Collaborative Wireless Networking AR Project Receives $2 Million Funding Boost
The National Science Foundation and Intel have awarded a team of researchers from UCLA and New Mexico State University $2 million in funding to develop an revolutionary augmented reality (AR) project. This project goals to integrate AR into latest wireless networks, addressing the restrictions of today’s TCP/IP architecture by way of performance, scalability, and availability.
Introduction to Augmented Reality
Augmented reality offers a wealthy, contextual experience on users’ smartphones and other devices. It overlays the true world with data, sounds, video, and pictures from multiple sources, creating latest wayfinding, education, entertainment, and other experiences. AR also has potential applications in industries similar to healthcare, manufacturing, and defense. However, the present web architecture will not be ideal for AR, which requires location-specific, individualized, and real-time content.
The Need for a New Network Architecture
The current web architecture, generally known as TCP/IP, was developed over 40 years ago. It will not be designed to support the demands of AR, which requires fast, efficient, and secure data exchange. The researchers propose using a brand new concept called information-centric networking (ICN), which enables devices to directly interact with their surroundings by requesting data by name, over any available communication channel. Named Data Networking (NDN) is an architectural realization of ICN, which allows devices to speak directly with one another, without counting on distant servers.
How NDN Works
NDN enables devices to request data by name, relatively than by location. This approach allows for more efficient and secure data exchange, as devices can communicate directly with one another, without counting on distant servers. For example, in an AR application, a user’s smartphone can directly interact with nearby sensors, while not having to connect with a distant server. This approach reduces latency, increases security, and improves overall performance.
The ICE-AR Project
The ICE-AR project goals to develop an operational AR demonstration system, called an AR campus browser, on an NDN network that runs over high-speed heterogeneous wireless technologies. The project has 4 research goals:
- Build an operational AR demonstration system on an NDN network
- Design robust and resilient networking support for AR
- Transition content delivery to utilize in-network storage and processing
- Incorporate comprehensive security and privacy throughout the system
Research Team and Funding
The research team includes experts from UCLA and New Mexico State University, with funding from the National Science Foundation and Intel. The team is led by Lixia Zhang, UCLA’s Jon Postel Chair in Computer Science, and includes co-principal investigators from UCLA and New Mexico State University. SCALABLE Network Technologies has also donated wireless simulation software to the researchers.
Conclusion
The ICE-AR project has the potential to revolutionize the way in which we experience augmented reality. By developing a brand new network architecture that supports fast, efficient, and secure data exchange, the researchers aim to enable a big selection of revolutionary AR applications. With funding from the National Science Foundation and Intel, the project is well-positioned to make a big impact in the sphere of AR and beyond. As the project progresses, we are able to expect to see latest and exciting developments in the sphere of AR, and a future where AR is an integral a part of our day by day lives.
