9.2MAMay 3, 2022
Autonomy and Intelligence in the Computing Continuum: Challenges, Enablers, and Future Directions for OrchestrationHenna Kokkonen, Lauri Lovén, Naser Hossein Motlagh et al.
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 edge AI for 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.
2.1AINov 29, 2023
Distributed AI in Zero-touch Provisioning for Edge Networks: Challenges and Research DirectionsAbhishek Hazra, Andrea Morichetta, Ilir Murturi et al.
Zero-touch network is anticipated to inaugurate the generation of intelligent and highly flexible resource provisioning strategies where multiple service providers collaboratively offer computation and storage resources. This transformation presents substantial challenges to network administration and service providers regarding sustainability and scalability. This article combines Distributed Artificial Intelligence (DAI) with Zero-touch Provisioning (ZTP) for edge networks. This combination helps to manage network devices seamlessly and intelligently by minimizing human intervention. In addition, several advantages are also highlighted that come with incorporating Distributed AI into ZTP in the context of edge networks. Further, we draw potential research directions to foster novel studies in this field and overcome the current limitations.
6.0AIJan 1
Bio-inspired Agentic Self-healing Framework for Resilient Distributed Computing Continuum SystemsAlaa Saleh, Praveen Kumar Donta, Roberto Morabito et al.
Human biological systems sustain life through extraordinary resilience, continually detecting damage, orchestrating targeted responses, and restoring function through self-healing. Inspired by these capabilities, this paper introduces ReCiSt, a bio-inspired agentic self-healing framework designed to achieve resilience in Distributed Computing Continuum Systems (DCCS). Modern DCCS integrate heterogeneous computing resources, ranging from resource-constrained IoT devices to high-performance cloud infrastructures, and their inherent complexity, mobility, and dynamic operating conditions expose them to frequent faults that disrupt service continuity. These challenges underscore the need for scalable, adaptive, and self-regulated resilience strategies. ReCiSt reconstructs the biological phases of Hemostasis, Inflammation, Proliferation, and Remodeling into the computational layers Containment, Diagnosis, Meta-Cognitive, and Knowledge for DCCS. These four layers perform autonomous fault isolation, causal diagnosis, adaptive recovery, and long-term knowledge consolidation through Language Model (LM)-powered agents. These agents interpret heterogeneous logs, infer root causes, refine reasoning pathways, and reconfigure resources with minimal human intervention. The proposed ReCiSt framework is evaluated on public fault datasets using multiple LMs, and no baseline comparison is included due to the scarcity of similar approaches. Nevertheless, our results, evaluated under different LMs, confirm ReCiSt's self-healing capabilities within tens of seconds with minimum of 10% of agent CPU usage. Our results also demonstrated depth of analysis to over come uncertainties and amount of micro-agents invoked to achieve resilience.
STM-Graph: A Python Framework for Spatio-Temporal Mapping and Graph Neural Network PredictionsAmirhossein Ghaffari, Huong Nguyen, Lauri Lovén et al.
Urban spatio-temporal data present unique challenges for predictive analytics due to their dynamic and complex nature. We introduce STM-Graph, an open-source Python framework that transforms raw spatio-temporal urban event data into graph representations suitable for Graph Neural Network (GNN) training and prediction. STM-Graph integrates diverse spatial mapping methods, urban features from OpenStreetMap, multiple GNN models, comprehensive visualization tools, and a graphical user interface (GUI) suitable for professional and non-professional users. This modular and extensible framework facilitates rapid experimentation and benchmarking. It allows integration of new mapping methods and custom models, making it a valuable resource for researchers and practitioners in urban computing. The source code of the framework and GUI are available at: https://github.com/Ahghaffari/stm_graph and https://github.com/tuminguyen/stm_graph_gui.
5.1DCApr 18, 2024
Follow-Me AI: Energy-Efficient User Interaction with Smart EnvironmentsAlaa Saleh, Praveen Kumar Donta, Roberto Morabito et al.
This article introduces Follow-Me AI, a concept designed to enhance user interactions with smart environments, optimize energy use, and provide better control over data captured by these environments. Through AI agents that accompany users, Follow-Me AI negotiates data management based on user consent, aligns environmental controls as well as user communication and computes resources available in the environment with user preferences, and predicts user behavior to proactively adjust the smart environment. The manuscript illustrates this concept with a detailed example of Follow-Me AI in a smart campus setting, detailing the interactions with the building's management system for optimal comfort and efficiency. Finally, this article looks into the challenges and opportunities related to Follow-Me AI.
5.1NIAug 2, 2025
Agentic TinyML for Intent-aware Handover in 6G Wireless NetworksAlaa Saleh, Roberto Morabito, Sasu Tarkoma et al.
As 6G networks evolve into increasingly AI-driven, user-centric ecosystems, traditional reactive handover mechanisms demonstrate limitations, especially in mobile edge computing and autonomous agent-based service scenarios. This manuscript introduces WAAN, a cross-layer framework that enables intent-aware and proactive handovers by embedding lightweight TinyML agents as autonomous, negotiation-capable entities across heterogeneous edge nodes that contribute to intent propagation and network adaptation. To ensure continuity across mobility-induced disruptions, WAAN incorporates semi-stable rendezvous points that serve as coordination anchors for context transfer and state preservation. The framework's operational capabilities are demonstrated through a multimodal environmental control case study, highlighting its effectiveness in maintaining user experience under mobility. Finally, the article discusses key challenges and future opportunities associated with the deployment and evolution of WAAN.
3.6CRSep 22, 2025
Hybrid Reputation Aggregation: A Robust Defense Mechanism for Adversarial Federated Learning in 5G and Edge Network EnvironmentsSaeid Sheikhi, Panos Kostakos, Lauri Loven
Federated Learning (FL) in 5G and edge network environments face severe security threats from adversarial clients. Malicious participants can perform label flipping, inject backdoor triggers, or launch Sybil attacks to corrupt the global model. This paper introduces Hybrid Reputation Aggregation (HRA), a novel robust aggregation mechanism designed to defend against diverse adversarial behaviors in FL without prior knowledge of the attack type. HRA combines geometric anomaly detection with momentum-based reputation tracking of clients. In each round, it detects outlier model updates via distance-based geometric analysis while continuously updating a trust score for each client based on historical behavior. This hybrid approach enables adaptive filtering of suspicious updates and long-term penalization of unreliable clients, countering attacks ranging from backdoor insertions to random noise Byzantine failures. We evaluate HRA on a large-scale proprietary 5G network dataset (3M+ records) and the widely used NF-CSE-CIC-IDS2018 benchmark under diverse adversarial attack scenarios. Experimental results reveal that HRA achieves robust global model accuracy of up to 98.66% on the 5G dataset and 96.60% on NF-CSE-CIC-IDS2018, outperforming state-of-the-art aggregators such as Krum, Trimmed Mean, and Bulyan by significant margins. Our ablation studies further demonstrate that the full hybrid system achieves 98.66% accuracy, while the anomaly-only and reputation-only variants drop to 84.77% and 78.52%, respectively, validating the synergistic value of our dual-mechanism approach. This demonstrates HRA's enhanced resilience and robustness in 5G/edge federated learning deployments, even under significant adversarial conditions.
13.4DCApr 30, 2020
6G White Paper on Edge IntelligenceElla Peltonen, Mehdi Bennis, Michele Capobianco et al.
In this white paper we provide a vision for 6G Edge Intelligence. Moving towards 5G and beyond the future 6G networks, intelligent solutions utilizing data-driven machine learning and artificial intelligence become crucial for several real-world applications including but not limited to, more efficient manufacturing, novel personal smart device environments and experiences, urban computing and autonomous traffic settings. We present edge computing along with other 6G enablers as a key component to establish the future 2030 intelligent Internet technologies as shown in this series of 6G White Papers. In this white paper, we focus in the domains of edge computing infrastructure and platforms, data and edge network management, software development for edge, and real-time and distributed training of ML/AI algorithms, along with security, privacy, pricing, and end-user aspects. We discuss the key enablers and challenges and identify the key research questions for the development of the Intelligent Edge services. As a main outcome of this white paper, we envision a transition from Internet of Things to Intelligent Internet of Intelligent Things and provide a roadmap for development of 6G Intelligent Edge.
4.3NIMay 9, 2019
Open-source RANs in practice: an over-the-air deployment for 5G MECJuuso Haavisto, Muhammad Arif, Lauri Lovén et al.
Edge computing that leverages cloud resources to the proximity of user devices is seen as the future infrastructure for distributed applications. However, developing and deploying edge applications, that rely on cellular networks, is burdensome. Such network infrastructures are often based on proprietary components, each with unique programming abstractions and interfaces. To facilitate straightforward deployment of edge applications, we introduce OSS based RAN on OTA commercial spectrum with DevOps capabilities. OSS allows software modifications and integrations of the system components, e.g., EPC and edge hosts running applications, required for new data pipelines and optimizations not addressed in standardization. Such an OSS infrastructure enables further research and prototyping of novel end-user applications in an environment familiar to software engineers without telecommunications background. We evaluated the presented infrastructure with E2E OTA testing, resulting in 7.5MB/s throughput and latency of 21ms, which shows that the presented infrastructure provides low latency for edge applications.