Authors: University of Western Macedonia
Sotiris Tegos
Dimitris Pliatsios
Athanasios Liatifis
Thomas Lagkas
Panagiotis Sarigiannidis
The coordination team of NANCY project reflects a year into the project and its mission to revolutionise communication technology. They explain the three key pillars, each carefully designed to support and bring to life the project’s ambitious goal.
The NANCY project aspires to investigate, design, develop, and validate the first AI-enabled Blockchain-Radio Access Network (B-RAN) architecture. Specifically, it aims to address the requirements of the B5G era by introducing a new RAN architecture built upon the principles of edge computing, AI, software defined networking (SDN), and virtualization. To this end, the NANCY solution is designed based on three well-defined pillars:
- Pillar I: A self-evolving B-RAN utilizing decentralized and distributed Blockchain, PQC, and novel radio access mechanisms in order to significantly improve the utilization of network resources towards supporting demanding applications.
- Pillar II: A Pareto-optimal AI-based wireless B-RAN orchestration solution that maximizes trustworthiness, performance, and energy efficiency, and ensures high availability and security levels.
- Pillar III: A distributed edge computing paradigm for “almost-zero latency” and high computation capabilities at the network edge. This paradigm will leverage social-aware data and AI models caching and task offloading in order to transform the RAN into an intelligent platform.
The NANCY concept, key technology enablers, usage scenarios, and key performance indicators (KPIs) are illustrated in the following figure:
The key outcomes during the 1st year are reflected in the completion of 11 deliverables and the achievement of the first three project milestones.
- D1.1 Project and Risk Management Handbook: Encompasses all administrative, project management, and risk management procedures and guidelines for the project.
- D1.2 NANCY web site, social network pages and open access server: Establishes the project’s online presence through its website and social media pages.
- D1.3 Plans for Publicity, Dissemination and Exploitation: Provides a detailed plan for dissemination, exploitation and publicity activities of the NANCY project.
- D1.4 Project Scientific/Technical Plan: Outlines the innovation strategy aimed at ensuring project excellence in alignment with the Horizon Europe program and call requirements.
- D1.5 Data Management Plan: Addresses the lifecycle and public availability of research data generated by the project.
- D1.6 Initial Impact Creation Report: Outlines the initial impact created through dissemination, communication and clustering activities of the project.
- D2.1 NANCY Requirements Analysis: Specifies the NANCY Use Cases and addresses the needs and requirements of NANCY demonstrators. Also, this deliverable validates the first NANCY milestone.
- D3.1 NANCY Architecture Design: Defines the NANCY architecture, aimed at advancing B5G wireless networks by establishing a framework that integrates blockchain technologies and AI to enhance network security, efficiency, and intelligence. Also, this deliverable validates the second NANCY milestone.
- D6.4 In-lab testbeds definition: Presents the two in-lab testbeds, highlighting their specifications and utilized equipment, as well as the experimental activities. Also, this deliverable validates the third NANCY milestone.
- D6.5 Greek in-lab testbed dataset 1: First release of the dataset that is generated from the Greek in-lab testbed. Can be also accessed at http://ieee-dataport.org/12120 and https://zenodo.org/records/10442969
- D6.6 Italian in-lab testbed dataset 1: First release of the dataset that is generated from the Italian in-lab testbed. Can be also accessed at http://ieee-dataport.org/12093 and https://zenodo.org/records/10489608
