Exploring Network Sensing for Cost-Effective Event Detection

This article delves into the concept of Network Sensing, first by revisiting sensor networks and telecommunications networks (Telco networks) and analyzing the informational content they convey. Sensor networks interconnect sensor devices designed to measure physical quantities, yielding unintentional informational content from monitored events like temperature, pressure, light, motion, vibrations, and other environmental or industrial parameters. Conversely, Telco networks, whether human-to-human, human-to-machine, or machine-to-machine, transport intentional informational content such as voice, data, and video. Sensor networks exhibit a variable and distributed geometry, adaptable to monitored events or areas, allowing for flexible sensor density and distribution based on specific application needs. In contrast, Telco networks feature a predefined and structured geometry with specific connection points (e.g., cell towers, telephone exchanges, network nodes), ensuring reliable coverage and reach, optimized for data flow and service quality. This difference in network geometry requires precise connection points for Telco networks (e.g., individuals, cities, nations, servers, clouds), while the geometry of sensor networks depends on events, sometimes necessitating a uniform and costly distribution due to event dispersion. Traditionally, overlaying these networks results in cost duplication, hindering the development of techniques that, while advantageous in measured scale, lack economic efficiency. Projects like Meglio [1] aim to reuse Telco infrastructure and geometry for event collection, such as seismic activities. The convergence of sensor and Telco networks introduces Network Sensing, explored in 6G wireless networks and recently implemented in fiber optic networks for applications like seismic alarms. This convergence could halve implementation costs, rendering initiatives sustainable. However, the effectiveness in measuring certain events requires further analysis through future experimentation. Reference [1] Simone Donadello et al.: Earthquake observatory with coherent laser interferometry on the telecom fiber network , arXiv:2307.06203v1 [physics.geo-ph] 12 Jul 2023