Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Four NSF Grants Awarded to ECE Department

October 7, 2009

Cognitive Radio, Wireless Communications, and Network Security Advancement For their research efforts in Cognitive Radio, Wireless Communications and Network Security, the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering has been awarded, “Four recent National Science Foundation (NSF) grants in excess of $1M, with a focus towards an increased contribution in CR advancement. We are pleased to be acknowledged for our research accomplishments, and are poised to introduce next- generation technology” – Professor Yu-Dong Yao, Department Director. One of the main priorities of the ECE Departments research is the application and advancement of security measures. They act as an integral purveyor of the Secure Systems research thrust within the University, and each awarded faculty member works as a part of the overall mission to advance the possibilities in regards to wireless network dynamics and network security. Cognitive Networking that Resembles Human Interactions Hattrick Chair Professor Rajarathnam Chandramouli is using a recent NSF grant entitled, “Human Behavior Inspired Cognitive Radio Network Design,” to study communication protocols involving cognitive radio networks that resemble human behavior and psychological interactions. New technology research in the fields of Cognitive Radio (CR), Wireless Communications and Network Analysis are leading to dramatic improvements in ... [Read news item]

ICE Blog Launched on Research Enterprise Website!

October 2, 2009

Stevens Institute of Technology is happy to announce the launching of their new Inventiveness, Creativity and Entrepreneurship (ICE) Blog! As a part of the Research Enterprise website, ICE blog will highlight innovative research and educational opportunities within the University. The goal of ICE blog is to provide an in-depth look at some of the unique research being done by our faculty, complete with media, professor and student insights. Many of the research projects that our faculty study are on the leading edge of technology innovation; our students are surrounded by incredible learning opportunities and gain critical experience for a successful career. The first submission in the ICE blog will focus on Tissue Engineering. Led by Professors Xiaojun Yu and Hongjun Wang, the application of nanotechnology to improve upon biomedical implants (scaffolds) that function as a bridge upon which new cells can grow in the case of trauma, skin grafting, bone and nerve regeneration, will dramatically reduce patient recovery times. With global reach that includes the potential to reduce health care costs while improving care, Tissue Engineering is a hot topic, and Stevens researchers are on the forefront of development.We will be featuring a new research topic periodically, so be sure ... [Read news item]

Prof. K. Subbalakshmi and Prof. R. Chandramouli Receive an NSF Grant, "TC: Small: Denial-of-Service Attacks and Counter Measures in Dynamic Sepctrum Access Network"

September 20, 2009

Prof. K. Subbalakshmi and Prof. R. Chandramouli receive an NSF grant, "TC: Small: Denial-of-Service Attacks and Counter Measures in Dynamic Sepctrum Access Network." This project studies denial-of-service (DoS) attacks that are unique to dynamic spectrum access (DSA) networks: (a) DoS attacks by incumbent user emulation; (b) DoS attacks by protocol manipulation. In the first case, one or more malicious nodes pretend to be the primary by mimicking the power and/or signal characteristics to deceive legitimate secondary nodes into vacating the white space unnecessarily. In the second case, the malicious users either modify spectrum sensing related information or falsify their own sensing data thereby affecting the final decision. A number of mathematical models for the DoS attacks and several counter measures based on game theory, decision theory, stochastic learning, cryptography and Byzantine fault tolerance are developed in this project. Some defense mechanisms and protocols developed through this project will be tested on SpiderRadio (a cognitive radio test-bed being developed in the PIs? laboratory).Broader Impact: Since DSA networks are expected to play an important role in first responder networks, the solutions proposed here are expected to impact design of such networks. Since research in DSA network protocols and architectures are still in ... [Read news item]

Prof. Yu-Dong Yao and Dr. Hongbing Cheng Receive an NSF Grant,

September 18, 2009

Prof. Yu-Dong Yao and Dr. Hongbing Cheng receive an NSF grant, "NeTS: Small: xBeam: Cross-Layer Beamforming Against Denial of Service Attacks in Wireless Networks." It is commonly understood that to achieve a desired level of security in wireless networks is a bigger challenge than in wired networks. The denial of service (DoS) attack is a prominent threat in wired networks, and is a more potent threat in the wireless domain. This project aims to explore enabling approaches for a novel beamforming framework with cross-layer interactions, referred to as xBeam, as a defense against DoS attacks in wireless networks. This project examines various DoS attacks, develops xBeam algorithms, evaluates the effectiveness of xBeam in deterring DoS attacks, and validates the algorithms using a wireless test bed.Intellectual merit: This project develops a novel defense approach against DoS attacks in wireless networks, which is based on adaptive beamforming with cross-layer interactions. The approach can deter DoS attacks across different networking layers, multiple DoS attacks mounting from different spatial directions, and attacks mounted by malicious attackers who are mobile.Broader impact: This research contributes to a substantial improvement in wireless network security and contributes to the advance of a networked mobile wireless information society. The ... [Read news item]

Prof. R. Chandramouli and Prof. K. Subbalakshmi receive an NSF grant, "NetSE:Small: Human Behavior Inspired Cognitive Radio Network Design"

September 15, 2009

Prof. R. Chandramouli and Prof. K. Subbalakshmi receive an NSF grant, "NetSE:Small: Human Behavior Inspired Cognitive Radio Network Design." Cognitive radios enabling dynamic spectrum access are envisioned to sense the environment and self-learn to maximize an individual or group utility function. This results in cheating, irrational behavior, inequality aversion, altruism, learning from past memory, etc. These traits are strikingly similar to human behavior and social interactions. Therefore, this project explores this parallelism going beyond traditional game theoretic analysis. What are the implications if communication protocols in a cognitive radio network resemble human behavioral and psychological interactions? Will the network develop its own psychology with random perturbations, similar to human evolution?These are the fundamental questions addressed in this project using tools from social science and behavioral games. Some of the main theoretical ideas will be implemented in SpiderRadio, a cognitive radio network prototype developed in the PIs? laboratory at Stevens. Intellectual Merit: The intellectual merit of this project is an inter-disciplinary effort thatoverlaps human behavioral models, cognitive psychology, economic models, decision theory and dynamic spectrum access. Emerging social science concepts such as evolutionary ... [Read news item]