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ICT Education @ DISI
Postgraduate Research Grants
DISI - Department of Information Engineering and Computer Science

Topics 2004

Computer Networks and Distributed Algorithms

Proposed activities in the Computer Networks and Distributed Algorithms Research Program:

 

Wireless Networks (**) design and management of open access networks based on the IEEE 802.11b (Wi-Fi) protocol

Supervisor: Roberto Battiti
Prerequisites: The candidate must have vast knowledge of computer networks, in particular wireless LANs protocols and advanced programming skills (mostly in C++)

Wireless Networks design and management of open access networks based on the IEEE 802.11b (Wi-Fi) protocol

Supervisor: Roberto Battiti, Renato Lo Cigno
Prerequisites: The candidate must have vast knowledge of computer networks, in particular wireless LANs protocols and advanced programming skills (mostly in C++)

Quality of Protection for Dynamic Networks

Supervisor: Roberto Battiti, Fabio Massacci
Goal: Quality of Service (QoS) is a key requirement for computer networks. However, the last few years have shown the importance of protecting the information in terms of confidentiality, integrity, authentication, and access control of computer networks. Quality of protection is emerging as the equivalent concept of QoS for network security. The student will survey the current definition of QoP in settings such as network protocol negotiation, grid security, web services, OASIS standard on secure provisioning, and experiment with the QoP concepts appropriate for dynamic networks on demand.
Prerequisites
: knowledge of computer networks and cryptography or computer security essential.

High-speed Networks for Streaming Media

Supervisor: Yoram Ofek, Marie Curie Chair Professor
Goal: It is anticipated that in the next 10-20 years the Internet capacity will grow 3-4 orders of magnitude primarily for supporting streaming media applications, such as, voice and video. The research will focus on design and analysis of issues related to the following:

  • Blocking probability analysis: single node/multi node networks with time-driven switching
  • Scheduling complexity analysis: design and analysis of heuristic algorithms
  • Fault tolerant design and analysis, while optimizing blocking probabilities
  • Performance study of time-driven .best-effort. traffic over IP network
  • Optics vs. electronics in packet switching: qualitative and quantitative comparison
  • Bandwidth mismatch: streaming media from optical to wireless networks

Prerequisites: knowledge of computer networks

Trusted Execution of Networking and Computing Procedures

Supervisor: Yoram Ofek, Marie Curie Chair Professor
Goal: as networking and computing converge, security and trust become more challenging and more critical for all aspect of business and science, and every day life. Specifically, assuring that a software module execution is correct in the sense that the user faithfully executes a given code with defined parameters and constraints is an open problem, which is especially important in the context of: (1) executing network protocols and applications, (2) distributed computing over networks (e.g., Grid computing), and (3) protecting (audio/video) content delivered over networks. The research will focus on design and implementation of issues related to the following:

  • Run-time software authentication using .TrustedFlow. entrusting method
  • Protection and management of streaming media content delivery to untrusted users
  • Run-time authentication of shared media access control protocols, such as, 802.11
  • Protecting mobile users/agents from mal-function access-points/base-stations
  • Run-time authentication of applications, such as, Grid computing and Internet voting
  • Run-time authentication of TCP (transport control protocol) and SLA (service level agreement)

Prerequisites: knowledge of security and network protocols

Delivering Streaming Media to Mobile Clients

Supervisor: Yoram Ofek, Marie Curie Chair Professor
Goal: In-depth design experimentation and measurement of streaming media delivery to mobile users everywhere. The research will focus on design and implementation of issues related to the following:

  • Studying the inter-relationship between directional antenna and access point placement both analytically and experimentally
  • Design and analysis of the potential benefits of directional antennas for mobile users
  • Studying and analyzing how to provide scalable and adaptive audio and video content with necessary coding and representation, including a run-time and adaptive service level agreement protocol for matching capabilities
  • Studying and analyzing how to provide scalable content with protection using DRM (digital right management) with capability for differentiated payments that are dependent on the quality of content delivered and on prior classification of users

Prerequisite: knowledge of wireless and mobile protocols

 


Software Engineering and Formal Methods

Proposed activities in the Software Engineering and Formal Methods Research Program:

Foraml Verification (Model checking and related techniques)

Supervisor: Roberto Sebastiani
Goal: The student will work on the usage of combined SAT (propositional satisfiability) and mathematical solving techniques (e.g., simplex, computer algebra) for the efficient verification of complex systems (possibly including timed and hybrid systems and circuit designs at RTL level). The work will involve both theoretical study, implementation and empirical testing efforts.
Prerequisites: Knowledge and experience in programming languages C++/C is essential. Knowledge of basic boolean logic is also essential. Any background on SAT, automated reasoning, formal verification & model checking and computer algebra will be very useful.

Modeling requirements for software in space mission

Supervisor: Fabio Massacci, Marco Pistore
Goal: The student will study and write in an appropriate language the requirements for the control software for the ESA-NASA joint cornerstone space mission LISA out of the scientific specifications. He/She will provide a translator/front-end between the requirement language, a NASA conformant simulator and an automatic software plan generator developed at the department.
Prerequisite: Knowledge of programming languages C++/C essential. Knowledge of basic automatic control theory and planning algorithms useful.

Security protocol verification for dynamic networks on demand

Supervisor: Fabio Massacci, Marco Pistore
Goal: The student will study the various access control and security requirements for Dynamic Networks on Demand (consisting of configurable components such as a mobile node, PDAs and other). The aimis to compare different protocol implementation available, use appropriate tools to check for bugs and errors and focus on current security protocols for ad-hoc and sensor networks that can be applied to DND and consequently model them in suitable logical formalisms (adapting the model to the current formalization).
Prerequisites: Knowledge of mathematics, formal logic, or process algebras essential. Basic knowledge of security essential. Knowledge of verification tools useful (not necessarily for security).

Definistion and verification of security requirements for web services

Supervisor: Paolo Giorgini, Fabio Massacci, John Mylopoulos, Marco Pistore
Goal: The student will implement an interface for processing security requirements from a language of high-level early requirements to a suitable intermediate languages such as UML-OCL. The student will also implement effective methods in order to verify the consistency of the security requirements with tools already developed at the department.
Prerequisites: Knowledge of software engineering, UML and other requirement modeling languages essential. Knowledge of a programming language C++, C# or Java also essential. Knowledge of methods for requirement verification and Haskell useful.

Model-carrying code for mobile devices

Supervisor: Fabio Massacci
Goal: In a model-carrying code the Java code which is downloadable on a mobile phone comes equipped with a specification of the security requirements of the code that must be matched by the hosting device. The project consists in the implementation of the SIM simulator of a program for the parsing of simplified XACML/SAML expressions and the implementation of an algorithm for the matching Java MIDP o .NET CE language to be run on the simulator.
Prerequisites: Knowledge of Java or .NET essential, preferably of the MIDP or CE platforms. Knowledge of XML and satisfiability algorithms useful.

Modeling requirements for software in space missions(**)

Supervisor: Fabio Massacci, Marco Pistore
Goal: The student will study and write the requirements for the control software for the ESA-NASA joint cornerstone space mission LISA in an appropriate language. He/She will provide a translator/front-end between the requirement language, a NASA conformant simulator and an automatic software plan generator developed at the department.
Prerequisite: Knowledge of programming languages C++/C essential. Knowledge of basic automatic control theory and planning algorithms useful.

An interface for early security requirements for web services(**)

Supervisor: Paolo Giorgini, Fabio Massacci, John Mylopoulos, Marco Pistore
Goal: The student will implement an interface for processing security requirements from a language of high-level early requirements to suitable intermediate languages such UML-OCL which will be used to verify the consistency of the security requirements with tools already developed at the department.
Prerequisite: Knowledge of software engineering, UML and other requirement modeling languages essential. Knowledge of a programming language C++, C# or Java also essential. Knowledge of methods for requirement verification useful.

 


Knowledge Management and Distributed Information Systems

Proposed activities in the Knowledge Management and Distributed Information Systems Research Program:

Tools for XML Security

Supervisor: Gabriel Kuper, Fabio Massacci
Goal: Implementing efficient algorithms for the protection and controlled access of sensitive data represented in XML. The student will also have to run a series of experiments in ordet to validate the implementation on XMARK benchmark suite.
Prerequisite: Knowledge of databases, XML, .NET or Java classes for manipulating XML classes essential. Knowledge of XQuery, and security or access control useful.

Ontology editing and matching in the semantic web

Supervisor: Fausto Giunchiglia
Topic
: The student will have to build a prototype of a tool for ontology handling, building on top of existing tools
Required background: programming in C++, JAVA, basics of data bases
Useful backgound: ontologies, semantic web, basic knowledge of propositional and modal logics

Models and techniques for semantic interoperability (and its applications to the Semantic Web and Knowledge management)

Supervisor: Paolo Bouquet
Goal: implementing a prototype of a query engine which answers semantic-based queries over distributed (and heterogeneous) classifications in a Semantic web application
Background: elementary logic, algorithms and data structures, knowledge representation (preferred), semantic web languages and technologies (preferred)

Service Oriented Computing

Supervisor: Aiello/Marchese/D'Andrea
Topic: The proposed internship project will be focused within the area of Distributed Systems and Service Oriented Computing.
Objectives

two projects (one focusing on theory and one on applications) are available:

  1. the connection between web service development and object oriented programming: development of a web service deployment environment based on OO methodologies.
  2. study of a SOC architecture in the context of domotics: service discovery, publication, composition for home appliances.

Required background: Object Oriented Programming (Java, C++, or similar) Distributed Systems Programming
Plus: Web Services: architectures and programming (J2EE, .NET, ...), XML, Embedded Operating Systems (project #2)

Data mining techniques for Business Intelligence

Supervisors: Blanzieri/Giorgini
Objective: to implement and apply data mining algorithms to specific problems of business intelligence.
Background: Databases and basic knowledge on data mining techniques

 


Electronic Sensors and Microsystems

Proposed activities in the Electronic Sensors and Microsystems Research Program:

Silicon radiation detectors at Trento(**)

Supervisor: Gian Franco Dalla Betta

Complete Info

 


Formal Ontology, Conceptual Modeling and Knowledge Engineering
Modeling of Interactions among Autonomous Agents

Proposed activities at the Laboratory for Applied Ontology

Analysis and comparison of ontologies

Supervisor: Nicola Guarino, Claudio Masolo
Prerequisites: the student will write an overview of the research.
Topic:

  • evaluation of software tools for the development and comparison of ontologies;
  • comparison of theories/approaches in some modeling domain (possible subjects: organizations, social interaction, mental models, ...).

Prerequisite: basic knowledge of formal logic, ontologies, semantic web.

 


 

(**)
dedicated to candidate from IIT Pilani (www.bits-pilani.ac.in )
For further information please refer to:
prof. V.S. Rao,
Deputy Director,
Practice School Division, BITS, Pilani, Raj., India 333031.