LTE/LTE-A 2015 - Special Issue on “Internet of Nano Things (IoNT)”

In recent years, the field of Nanotechnology has witness tremendous developments. These developments have led to novel materials (e.g. graphene) that could be integrated to create nanomachines. These nanomachines can lead to new applications that could benefit various industries, including healthcare, industry, as well as the military. The new emerging field of nano communications aims to enable communication between the nanomachines. The communication process can be categorized into molecular communications, where the communication process is largely in a biological environment, and Electromagnetic (EM) communications. Interconnecting these nanoscale communication networks to the wider Internet, could bring along new promising applications. This in turn will extend the Internet of Things to the Internet of Nano Things (IoNT).
While the IoNT will open new opportunities for future applications, the interconnection of the nanonetworks to the wider Internet will bring along new challenges. These challenges will range from developing new communication and interface mechanisms between the nanonetworks and micro scale networks, techniques to handle the large quantity of data that will emerge from nanonetworks, new service models at the application layer to handle data from the nanonetworks. The theme of this special issue will bridge the IoT and nano communications. The findings of this special issue, will help pave the way for the new field of IoNT that can
address these challenges. Topics of interests include (but are not limited to) the following categories:
Network Architecture and Protocols for IoNT
Moving from standardizing IoT to IoNT
Software and service platforms for IoNT (e.g. big data management in IoNT)
Security, privacy, and trust issues for IoNT
Middleware design for IoNT
Electromagnetic Nanonetworks for IoNT (e.g. channel modeling, physical layer design for terahertz band communication and its link to IoT)
Synthetic biology and its role in IoNT (e.g. design and development of biological nanomachine)
Molecular communication nanonetworks for IoNT (e.g., molecular diffusion; flagellated bacteria;
molecular motors and its connectivity to the IoT)
Device design for nanonetworks interface to IoT (e.g., micro to nanoscale gateways)
Future and visionary applications of IoNT (e.g. wearable IoNT, smart cities and IoNT)