Large Language Model Based Multi-Agent System Augmented Complex Event Processing Pipeline for Internet of Multimedia Things

This paper presents the development and evaluation of a Large Language Model (LLM), also known as foundation models, based multi-agent system framework for complex event processing (CEP) with a focus on video query processing use cases. The primary goal is to create a proof-of-concept (POC) that integrates state-of-the-art LLM orchestration frameworks with publish/subscribe (pub/sub) tools to address the integration of LLMs with current CEP systems. Utilizing the Autogen framework in conjunction with Kafka message brokers, the system demonstrates an autonomous CEP pipeline capable of handling complex workflows. Extensive experiments evaluate the system's performance across varying configurations, complexities, and video resolutions, revealing the trade-offs between functionality and latency. The results show that while higher agent count and video complexities increase latency, the system maintains high consistency in narrative coherence. This research builds upon and contributes to, existing novel approaches to distributed AI systems, offering detailed insights into integrating such systems into existing infrastructures.

Creation of AI-driven Smart Spaces for Enhanced Indoor Environments -- A Survey

Smart spaces are ubiquitous computing environments that integrate diverse sensing and communication technologies to enhance space functionality, optimize energy utilization, and improve user comfort and well-being. The integration of emerging AI methodologies into these environments facilitates the formation of AI-driven smart spaces, which further enhance functionalities of the spaces by enabling advanced applications such as personalized comfort settings, interactive living spaces, and automatization of the space systems, all resulting in enhanced indoor experiences of the users. In this paper, we present a systematic survey of existing research on the foundational components of AI-driven smart spaces, including sensor technologies, data communication protocols, sensor network management and maintenance strategies, as well as the data collection, processing and analytics. Given the pivotal role of AI in establishing AI-powered smart spaces, we explore the opportunities and challenges associated with traditional machine learning (ML) approaches, such as deep learning (DL), and emerging methodologies including large language models (LLMs). Finally, we provide key insights necessary for the development of AI-driven smart spaces, propose future research directions, and sheds light on the path forward.

Future-Proofing Mobile Networks: A Digital Twin Approach to Multi-Signal Management

Digital Twins (DTs) are set to become a key enabling technology in future wireless networks, with their use in network management increasing significantly. We developed a DT framework that leverages the heterogeneity of network access technologies as a resource for enhanced network performance and management, enabling smart data handling in the physical network. Tested in a \textit{Campus Area Network} environment, our framework integrates diverse data sources to provide real-time, holistic insights into network performance and environmental sensing. We also envision that traditional analytics will evolve to rely on emerging AI models, such as Generative AI (GenAI), while leveraging current analytics capabilities. This capacity can simplify analytics processes through advanced ML models, enabling descriptive, diagnostic, predictive, and prescriptive analytics in a unified fashion. Finally, we present specific research opportunities concerning interoperability aspects and envision aligning advancements in DT technology with evolved AI integration.

From Pixels to Progress: Generating Road Network from Satellite Imagery for Socioeconomic Insights in Impoverished Areas

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to resolve societal challenges, such as eradicating poverty and improving the lives of vulnerable populations in impoverished areas. Those areas rely on road infrastructure construction to promote accessibility and economic development. Although publicly available data like OpenStreetMap is available to monitor road status, data completeness in impoverished areas is limited. Meanwhile, the development of deep learning techniques and satellite imagery shows excellent potential for earth monitoring. To tackle the challenge of road network assessment in impoverished areas, we develop a systematic road extraction framework combining an encoder-decoder architecture and morphological operations on satellite imagery, offering an integrated workflow for interdisciplinary researchers. Extensive experiments of road network extraction on real-world data in impoverished regions achieve a 42.7% enhancement in the F1-score over the baseline methods and reconstruct about 80% of the actual roads. We also propose a comprehensive road network dataset covering approximately 794,178 km2 area and 17.048 million people in 382 impoverished counties in China. The generated dataset is further utilized to conduct socioeconomic analysis in impoverished counties, showing that road network construction positively impacts regional economic development. The technical appendix, code, and generated dataset can be found at https://github.com/tsinghua-fib-lab/Road_network_extraction_impoverished_counties.

AI-native Interconnect Framework for Integration of Large Language Model Technologies in 6G Systems

The evolution towards 6G architecture promises a transformative shift in communication networks, with artificial intelligence (AI) playing a pivotal role. This paper delves deep into the seamless integration of Large Language Models (LLMs) and Generalized Pretrained Transformers (GPT) within 6G systems. Their ability to grasp intent, strategize, and execute intricate commands will be pivotal in redefining network functionalities and interactions. Central to this is the AI Interconnect framework, intricately woven to facilitate AI-centric operations within the network. Building on the continuously evolving current state-of-the-art, we present a new architectural perspective for the upcoming generation of mobile networks. Here, LLMs and GPTs will collaboratively take center stage alongside traditional pre-generative AI and machine learning (ML) algorithms. This union promises a novel confluence of the old and new, melding tried-and-tested methods with transformative AI technologies. Along with providing a conceptual overview of this evolution, we delve into the nuances of practical applications arising from such an integration. Through this paper, we envisage a symbiotic integration where AI becomes the cornerstone of the next-generation communication paradigm, offering insights into the structural and functional facets of an AI-native 6G network.

Deep Learning Architecture for Network-Efficiency at the Edge

The growing number of AI-driven applications in the mobile devices has led to solutions that integrate deep learning models with the available edge-cloud resources; due to multiple benefits such as reduction in on-device energy consumption, improved latency, improved network usage, and certain privacy improvements, split learning, where deep learning models are split away from the mobile device and computed in a distributed manner, has become an extensively explored topic. Combined with compression-aware methods where learning adapts to compression of communicated data, the benefits of this approach have further improved and could serve as an alternative to established approaches like federated learning methods. In this work, we develop an adaptive compression-aware split learning method ('deprune') to improve and train deep learning models so that they are much more network-efficient (use less network resources and are faster), which would make them ideal to deploy in weaker devices with the help of edge-cloud resources. This method is also extended ('prune') to very quickly train deep learning models, through a transfer learning approach, that trades off little accuracy for much more network-efficient inference abilities. We show that the 'deprune' method can reduce network usage by 4x when compared with a split-learning approach (that does not use our method) without loss of accuracy, while also improving accuracy over compression-aware split-learning by 4 percent. Lastly, we show that the 'prune' method can reduce the training time for certain models by up to 6x without affecting the accuracy when compared against a compression-aware split-learning approach.

Edge AI Inference in Heterogeneous Constrained Computing: Feasibility and Opportunities

The network edge's role in Artificial Intelligence (AI) inference processing is rapidly expanding, driven by a plethora of applications seeking computational advantages. These applications strive for data-driven efficiency, leveraging robust AI capabilities and prioritizing real-time responsiveness. However, as demand grows, so does system complexity. The proliferation of AI inference accelerators showcases innovation but also underscores challenges, particularly the varied software and hardware configurations of these devices. This diversity, while advantageous for certain tasks, introduces hurdles in device integration and coordination. In this paper, our objectives are three-fold. Firstly, we outline the requirements and components of a framework that accommodates hardware diversity. Next, we assess the impact of device heterogeneity on AI inference performance, identifying strategies to optimize outcomes without compromising service quality. Lastly, we shed light on the prevailing challenges and opportunities in this domain, offering insights for both the research community and industry stakeholders.

A Satellite Imagery Dataset for Long-Term Sustainable Development in United States Cities

Cities play an important role in achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs) to promote economic growth and meet social needs. Especially satellite imagery is a potential data source for studying sustainable urban development. However, a comprehensive dataset in the United States (U.S.) covering multiple cities, multiple years, multiple scales, and multiple indicators for SDG monitoring is lacking. To support the research on SDGs in U.S. cities, we develop a satellite imagery dataset using deep learning models for five SDGs containing 25 sustainable development indicators. The proposed dataset covers the 100 most populated U.S. cities and corresponding Census Block Groups from 2014 to 2023. Specifically, we collect satellite imagery and identify objects with state-of-the-art object detection and semantic segmentation models to observe cities' bird's-eye view. We further gather population, nighttime light, survey, and built environment data to depict SDGs regarding poverty, health, education, inequality, and living environment. We anticipate the dataset to help urban policymakers and researchers to advance SDGs-related studies, especially applying satellite imagery to monitor long-term and multi-scale SDGs in cities.

Federated Split GANs

Mobile devices and the immense amount and variety of data they generate are key enablers of machine learning (ML)-based applications. Traditional ML techniques have shifted toward new paradigms such as federated (FL) and split learning (SL) to improve the protection of user's data privacy. However, these paradigms often rely on server(s) located in the edge or cloud to train computationally-heavy parts of a ML model to avoid draining the limited resource on client devices, resulting in exposing device data to such third parties. This work proposes an alternative approach to train computationally-heavy ML models in user's devices themselves, where corresponding device data resides. Specifically, we focus on GANs (generative adversarial networks) and leverage their inherent privacy-preserving attribute. We train the discriminative part of a GAN with raw data on user's devices, whereas the generative model is trained remotely (e.g., server) for which there is no need to access sensor true data. Moreover, our approach ensures that the computational load of training the discriminative model is shared among user's devices-proportional to their computation capabilities-by means of SL. We implement our proposed collaborative training scheme of a computationally-heavy GAN model in real resource-constrained devices. The results show that our system preserves data privacy, keeps a short training time, and yields same accuracy of model training in unconstrained devices (e.g., cloud). Our code can be found on https://github.com/YukariSonz/FSL-GAN

Autonomy and Intelligence in the Computing Continuum: Challenges, Enablers, and Future Directions for Orchestration

Future AI applications require performance, reliability and privacy that the existing, cloud-dependant system architectures cannot provide. In this article, we study orchestration in the device-edge-cloud continuum, and focus on AI for edge, that is, the AI methods used in resource orchestration. We claim that to support the constantly growing requirements of intelligent applications in the device-edge-cloud computing continuum, resource orchestration needs to embrace edge AI and emphasize local autonomy and intelligence. To justify the claim, we provide a general definition for continuum orchestration, and look at how current and emerging orchestration paradigms are suitable for the computing continuum. We describe certain major emerging research themes that may affect future orchestration, and provide an early vision of an orchestration paradigm that embraces those research themes. Finally, we survey current key edge AI methods and look at how they may contribute into fulfilling the vision of future continuum orchestration.