consumption of the power system was drastically lowered and issues in QML-WSN were identified and resolved including the proper shutdown of accelerometers, and incorrect microcontroller unit (MCU) power pin connection. Controlled current profiling revealed unexpected behaviour of nodes and detailed current-voltage relationships. These relationships were utilized with a lifetime projection model to estimate a lifetime between 521-551 days, depending on the mode of operation. The power system and QML-WSN were tested over a long term trial lasting 272+ days in an industrial testbed to monitor an air compressor pump. Environmental factors were found to influence the behaviour of nodes leading to increased charge consumption, while a node in an office setting was still operating at the conclusion of the trail. This agrees with the lifetime projection and gives a strong indication that a 1+ year lifetime is achievable. Additionally, a light-weight charge consumption model was developed which allows charge consumption information of nodes in a distributed WSN to be monitored. This model was tested in a laboratory setting demonstrating +95% accuracy for high packet reception rate WSNs across varying data rates, battery supply capacities, and runtimes up to full battery depletion.

Keeping Treasures in Testing Times: Special Collections in the Academic Environment

This paper explores some of the challenges faced by the Fryer Library, the special collections branch of the University of Queensland Library responsible for manuscripts and pictorial materials, as well as theses and rare books. The challenges are not dissimilar to those being met by other cultural agencies or institutions as well as other academic libraries. The challenges covered include collection development, access and preservation, making appropriate responses to the research imperative, as well as promotion of services and collections, and servicing the community at large. The paper outlines the research library context and concludes with experiences of cross-sectoral collaborations and future opportunities.

Child development services: a multidisciplinary approach to professional education via videoconference

We have piloted a monthly series of multidisciplinary case discussions via videoconference in the area of child development. The project provided a forum for clinical discussion of complex cases, peer review, professional development and networking for allied health professionals and paediatricians. Six sites in Queensland participated in the project; each site presented at least one case for discussion. The videoconferences ran for 90 min each and were attended by an average of 26 health professionals. The response rate for a questionnaire survey was 71%. The respondents rated the effectiveness of case summaries and the follow-up newsletter very positively. Despite some early difficulties with the technical aspects of videoconferencing, the evaluation demonstrated the participants' satisfaction with the project and its relevance to their everyday practice.

How to survive your doctorate

If you are doing, thinking about doing, or know someone who is doing a doctorate, then this is the survival kit you need! Rather than focusing on the technical side of the doctorate, this book looks at all the other crucial skills that are part of everyday doctoral life. This candid book provides real insight into what it's like to do a doctorate and offers practical advice on: The application process, Sources of financial support, Motivational issues, Student-supervisor relationships, Departmental and university politics, Publishing, conferences and networking, Career strategies, Written by recent doctoral graduates, the book also includes real examples and case studies from current doctoral students and recent graduates across a range of disciplines and universities. By demystifying the doctoral process How to Survive Your Doctorate prepares you for life as a doctoral student like no other book. See for yourself and be a survivor!

Intelligence agents (knowledge management)

Reports some insights into knowledge management (KM) derived from UK one-day workshops with six businesses, three non-profits and one public sector organization. Lists the four questions posed to participants and discusses the themes which emerged, e.g. the need for a KM strategy to make raw information more useable, KM performance measurement etc. Stresses the need for commitment from a top-level champion and a wide range of employees to make this work and identifies three types of solutions for improving KM strategy: technological (e.g. databases and intranets), people (e.g. motivation, retention, training and networking) and processes (e.g. procedural instructions and balancing formal/informal knowledge sharing methods). Finds that accountants and senior managers do not generally see KM as very important but argues that management accountants are suitable knowledge champions who could develop explicit links between KM and organizational performance.

General-purpose autonomic computing

The success of mainstream computing is largely due to the widespread availability of general-purpose architectures and of generic approaches that can be used to solve real-world problems cost-effectively and across a broad range of application domains. In this chapter, we propose that a similar generic framework is used to make the development of autonomic solutions cost effective, and to establish autonomic computing as a major approach to managing the complexity of today’s large-scale systems and systems of systems. To demonstrate the feasibility of general-purpose autonomic computing, we introduce a generic autonomic computing framework comprising a policy-based autonomic architecture and a novel four-step method for the effective development of self-managing systems. A prototype implementation of the reconfigurable policy engine at the core of our architecture is then used to develop autonomic solutions for case studies from several application domains. Looking into the future, we describe a methodology for the engineering of self-managing systems that extends and generalises our autonomic computing framework further.

Simulating the value of collaboration in multi-actor conservation planning

The loss of habitat and biodiversity worldwide has led to considerable resources being spent for conservation purposes on actions such as the acquisition and management of land, the rehabilitation of degraded habitats, and the purchase of easements from private landowners. Prioritising these actions is challenging due to the complexity of the problem and because there can be multiple actors undertaking conservation actions, often with divergent or partially overlapping objectives. We use a modelling framework to explore this issue with a study involving two agents sequentially purchasing land for conservation. We apply our model to simulated data using distributions taken from real data to simulate the cost of patches and the rarity and co-occurence of species. In our model each agent attempted to implement a conservation network that met its target for the minimum cost using the conservation planning software Marxan. We examine three scenarios where the conservation targets of the agents differ. The first scenario (called NGO-NGO) models the situation where two NGOs are both are targeting different sets of threatened species. The second and third scenarios (called NGO-Gov and Gov-NGO, respectively) represent a case where a government agency attempts to implement a complementary conservation network representing all species, while an NGO is focused on achieving additional protection for the most endangered species. For each of these scenarios we examined three types of interactions between agents: i) acting in isolation where the agents are attempting to achieve their targets solely though their own actions ii) sharing information where each agent is aware of the species representation achieved within the other agent’s conservation network and, iii) pooling resources where agents combine their resources and undertake conservation actions as a single entity. The latter two interactions represent different types of collaborations and in each scenario we determine the cost savings from sharing information or pooling resources. In each case we examined the utility of these interactions from the viewpoint of the combined conservation network resulting from both agents' actions, as well as from each agent’s individual perspective. The costs for each agent to achieve their objectives varied depending on the order in which the agents acted, the type of interaction between agents, and the specific goals of each agent. There were significant cost savings from increased collaboration via sharing information in the NGO-NGO scenario were the agent’s representation goals were mutually exclusive (in terms of specie targeted). In the NGO-Gov and Gov-NGO scenarios, collaboration generated much smaller savings. If the two agents collaborate by pooling resources there are multiple ways the total cost could be shared between both agents. For each scenario we investigate the costs and benefits for all possible cost sharing proportions. We find that there are a range of cost sharing proportions where both agents can benefit in the NGO-NGO scenarios while the NGO-Gov and Gov-NGO scenarios again showed little benefit. Although the model presented here has a range of simplifying assumptions, it demonstrates that the value of collaboration can vary significantly in different situations. In most cases, collaborating would have associated costs and these costs need to be weighed against the potential benefits from collaboration. The model demonstrates a method for determining the range of collaboration costs that would result in collaboration providing an efficient use of scarce conservation resources.

Time resolved bit error rate analysis of a fast switching tunable laser for use in optically switched networks

We investigate the use of different direct detection modulation formats in a wavelength switched optical network. We find the minimum time it takes a tunable sampled grating distributed Bragg reflector laser to recover after switching from one wavelength channel to another for different modulation formats. The recovery time is investigated utilizing a field programmable gate array which operates as a time resolved bit error rate detector. The detector offers 93 ps resolution operating at 10.7 Gb/s and allows for all the data received to contribute to the measurement, allowing low bit error rates to be measured at high speed. The recovery times for 10.7 Gb/s non-return-to-zero on–off keyed modulation, 10.7 Gb/s differentially phase shift keyed signal and 21.4 Gb/s differentially quadrature phase shift keyed formats can be as low as 4 ns, 7 ns and 40 ns, respectively. The time resolved phase noise associated with laser settling is simultaneously measured for 21.4 Gb/s differentially quadrature phase shift keyed data and it shows that the phase noise coupled with frequency error is the primary limitation on transmitting immediately after a laser switching event.

Coverage overlapping problems in applications of IEEE 802.15.4 wireless sensor networks

IEEE 802.15.4 standard is a relatively new standard designed for low power low data rate wireless sensor networks (WSN), which has a wide range of applications, e.g., environment monitoring, e-health, home and industry automation. In this paper, we investigate the problems of hidden devices in coverage overlapped IEEE 802.15.4 WSNs, which is likely to arise when multiple 802.15.4 WSNs are deployed closely and independently. We consider a typical scenario of two 802.15.4 WSNs with partial coverage overlapping and propose a Markov-chain based analytical model to reveal the performance degradation due to the hidden devices from the coverage overlapping. Impacts of the hidden devices and network sleeping modes on saturated throughput and energy consumption are modeled. The analytic model is verified by simulations, which can provide the insights to network design and planning when multiple 802.15.4 WSNs are deployed closely. © 2013 IEEE.

Service differentiation in OFDM-Based IEEE 802.16 networks

IEEE 802.16 network is widely viewed as a strong candidate solution for broadband wireless access systems. Various flexible mechanisms related to QoS provisioning have been specified for uplink traffic at the medium access control (MAC) layer in the standards. Among the mechanisms, bandwidth request scheme can be used to indicate and request bandwidth demands to the base station for different services. Due to the diverse QoS requirements of the applications, service differentiation (SD) is desirable for the bandwidth request scheme. In this paper, we propose several SD approaches. The approaches are based on the contention-based bandwidth request scheme and achieved by the means of assigning different channel access parameters and/or bandwidth allocation priorities to different services. Additionally, we propose effective analytical model to study the impacts of the SD approaches, which can be used for the configuration and optimization of the SD services. It is observed from simulations that the analytical model has high accuracy. Service can be efficiently differentiated with initial backoff window in terms of throughput and channel access delay. Moreover, the service differentiation can be improved if combined with the bandwidth allocation priority approach without adverse impacts on the overall system throughput.

Optical burst-switched SSB-OFDM using a fast switching SG-DBR laser

The application of orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) in an optical burst-switched system employing a single fast switching sample grating-distributed Bragg reflector (SG-DBR) laser is demonstrated experimentally. The effect of filter profiles compatible with 50, 25, and 12.5 GHz wavelength-division multiplexing grids on the system is investigated with system performance examined in terms of error vector magnitude per subcarrier for OFDM burst data beginning at various times after a switching event. Additionally the placement of the OFDM training sequence within the data burst and its effect on the system is investigated.