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Wireless Networks and Systems for Developing Regions (WiNS-DR)

Workshop to be held in conjunction with ACM MobiCom 2008

September 19, 2008

http://moment.cs.ucsb.edu/winsdr08

****** Call for Papers ******

Information and communication technologies have been widely hailed as an important component in the advancement of the rural and underserved regions of the developing world. While technology alone cannot be a panacea for the diverse and myriad challenges in these regions, there is increasing evidence that communications technologies and access to information, far from being a luxury, can have direct and vital benefits to the economic and social well-being of the population in these regions. In particular, studies indicate that access to communication and information can contribute to specific measures such as increased GDP and living standards. Moreover, anecdotal evidence as well as pilot projects indicates that such access can lead to specific benefits, such as new economic opportunities and better medical information and intervention.

This workshop focuses on the technology required to provide communications and information access to rural regions in the developing world, and in particular technical aspects of wireless networking, systems and communication. This target environment poses unique system-wide challenges that require the development of new research approaches and innovative designs and techniques. These challenges include infrastructure issues, such as power and connectivity limitations, as well as particular user needs, including cost, literacy and language issues. Thus in addition to considering the specifics of networking protocols and architectures, the aim of the workshop is to consider the entire system by which networking and communication is provided, all the key technical stakeholders, and the overall system lifecycle from economic modeling to deployment.

AUDIENCE: The workshop aims to bring together a diverse group of technical researchers, including:

- network planners and economists,

- user experience researchers,

- network architecture and protocol specialists,

- networked application and middleware developers.

We believe it is this comprehensive approach that will lead to breakthroughs in understanding the key challenges and research required to build practical, deployable, innovative systems.

TOPICS: We solicit original, unpublished, technical papers in the relevant areas of interest including, but not limited to:

- Economics of rural access networks, including case studies, tools and models

- Rural network planning and spectrum management protocols and techniques

- User experience research, including impact of language and literacy barriers on networked applications

- Shared access devices and infrastructure, including personalization and privacy concerns

- Delay tolerant networking

- Low-power and intermittent-power protocols

- Energy-efficient and intermittent-energy devices, networks and systems

- Mechanisms for emergency and urgent communications

- Middleware and mechanisms for minimizing energy, latency and storage

- Networked applications and services

- Testing, deployment and evolution: techniques and in-depth case studies

SUBMISSIONS: All papers will be peer-reviewed by a multidisciplinary program committee of technical experts. Submissions are limited to 6 pages in length, with a minimum 10pt font and 1 inch margins, including all references and figures. Submissions will be handled by the EDAS system.

IMPORTANT DATES

May 8: Abstract registration deadline

May 12: Submission deadline

June 15: Acceptance notification

July 1: Camera ready versions due

Sept 19: Workshop date

CONFERENCE ORGANIZERS General Chair: Charles Perkins TPC Co-Chairs: Elizabeth Belding, UC Santa Barbara Ravi Jain, Google

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