Cooperative Signal Processing Networks

Call for Papers

The performance of distributed multisensor/multiagent systems highly depends on how the collaboration, interoperability, and interplay between individual networked sensor and signal processing nodes are organized in architecture, protocols, and algorithms. The crucial role of signal processing in such distributed schemes for sensing, inference, communication, and control is highlighted by the following aspects:

• Signal processing algorithms generate the input for data driven control schemes
• Signal processing includes decision making on which data to be exchanged when there is only limited communication bandwidth between assets available
• Signal processing algorithms assess the specific sensor performance which enters the control/planning algorithms

Prominent applications are, among others, autonomous surveillance and remote sensing networks for environmental monitoring, and multirobot systems for industrial automation. Each application targets its specific goals and related performance assessments.

From a more mathematical perspective, the task for the signal processing engineer is the “observer design” of a nonlinear stochastic dynamic game with distributed agents where state estimates are subject to noisy measurements. This special issue focuses on the observer design. In a less formal description, the focus is set on sampling, filtering, compression, detection, estimation, and tracking for scenarios where the sensors provide input to multiple and spatially separated actors/actuators that follow joint goals. This special issue solicits submissions from researchers and engineers who are working in the field of observer design for distributed agents and are developing or applying advanced signal processing techniques able to deal with the special challenges entailed in making measurements in autonomous sensor networks.

Before submission authors should carefully read over the journal's Author Guidelines, which are located at http://www.hindawi.com/journals/asp/guidelines/. Prospective authors should submit an electronic copy of their complete manuscript through the journal Manuscript Tracking System at http://mts.hindawi.com/ according to the following timetable:

Lead Guest Editor

• Frank Ehlers, NATO Undersea Research Centre (NURC), Viale S. Bartolomeo 400, 19126 La Spezia, Italy

Guest Editors

• Huaiyu Dai, EBII 2108, 890 Oval Drive, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, NC State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7911, USA
• Christoph Mecklenbräuker, Institute for Communications and Radio Frequency Engineering, Vienna University of Technology, Gusshausstr. 25/389, 1040 Wien, Austria
• Frank Schneider, Fraunhoferinstitut für Kommunikation, Informationsverarbeitung und Ergonomie Neuenahrer Str. 20, 53343 Wachtberg, Germany