Defeating the Rise of the Machines
How the 5G protocol stopped smart gadgets taking over the Internet
Self driving cars, wireless sensors, drones — the number of "smart gadgets" connected to mobile networks is growing every year. They generate more and more traffic that needs to be transferred and processed. Their data volume is catching up with the volume transferred by conventional devices, such as computers, tablets and smartphones.
For the most part, the data streamed by smart machines is very different from the pictures, music and TV series that we are used to download. But the communication protocols that regulate the behaviour of devices online can't distinguish between a wireless sensor and the latest iPhone model.
For the most part, the data streamed by smart machines is very different from the pictures, music and TV series that we are used to download. But the communication protocols that regulate the behaviour of devices online can't distinguish between a wireless sensor and the latest iPhone model.
This means that networks face congestion from the increasing number of new "machine users". Scientists at Skoltech's Information Theory Laboratory, headed by Professor Alexey Frolov, put their minds to the problem. They developed an optimized approach to machine data transfer that significantly reduces the wireless network load and may now be adopted as part of the 5G protocol standard in the near future. Find out in our comic strip how the Internet will deal with the rise of the machines.
Drawn by
Roman Dementyev
Original idea and words by
Evgeny Glushkov
main characters
name: KIRILL ANDREEV
status: Research Scientist
status: Research Scientist
Linuxoid, big fan of code programming and refactoring. Hobbies: cycling, downhill skiing and other sports (in increasing order of speed). Lover of order in the workplace
name: ELENA EGOROVA
status: PhD Student
status: PhD Student
Lover of the French language, France and travel in general. Also keen on cycling and shopping. Ideal working conditions: at home, with a cup of coffee and a cat for company
name: ALEXEY FROLOV
status: Professor at Skoltech. Winner of a Russian government award in science and technology for young scientists in 2016
status: Professor at Skoltech. Winner of a Russian government award in science and technology for young scientists in 2016
Lover of good food, travel, football and downhill skiing. Writes scientific articles and works on projects for Huawei in his spare time. His workplace overflows with books and notes, but Frolov can always put his hands on what he needs
name: GRIGORY KABATYANSKY
status: Science Advisor to the President of Skoltech, Professor at Higher School of Economics, Doctor of Science in Physics and Mathematics
status: Science Advisor to the President of Skoltech, Professor at Higher School of Economics, Doctor of Science in Physics and Mathematics
Keen tea drinker: discussions are always over a cup of tea. Also a devotee of stories and anecdotes
name: YURY POLYANSKIY
status: Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
status: Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Winner of International Physics Olympiads. Co-founder of the emerging science of non-asymptotic information. Plays ice-hockey. Rebuilt Linux for his own phone, taking out the app store
