Mesh Potato: Mobile Network Visualization and Management

Proposer: Edwin Blake

Abbreviation: MPMobVis

Brief Description: Afrimesh has developed a simple management tool to help with setting up and managing meshed communications networks (see http://afrimesh.org/afrimesh/ and http://code.google.com/p/afrimesh/). Your team’s challenge will be provide similar services on a mobile platform. At first you should simply do a functional translation of the afrimesh interface onto the mobile web browser. The API used by Afrimesh is exposed through Javascript, so doing it as a browser App would work just fine.

In the second phase of the project you can begin to exploit the functionality of a mobile phone to provide unique services (such as the current GPS coordinates of the phone when it is at a node).

Computer Science Content: Mobile phone web development. Mobile applications development. User Interface Design. Meshed network management.

Specific Learning Outcomes: You will learn about how to set up meshed networks and develop web applications on a mobile platform.

Skills Required by Team as a Whole:

• Theory: Mobile User Interface Design. Network mangement.

• Implementation: (A desire to learn) mobile web app development.

• Other: An interest in ICT 4 D issues will help you understand the underlying purpose of the project.

Facilities needed: Open mobile phone or simulator, access to Mesh Potato test nework.

Supervision: The project will be co-supervised by Gary Marsden. There will be funds for getting further equipment and for running experiments. There will also be weekly project meetings.

Number of Students: 3