The Amrita Center for Wireless Networks and Applications (Amrita WNA) is a cutting-edge, interdisciplinary Center for teaching and research at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Kollam campus. Launched in 2006, Amrita WNA began as a R&D Center with the vision of promoting, developing, and applying the use of wireless technologies in a variety of fields that would benefit society. This goal was soon achieved when the newly established Center was entrusted with the esteemed WINSOC (Wireless Sensor Networks with Self-Organization Capabilities for Critical and Emergency Applications) project in collaboration with 11 prominent academic and industrial partners from Europe via the European Commission’s FP6 program. Today, Amrita WNA is internationally recognized for its successful development and deployment of the world’s first Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) System for the Detection and Early Warning of Landslides in the Munnar region of Kerala.
Amrita WNA focuses on emerging wireless and mobile technologies such as Wi-Fi, 3G/4G/LTE and Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN). The Center has a long standing tradition of interdisciplinary research among areas such as Computer Science, Electronics and Communication, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Information Technology, Geology, Hydrology, and Environmental Engineering. Research and project work has been done in areas such as WSN and wireless technologies, communication theory, protocol design, software framework, energy optimization in WSNs, data fusion and dissemination techniques, localization, mobility management, fault tolerance, and seamless connectivity. The Center has also done extensive work in application areas such as disaster management, smart health care, smart energy, smart education, and environmental monitoring through the use of wearable wireless sensors, heterogeneous wireless networks, wireless multimedia, wireless robotics, context aware computing, and participatory sensing. Many of our projects are funded by agencies such as DST, MHRD, DeitY, INFSO DG of the European Commission, Qualcomm, and Fujitsu Labs. Some of our research projects are even carried out in collaboration with international universities.
In 2011, Amrita WNA successfully hosted the first International Conference on Wireless Technologies for Humanitarian Relief (ACWR 2011). The conference brought together more than 500 world renowned experts, researchers, industrialists, and students from 18 countries, in order to devise wireless technological solutions for the most pressing problems in society. There were over 300 paper submissions from Indian and international authors, 58 of which came from countries such as Australia, China, Germany, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, UK, and US.
Amrita WNA currently conducts M. Tech and PhD programs in Wireless Networks and Applications. The Center has many senior faculty members with international experience and several years of industrial experience. Dual Degree graduate programs with top international universities such as VU, Amsterdam, UPC, Spain, and UNM, U.S, are also available. As of now, the Center has 115 publications in various prominent journals and conferences and two patents, with several more pending.
Under the guidance of our Chancellor, AMMA, the Amrita Center for Wireless Networks & Applications (AmritaWNA) was started in 2006 as an inter- disciplinary center for R&D in wireless technologies for a wide variety of soci- etal applications. AmritaWNA was awarded the prestigious WINSOC project through the European Commission’s FP6 program, in which our researchers collaborated with 9 prestigious academic and industrial partners from Europe to develop the World’s First Wireless Sensor Network System for Detection and Early Warning of Landslides.
As part of this project, a state-of-the-art Landslide Simulation and Modelling Laboratory (First in South Asia) was also started. After extensive research and lab studies, the Wireless Network System was deployed at a landslide prone area in Munnar, Kerala. In mid-2009, the system successfully delivered realtime warnings during heavy monsoon downpours, based on which the Govt. of India issued evacuation alerts to the local commu- nities. In 2012, AmritaWNA was awarded the NABARD Innovation Award for this system. An honorable mention was also made in the Indian Parliament by the Minister for Planning, Science & Technology and Earth Sciences. In 2007, AmritaWNA researchers worked with Indian Satellite leader, Antrix, to develop a system for Emergency data dissemination for Disaster management.
On the education front, AmritaWNA was awarded the NKN Model project on Global Classroom, where wireless sensor networks play an important role in presenting a Remote Classroom in the most natural way. In 2012, the Center ’s Wireless Sensor Networks research lab was made available to Indian students through MHRD’s Remote Triggered Virtual Labs project.
In 2009, the Center also embarked on ambitious research focused, educational programs – MTech and Doctoral programs in Wireless Networks & Applications. Students conduct research on use of Wireless Technologies based solutions benefitting society – fitting into Amrita’s grand vision of ‘Tech- nology for Humanity’. The Center is proud to have gathered together a pool of talented faculty with international experience, and also has well renowned researchers from Academia and Industry from all over the world as Adjunct Faculty. Numerous visiting faculty also offer workshops and short programs at the Center. Dual-degree Graduate Programs with top universities like VU, Amsterdam, UPC, Spain and UNM, USA, are also offered. All these have resulted in the Center publishing over 75 papers in renowned international journals and conferences in a short span of time.
In 2011, AmritaWNA successfully hosted the first of its kind ‘International Conference on Wireless Technologies for Humanitarian Relief’ (ACWR 2011). The conference brought together more than 500 world renowned researchers, academicians, students and industrialists from 18 countries for nearly a week to deliberate and arrive at Wireless Technology solutions for the most pressing problems of the society.
Learning at Amrita is integrated with an atmosphere that stresses not only technical excellence, but also values, dedication and commitment. I have no doubt that our students will be transformed into becoming the leaders of tomorrow’s world.
