module specification

This module provides students with an in-depth appreciation of the Internet of Things (IoT) and Cloud Computing concepts, models, infrastructures and capabilities. The module will place emphasis on modern system architecture and design, Autonomous Intelligent Systems (AIS), key wireless/mobile/sensor technologies, and issues of privacy and trust, in the development of Cloud-based IoT systems. Practical work within the module will provide students with real, hands-on, experience of building a basic Internet of Things infrastructure that can access Cloud Computing services and the opportunity to develop their Python programming skills and abilities. Some basic knowledge of Python will be used throughout. Understanding of various Intelligent, wired and wireless technologies could be an advantage.

N/A

1. Internet of Things (IoT) – Principles, Fundamentals and Business Context LO1

2. Sensing Technologies - Sensors & Actuators LO1

3. Machine-to Machine (M2M) Communication LO1, LO3

4. Wireless Technologies – RFID/NFC, Bluetooth/BLE, XBee/ZigBee, Wi-Fi LO1, LO3

5. IoT Messaging Protocols – CoAP, MQTT, REST, AMQP, Websockets LO1

6. Automation: Autonomous Intelligent Systems (AIS), Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs) LO1

7. Cloud Computing - Architecture: Infrastructure, Platforms and Software LO2

8. Cloud Computing – Virtualisation and Resource Management LO1, LO2

9. IoT and Cloud Computing – Application Development and Integration, Hardware Development Boards and Software Platforms for IoT LO1, LO2

10. Security and Privacy for IoT/Cloud Computing LO3

11. Society and Business Impact of the IoT/Cloud Computing LO3

12. Current Research within Cloud Computing and IoT LO4-5

Teaching activity will be a combination of formal lectures and practical workshops. Concepts and theoretical background and context will be delivered and discussed during the lectures. Competency of software and hardware tools will be gained during the workshop sessions, which will be conducted within the Cyber Security Research Centre.

LO1 Design and critically assess the strengths and weaknesses of different IoT system architectures and components, showing understanding of their key features, including (passive and active) sensors, actuators, physical communications layer, message protocols, programming frameworks, and energy and bandwidth constraints.

LO2 Apply extensive hands-on application development skills for building multi-tier cloud-based IoT systems as members of a development team and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of different types of cloud-based architectures.

LO3 Express a critical understanding of current research areas associated with the Internet of Things, Cloud Computing and Autonomous Intelligent Systems (AIS), including the commercial context and any privacy/security issues, legal, social, ethical and professional issues related to the design, development, and implementation of Cloud Computing and IoT technologies and systems.

LO4 Apply broad skill in writing professional reports as vehicles for communicating research ideas.

LO5 Demonstrate ability for professional presentation, delivery and peer assessment of research work.

 The assessment will be carried out through two courseworks. The first coursework will be an individual-based and consists of a written research report into an agreed student-selected research topic within the Cloud Computing and IoT field of study (25%) and an associated individual presentation. The deadline for submitting the research report is Week 6 while the associate presentations and peer reviews will be class-based and take place in Week 7. The second coursework will be a practical group-based (2-3 students per group) and involve the analysis, design, development, programming and implementation of a prototype, Cloud-based, IoT sensor application and associated with a project poster which overview and demonstrate the practical work and its findings/ results. The deadline for submitting and demonstrating the prototype project is Week 14 while the deadline for the associate project poster is Week 15. 

Details of the 2 assessment components and their matching learning outcomes are indicated below:

Identify core and additional reading
Liaise with Library Services to confirm availability of on-line licenses in academic year

Where possible, the most current version of reading materials is used during the delivery of this module.  Comprehensive reading lists are provided to students in their handbooks.  Reading Lists will be updated annually.

Textbooks:

Core Text: Distributed and Cloud Computing: from Parallel Processing to the Internet of Things (Book), Hwang, K., Dongarra, J, Fox, GC, 2013, Morgan Kaufmann- Elsevier.

Other Texts:
• From machine-to-machine to the internet of things: introduction to a new age of intelligence, C. Mulligan, D. Boyle, J. Holler, S. Karnourskos, S. Avesand, and V. Tsiatsis, 2014, Elsevier.
• Internet of things: a hands-on approach, A. Bahga, V. Madisetti, 2014, Arshdeep Bahga and Vijay Madisetti.
• Raspberry Pi with Java: programming the Internet of Things (IoT), S. Chin and J. Weaver, 2015, McGraw-Hil Education.
• Cloud Computing: A Hands-On Approach, A. Bahga, V. Madisetti, 2014, Arshdeep Bahga and Vijay Madisetti.
• Designing the Internet of Things, A. McEwen and H. Cassimally, 2014, John Wiley & Sons.

Journals:
• IEEE Internet of Things journal, http://ieee-iotj.org/
• Internet of Things and Cloud Computing, http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/journal/index?journalid=238
• Internet of Things, https://www.journals.elsevier.com/internet-of-things

Websites:
• Microsoft’s official Internet of Things (IoT) blog: https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/
• Amazon Web Services: https://aws.amazon.com/
• IBM official Internet of Things (IoT) blog https://www.ibm.com/blogs/internet-of-things/

• Udemy: https://www.udemy.com/introduction-to-cloud-computing/