Building Embedded IPRaffi Krikorian

Physics and Media

Building Internet0

• Traditional networking hardware research focuses on bigger and faster pipes (Internet2)• We focus on bit-dribbling hardware

Bridging the bandwidth divide

• Bringing IP to the leaf node• Revisiting hardware transports and redesigning logical transports• Cheap, low bandwidth IP (a level below Ethernet)

Going really small

• Distributed scalable system – no central point of control/servers are “bad”• Devices own their data and own their threads• Self organizing• Growing

Building the first embodiment of small things

• RS-485 communication• mature industrial practice• no active joints• media access costs pennies

• PIC microcontrollers• built in UARTs• plenty of space for networking code• just a few dollars

Building more small things

• Different physical transports• DSSS over powerlines• Wireless RF• Ultrasonic

• Revisiting old transports – slowing them down makes them a lot more accessible

Cramming bits is nothing new

• “Delayered” software stacks• ARP, IP, ICMP, UDP, TCP – IPv4 compliant in 2K code• HTTPd 0.9 server – 1K code

Naming, Classifying, Communication

• IDs for each device – unified or multiple

• For today, use Zeroconf – sub-DHCP• For tomorrow, possibly use IPv6 as the unique address through mini-routing?

• Schema for identifying devices• Communication standards

Programming and Coordinating a mass of devices

• Programming arbitrary massively parallel distributed systems is hard, building simple ones is easier• These systems exhibit

• Scale complexity• Interaction complexity• Minimal resources• Spatial relations

Building higher level systems

• Make it easy to cause complex behavior to occur

• “Google-like” services• Hive • JXTA

• Make it simple for complex behavior to emerge

How do you test all of this?

• First test installation was in Barcelona, moving towards second• …• CBA’s new home is first permanent testbed