Edge Computing Experiments at Carnegie Mellon Get Lift from Azure

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 12/04/18
Walking crowd and mesh communication network concept

Microsoft is the latest company to join a program at Carnegie Mellon University to experiment with "edge" computing, the idea of bringing computing and storage resources closer to the user to reduce latency and data traffic. The university's Open Edge Computing Initiative is running a set of projects to help researchers and industry understand the benefits and limitations of this technological approach.

Current experiments in the Initiative's Living Edge Laboratory include the use of edge computing for cognitive assistance. A National Science Foundation-sponsored project is developing the "Gabriel" platform, so named because the application acts as an "angel on your shoulder." According to lab director and Carnegie Group Professor of Computer Science Mahadev "Satya" Satyanarayanan, Gabriel is intended to observe a user and provide advice on a task, which could come in handy, for example, when a non-health professional needs to use a medical device during an emergency or somebody simply wants help assembling furniture or repairing a machine.

Another application for edge computing is to help visually impaired people maneuver the world. For example, video feeds of a stereoscopic camera on a user could be transmitted to a nearby "cloudlet" (a small-scale cloud that's closer to the action) to generate video analytics in real time, to detect obstacles and transmit information back to the user via "vibro-tactile" feedback (vibration through touch).

"The Living Edge Laboratory not only can help determine what types of applications are possible, but also what kind of equipment or software works best for a given application," Satyanarayanan said in a statement.

The Lab already works with a number of companies, including Deutsche Telekom Group, communications infrastructure company Crown Castle, Intel and mobile provider Altiostar, among others.

Now Microsoft has committed to contributing the use of its products and services for two years. The Lab will gain access to Azure Data Box Edge, a solution currently in preview; Azure Stack; and Azure credits to cover usage of cloud services such as artificial intelligence, Internet of Things and storage. School officials said the addition of Microsoft technology will enable lab users — faculty and students as well as industry participants — to develop new applications and then measure their performance against other components already in the lab.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • Two autonomous AI figures performing tasks in a tech environment; one interacts with floating holographic screens, while the other manipulates digital components

    Agentic AI Named Top Tech Trend for 2025

    Agentic AI will be the top tech trend for 2025, according to research firm Gartner. The term describes autonomous machine "agents" that move beyond query-and-response generative chatbots to do enterprise-related tasks without human guidance.

  • sleek fishing hook with a translucent email icon hanging from it

    Report Identifies Rise in Phishing-as-a-Service Attacks

    Cybersecurity researchers at Trustwave are warning about a surge in malicious e-mail campaigns leveraging Rockstar 2FA, a phishing-as-a-service (PhaaS) toolkit designed to steal Microsoft 365 credentials.

  • person signing a bill at a desk with a faint glow around the document. A tablet and laptop are subtly visible in the background, with soft colors and minimal digital elements

    California Governor Signs AI Content Safeguards into Law

    California Governor Gavin Newsom has officially signed off on a series of landmark artificial intelligence bills, signaling the state’s latest efforts to regulate the burgeoning technology, particularly in response to the misuse of sexually explicit deepfakes. The legislation is aimed at mitigating the risks posed by AI-generated content, as concerns grow over the technology's potential to manipulate images, videos, and voices in ways that could cause significant harm.

  • abstract technology icons connected by lines and dots

    Digital Layers and Human Ties: Navigating the CIO's Dilemma in Higher Education

    As technology permeates every aspect of life on campus, efficiency and convenience may come at the cost of human connection and professional identity.