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The Internet of Things (IoT) has transformed our daily life by enabling devices and objects to collect data, communicate, and collaborate to provision novel types of services. Engineering IoT systems is a complex process that should consider a number of quality characteristics to meet the systems' goals. Towards identifying the key quality characteristics of IoT systems, in this study, we conduct semi-structured interviews with seven companies developing IoT solutions within smart energy, smart healthcare, smart surveillance, and smart buildings application areas. The study used the ISO/IEC 25010 model as a reference and a qualitative research approach, i.e., we conducted semi-structured interviews with ten experts and performed content analysis on the data collected from the interviews. The study findings reveal that the ISO/IEC 25010 model does not include the following key quality characteristics that practitioners consider when engineering IoT systems: trust, privacy, and energy consumption. Additionally, we report about trade-offs between quality characteristics, architectural constraints, and challenges related to the achievement of the identified quality characteristics when engineering IoT systems in practice. Article Highlights: The ISO/IEC 25010 model does not capture all the core QCs of IoT systems. Specifically, the standard lacks the following core QCs: trust, privacy, energy consumption, and scalability. In the studied cases, privacy is always prioritized over other QCs, such as functional suitability, reliability, efficiency, and scalability. Most of the reported architectural constraints are about where to process data (e.g., edge or cloud). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional research on vehicular edge computing often ignores the challenges brought by the rapid movement of vehicles and the dynamic characteristics of the environment, and often ignores that different vehicles on the same path may generate the same computing tasks, resulting in a large number of repeated calculations. Therefore, this paper proposes a vehicular edge computing content caching solution using content prediction and D4PG. Considering the complexity of the vehicular edge environment, this study proposes a digital twin-assisted method to digitally simulate the vehicular edge environment to assist in the decision-making process related to traffic prediction and content caching strategy. In response to the problems of high-speed vehicle movement and dynamic environmental changes, this paper proposes an informer-based traffic prediction model, which uses the informer prediction model to predict the environment and provide information for vehicle task content caching. At the same time, considering the problem that different vehicles on the same path may generate the same computing tasks, this paper proposes a content caching model based on distributed deterministic policy gradient (D4PG), and uses the D4PG content caching model to determine the content caching strategy. Experimental results show that this scheme can effectively reduce the vehicle task processing delay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In vehicular edge computing, real-time processing of requests along with the mobility of vehicles between cells necessitate dynamic allocation of requests to servers so as to maximize the number of timely responses to the service requests. The best existing methods still have high execution times in large-scale scenarios, and thus they cannot be executed in short intervals, resulting in a significant deviation from the optimal allocation in such cases. We propose a greedy algorithm that, while maintaining high execution speed, can provide close to optimal solutions. Evaluation results of the algorithm, conducted through simulation, demonstrate that compared to the best competing method, our approach provides 49 percent more timely responses to vehicle requests. Additionally, its deviation from the best possible allocation obtained through MILP is only 6.8 percent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) incorporates a network of interconnected systems and devices that receive, cache, process, and analyse data in close communication with the location where the data is captured with AI technology. Recent advancements in AI efficiency, the widespread use of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, and the emergence of edge computing have unlocked the enormous scope of Edge AI. The goal of Edge AI is to optimize data processing efficiency and velocity while ensuring data confidentiality and integrity. Despite being a relatively new field of research, spanning from 2014 to the present, it has shown significant and rapid development over the last five years. In this article, we present a systematic literature review for Edge AI to discuss the existing research, recent advancements, and future research directions. We created a collaborative edge AI learning system for cloud and edge computing analysis, including an in-depth study of the architectures that facilitate this mechanism. The taxonomy for Edge AI facilitates the classification and configuration of Edge AI systems while also examining its potential influence across many fields through compassing infrastructure, cloud computing, fog computing, services, use cases, ML and deep learning, and resource management. This study highlights the significance of Edge AI in processing real-time data at the edge of the network. Additionally, it emphasizes the research challenges encountered by Edge AI systems, including constraints on resources, vulnerabilities to security threats, and problems with scalability. Finally, this study highlights the potential future research directions that aim to address the current limitations of Edge AI by providing innovative solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Future 6G networks will integrate non-terrestrial communication with mobile edge computing to enable wide-area edge intelligence, providing ubiquitous communication and computation services for everyone and everything. In this paper, we introduce the intelligent cloud-edge-device architecture into low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite-supported remote Internet of Things (IoT) networks to facilitate latency-sensitive and compute-intensive IoT applications. However, the dynamic spatio-temporal characteristics inherent in LEO satellite networks, such as the high volatility of task traffic and the high mobility of space nodes, pose severe challenges. For efficient task execution, we investigate the joint optimization of cross-region task offloading and cross-domain resource allocation, and innovatively propose a spatio-temporal attention-based proximal policy optimization (STA-PPO) algorithm. Specifically, the temporal attention-based actor network analyzes the timing dependencies of task arrival and makes time-variant decisions. Simultaneously, the spatial attention-based critic network captures the spatial variations of satellite motion and evaluates the topology-related value. We verify the effectiveness of the cloud-edge-device collaboration through extensive simulations. Numerical results demonstrate that the STA-PPO algorithm outperforms benchmarks, showing the lowest system delay and the highest link throughput. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In general, edge computing networks are based on a distributed computing environment and hence, present some difficulties to obtain an appropriate load balancing, especially under dynamic workload and limited resources. The conventional approaches of Load balancing like Round-Robin and Threshold-based load balancing fails in scalability and flexibility issues when applied to highly variable edge environments. To solve the problem of how to achieve steady-state load balance and provide dynamic adaption to edge networks, this paper proposes a new framework that using PCA and MDP. Taking advantage of the stochasticity of PCA classification our model describes interactions between neighboring nodes in terms of a local load thus allowing for a distributed, self-organizing approach to load balancing. The MDP framework then determines each node's decision-making with the focus on load offloading policies that are aligned with rewards that promote per node balance and penalties for offloading a larger load than it can handle.These models are then incorporated into our proposed PCA-MDP system to achieve dynamic load balancing with low variability in resource usage among nodes. By conducting a large number of experiments, we prove that the proposed PCA-MDP model yields a higher efficiency in the distribution of the load, higher stabilities of the reward function, and a faster convergence speed compared to the existing approaches. Key performance parameters, such as load variance, convergence time, and scalability, validate the robustness of the proposed model. Besides optimizing resource exploitation, load harmony in edge computing networks helps provide efficient work progression and minimize latency, thereby contributing to the advancement of the field with respect to real-time applications such as self-driving vehicles and the Internet of Things. The presented work offers an excellent foundation for the next-generation edge-computing load-balancing solution that can be easily scaled up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Due to scientific advancements in high-throughput data production technologies, omics studies, such as genomics and metabolomics, often give rise to numerous measurements per sample/subject containing several noisy variables that potentially cloud the true signals relevant to the desired study outcome(s). Therefore, correcting for multiple testing is critical while performing any statistical test of significance to minimize the chances of false or missed discoveries. Such correction practice is commonplace in genome-wide association studies (GWAS) but is also becoming increasingly relevant to metabolome-wide association studies (MWAS). However, many existing procedures may be too conservative or too lenient, only assume a linear association between the features, or have not been evaluated on metabolomics data. Methods: One such multiple testing correction strategy is to estimate the number of statistically independent tests, called the effective number of tests, based on the eigen-analysis of the correlation matrix between the features. This effective number is then used for a subsequent single-step adjustment to obtain the pointwise significance level. We propose a modification to the p-value adjustment based on a more general measure of association between two predictors, the distance correlation, with a specific focus on MWAS. Results: We assessed common GWAS p-value adjustment procedures and one tailored for MWAS, which rely on eigen-analysis of the Pearson's correlation matrix. Our study, including varying sample size-to-feature ratios, response types, and metabolite groupings, highlights the superior performance of the distance correlation. Conclusion: We propose the distance-correlation-based p-value adjustment (DisCo P-ad) as a novel modification that can enhance existing eigen-analysis-based multiple testing correction procedures by increasing power or reducing false positives. While our focus is on metabolomics, DisCo P-ad can also readily be applied to other high-dimensional omics studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) furnished with computational servers enable user equipment (UE) to offload complex computational tasks, thereby addressing the limitations of edge computing in remote or resource-constrained environments. The application of value decomposition algorithms for UAV trajectory planning has drawn considerable research attention. However, existing value decomposition algorithms commonly encounter obstacles in effectively associating local observations with the global state of UAV clusters, which hinders their task-solving capabilities and gives rise to reduced task completion rates and prolonged convergence times. To address these challenges, this paper introduces an innovative multi-agent deep learning framework that conceptualizes multi-UAV trajectory optimization as a decentralized partially observable Markov decision process (Dec-POMDP). This framework integrates the QTRAN algorithm with a large language model (LLM) for efficient region decomposition and employs graph convolutional networks (GCNs) combined with self-attention mechanisms to adeptly manage inter-subregion relationships. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed method significantly outperforms existing deep reinforcement learning methods, with improvements in convergence speed and task completion rate exceeding 10%. Overall, this framework significantly advances UAV trajectory optimization and enhances the performance of multi-agent systems within UAV-assisted edge computing environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advent of 6G networks and beyond calls for innovative paradigms to address the stringent demands of emerging applications, such as extended reality and autonomous vehicles, as well as technological frameworks like digital twin networks. Traditional cloud computing and edge computing architectures fall short in providing their required flexibility, scalability, and ultra-low latency. Cloud computing centralizes resources in distant data centers, leading to high latency and increased network congestion, while edge computing, though closer to data sources, lacks the agility to dynamically adapt to fluctuating workloads, user mobility, and real-time requirements. In-network computing (INC) offers a transformative solution by integrating computational capabilities directly into the network fabric, enabling dynamic and distributed task execution. This paper explores INC through the lens of information-centric networking (ICN), a revolutionary communication paradigm implementing routing-by-name and in-network caching, and thus emerging as a natural enabler for INC. We review state-of-the-art advancements involving INC and ICN, addressing critical topics such as service naming, executor selection strategies, compute reuse, and security. Furthermore, we discuss key challenges and propose research directions for deploying INC via ICN, thereby outlining a cohesive roadmap for future investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Internet of Things (IoT) represents a rapidly growing field, where billions of intelligent devices are interconnected through the Internet, enabling the seamless sharing of data and resources. These smart devices are typically employed to sense various environmental characteristics, including temperature, motion of objects, and occupancy, and transfer their values to the nearest access points for further analysis. The exponential growth in sensor availability and deployment, powered by recent advances in sensor fabrication, has greatly increased the complexity of IoT network architecture. As the market for these sensors grows, so does the problem of ensuring that IoT networks meet high requirements for network availability, dependability, flexibility, and scalability. Unlike traditional networks, IoT systems must be able to handle massive amounts of data generated by various and frequently-used resource-constrained devices, while ensuring efficient and dependable communication. This puts high constraints on the design of IoT, mainly in terms of the required network availability, reliability, flexibility, and scalability. To this end, this work considers deploying a recent technology of distributed edge computing to enable IoT applications over dense networks with the announced requirements. The proposed network depends on distributed edge computing at two levels: multiple access edge computing and fog computing. The proposed structure increases network scalability, availability, reliability, and scalability. The network model and the energy model of the distributed nodes are introduced. An energy-offloading method is considered to manage IoT data over the network energy, efficiently. The developed network was evaluated using a developed IoT testbed. Heterogeneous evaluation scenarios and metrics were considered. The proposed model achieved a higher energy efficiency by 19%, resource utilization by 54%, latency efficiency by 86%, and reduced network congestion by 92% compared to traditional IoT networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of medical data and resources has become essential for enhancing patient outcomes and operational efficiency in an age when digital innovation in healthcare is becoming more important. The rapid growth of the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) is changing healthcare data management, but it also brings serious issues like data privacy, malicious attacks, and service quality. In this study, we present EdgeGuard, a novel decentralized architecture that combines blockchain technology, federated learning, and edge computing to address those challenges and coordinate medical resources across IoMT networks. EdgeGuard uses a privacy-preserving federated learning approach to keep sensitive medical data local and to promote collaborative model training, solving essential issues. To prevent data modification and unauthorized access, it uses a blockchain-based access control and integrity verification system. EdgeGuard uses edge computing to improve system scalability and efficiency by offloading computational tasks from IoMT devices with limited resources. We have made several technological advances, including a lightweight blockchain consensus mechanism designed for IoMT networks, an adaptive edge resource allocation method based on reinforcement learning, and a federated learning algorithm optimized for medical data with differential privacy. We also create an access control system based on smart contracts and a secure multi-party computing protocol for model updates. EdgeGuard outperforms existing solutions in terms of computational performance, data value, and privacy protection across a wide range of real-world medical datasets. This work enhances safe, effective, and privacy-preserving medical data management in IoMT ecosystems while maintaining outstanding standards for data security and resource efficiency, enabling large-scale collaborative learning in healthcare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proliferation of edge intelligence systems necessitates efficient and reliable connectivity for sensor networks deployed at the edge. This paper proposes a novel energy-efficient connectivity algorithm called Constrained Angle-aware Connectivity Optimization (CA-Opt), designed for directional sensor networks to address the challenges of limited resources and asymmetric network constraints in edge environments. CA-Opt constructs a hop-constrained, degree-bounded network topology while considering the directional coverage of sensor nodes. The algorithm incorporates an angle-aware child selection strategy to optimize the energy consumption by minimizing the number of active links and the total communication distance. Extensive simulations demonstrated that CA-Opt achieved comparable connectivity to the traditional Breadth-First Search (BFS) algorithms while significantly reducing the energy consumption. Furthermore, the impact of key parameters, such as the communication range, node density, maximum degree, and directional coverage angle, on CA-Opt's performance was analyzed. The results underscore the potential of CA-Opt to balance asymmetry-driven connectivity control with energy-efficient operation, making it particularly suitable for resource-constrained edge applications, such as smart manufacturing, environmental monitoring, and intelligent transportation systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smart city traffic management relies increasingly on UAV-assisted edge computing systems to process real-time data and make informed decisions. A critical challenge in these systems is the efficient allocation of computational tasks across available edge computing resources. While existing technologies provide solutions for data collection (UAVs), processing (computer vision), and control (reinforcement learning), the integration and resource optimization of these components remains a significant challenge. We propose a multi-objective simulated annealing (MOSA) algorithm for optimizing task allocation in edge computing systems, focusing on three key objectives: minimizing active computational nodes, optimizing energy distribution, and reducing execution time. We compared the MOSA algorithm with uniform random allocation, greedy algorithm, and single-objective simulated annealing (SOSA) methods under both standard and peak load conditions. The peak load scenario tested system performance under significantly increased computational demands and reduced resource availability. Our evaluation focused on three key metrics: the number of active nodes, energy distribution efficiency, and task execution time. The proposed MOSA algorithm demonstrated superior resource utilization under standard conditions and maintained robust performance during peak loads, showing significant improvements over baseline methods in all metrics. Results show that MOSA effectively balances multiple objectives while adapting to varying operational demands. It consistently outperformed comparison methods in minimizing active nodes while maintaining competitive performance in energy distribution and execution time. The framework demonstrated particular strength in maintaining efficiency under significantly increased computational loads, offering a robust solution for task allocation in edge computing systems. While some limitations exist in real-world applications, this work provides a strong foundation for optimizing resource utilization in smart city systems that integrate multiple computational tasks.

Edge computing has emerged as a promising solution for delivering services that demand low latency, high bandwidth, and stringent privacy requirements in numerous data- and compute-intensive applications, such as those in Smart Cities. Heterogeneity in edge computing resources and diverse application requirements demand adaptive optimization techniques, such as service placement, to conform to changing conditions. A service placement model must optimize the selection of edge nodes for deploying and executing services, thereby improving application QoS and maximizing resource utilization. Numerous optimization techniques for adaptive service placement problem have been proposed in the recent past. However, in most cases, the results have been evaluated in limited scenarios. This paper presents a comprehensive comparative study evaluating representative optimization algorithms applied to the problem of dynamic service placement across various application scenarios. The study covers nature-inspired approaches, including both meta-heuristics and reinforcement learning. Our experimental findings offer valuable insights into the strengths and weaknesses of the selected nature-inspired algorithms for service placement optimization, evaluated for applications with different QoS requirements. In our analysis, the Genetic Algorithm shows superior performance in achieving lower average distance and the average number of servers selected. Particle Swarm Optimization excels in minimizing average waiting time and placement decision time. The Artificial Bee Colony maintains low average latency, whereas the RL Proximal Policy Optimization demonstrates superior performance in terms of balancing the utilization of network resources.