Efficient Information Distribution Using Human Mobility

We propose to study a novel approach for Ad-Hoc WiFi based distribution of information, usable in large crowds of mobile users. We follow a basic opportunistic networking approach by making use of the smartphones’ built-in WiFi hotspot functionality which in combination with the devices’ switching between access point and client modes can facilitate the propagation of messages. In this position paper we outline three contributions with respect to previous work on the topic.First, we show how to empirically determine core parameters from the performance of modern smartphones such as the maximum number of devices attached to an access point (which tends to be much smaller than in conventional WiFi networks), range, bandwidth etc. Second, to maximize system performance under such circumstances, we propose to study heuristics and offer an algorithm for a mode switching strategy based on client mobility instead of the random strategies that have mainly been utilized so far. Third and finally, we compare our performance to a random role switching strategy in a large-scale simulation which is based on data of movement traces of 28’000 people during a 3-day festival in Zurich. By means of the the simulation we investigate the influence of various parameters on the system's behavior in conditions otherwise untestable.This work is thus an example of synergy between 3 different approaches: deployment of embedded systems, the study of heuristic algorithms, and computational simulations that link the two.