Keynotes

Antonio Iera

Title: “Social Digital Twins” at the Edge as enablers of new communication paradigms in next-generation Internet of Things

Bio:

Antonio Iera graduated in Computer Engineering at the University of Calabria, Italy, and received a Master Diploma in Information Technology from CEFRIEL/Polytechnic of Milan, Italy, and a Ph.D. degree from the University of Calabria. From 1994 to 1995 he has been with Siemens AG in Munich, Germany, and from 1997 to 2019 with the University of Reggio Calabria. He is currently a professor of Telecommunications at the University of Calabria, Italy. His latest research interests include Internet of Things, Social IoT, Cloud of Fog technology, Future Internet, Multicasting in 4G and 5G Networks. He has published more than 300 papers in high-quality journals and conferences and has given several tutorials and invited speeches during international events on the topics of IoT, Social-IoT, and 5G networks. He serves as Editor-in-Chief for the Computer Network Journal, Elsevier.

Abstract:

In next-generation Internet of Things (IoT) deployments, every object such as a wearable device, a smartphone, a vehicle, and even a sensor or an actuator will be provided with a digital counterpart (twin) with the aim of augmenting the physical object’s capabilities and acting on its behalf when interacting with third parties. In recent literature, the idea has emerged of providing these counterparts with social skills to allow them to interact and autonomously establish social relationships according to the Social Internet of Things (SIoT) paradigm. The aim of this talk is to introduce the concept of “social digital twins” and to discuss how it can be of help for the management of efficient communications, including group communications, in next generation networks scenarios characterized by the massive presence of IoT devices acting as “Prosumers” (consumers & producers). In this context, the problem of the social-aware placement of IoT digital twins at the network Edge will be addressed and a new networking primitive, with the potential to enable trusted group-oriented communications and flexible data casting, will be described.