Information Transfer Ion Wireless Networks

Abstract : Ad hoc, mesh, and other unstructured wireless networks are worth studying due to their potential of becoming an alternative, survivable communication infrastructure in case of a major disaster or security breach incapacitating the wired backbone. While the design of effective data transfer mechanisms in wireless networks is maturing, new challenges arise regarding information transfer. This is partly because wireless nodes' increased autonomy and anonymity lead to non-punishable node selfishness. Hence, relative to wired networks, it is no longer clear if a given piece of protocol data carries information - i.e., if it increases a selfish recipient's ability to achieve its objectives. Thus the distinction between data and information is linked to incentive compatibility and nodes' willingness to contribute to the network functionality. At the same time, measuring the amount of information in transferred data becomes vital. Accordingly, the project focused both on game-theoretic and information-theoretic aspects of wireless networks.