Professor Stuart D. Milner Research Professor and Director, Center for Networking of Infrastructure Sensors A. J. Clark School of Engineering University of Maryland at College Park, USA

NEXT GENERATION BROADBAND WIRELESS NETWORKS: ARCHITECTURES, CAPABILITIES AND TECHNOLOGIES 

Next generation wireless networks are expected to provide true broadband and the capability of multimedia support (up to gigabit per second). This capability is needed in: 1) the "last mile;" 2) rapidly deployable and mobile wireless systems; and 3) IP-based networks providing end-to-end applications with real-time requirements such as digital high definition multimedia, interactive video, and surveillance. In this talk, key network-related architectures and technologies will be discussed that enable such systems including: topology, link and mobility control as well as non-interfering, directional, optical wireless and RF links. In addition, the emergence of broadband, directional wireless communications technologies show promise for circumventing the capacity, spectrum, and scalability limitations of traditional omni-directional (RF), mobile ad hoc networks. In addition, the presentation focuses on challenges associated with wireless networking technologies and architectures that assure and maintain connectivity and coverage of network backbones (infrastructure). This can be achieved by: 1) dynamically and autonomously (re)configuring physical links (requiring pointing, acquisition, and tracking of high capacity directional links); 2) providing real-time, autonomous topological reconfiguration of a wireless internet backbone (graph); and 3) controlling backbone or node mobility. The architecture and infrastructure, resembles cellular telephony and the Internet moreso than "infrastructure less" systems. 

Professor STUART D. MILNER is a Research Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Director of the Center for Networking of Infrastructure Sensors, and Associate Director, Maryland Optics Group in the A.J. Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland. He has been conducting research in the scalability of dynamic wireless networks and topology control in hybrid free space optical/RF directional, wireless networks. Professor Milner directs projects funded by the Department of Defense in the areas of scalable wireless networks, hybrid wireless networks, directional networks with topology control and test beds. He also directs National Science Foundation projects in optical wireless sensor networks for critical infrastructure surveillance and broadband optical/RF wireless networks. Professor Milner directed a joint University of Maryland and commercial research and development project on advanced transceiver acquisition and tracking for optical wireless communications. Previously, he was a program manager at the Department of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, where he directed research and development in next generation mobile, wireless networking and communications infrastructure to support worldwide simulation networks. He is the author of recent papers entitled: "On How To Circumvent The Manet Scalability Curse;" "Scalability of Dynamic Wireless Tactical Networks;" "A Fast Heuristic Method for Minimizing Traffic Congestion on Reconfigurable Ring Topologies;" "Routing and Mobility Performance in Wireless Base-Station Networks;" " Self-Organizing Broadband Hybrid Wireless Networks;" "Autonomous Reconfiguration in Free-Space Optical Sensor Networks;" , and "A Bootstrapping Model For Directional Wireless Networks." 

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Mr Brett Biddington Space Team Leader, ASIAPAC, Cisco Systems Inc

NEXT REMOTE USER NETWORKS: TWO NATIONAL CHALLENGES AND THEIR POTENTIAL PAY-OFFS. 

Australia's geo-strategic position, science policy and national strategy are combining to present enormous networking challenges, and opportunities, to numerous users. This talk will discuss two national networking challenges, one concerning the transformation of radio astronomy and the other the transformation of the Australian Defence Force and the national security community more generally. Both undertakings have national, regional and possibly wider implications - well beyond their initial constituencies of astronomers and warfighters. This talk will discuss some of these possibilities leaving the audience to judge whether the current Government, or its alternative, really comprehend the dimension of the challenges faced and the opportunities as well.

BRETT BIDDINGTON is a member of the Cisco Systems space team which has the task to devise and implement standards based merged space/ground networks as a vector to the creation of new markets. Brett joined Cisco in 2002 following a 23 years career in the RAAF. He was an intelligence and security specialist before moving into capability development where he sponsored a wide range of command and control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance projects, including the Jindalee Over the Horizon Radar Project (JORN) and classified space projects. He is Chairman of the Australia Telescope Steering Committee (ATSC), the Australian Antarctic Astronomy Advisory Committee (AAAAC) and the Australian Defence Information and Electronics Systems Association (ADIESA) and serves on numerous other boards and executives with interests in space. He is presently leading a study on behalf of the Kokoda Foundation (www.kokodafoundation.org) looking at Australia's space future to 2025.

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