CSL: A Low-Power Wireless MAC Protocol for
the Internet of Things
given a workplace alongside other Master’s Thesis students in RISE
Master’s Thesis project at RISE SICS, Kista. SICS’s office in Kista, Stockholm.
Start time: As soon as possible.
The Internet of Things (IoT) is a rapidly developing area, with state-
In summary, the tasks of the Master’s student are the following:
the-art research moving towards standard protocols and systems
• Study how duty-cycling MAC protocols work and how the different
being adopted by industry. One important aspect of IoT devices is the
layers of the IoT networking stackworks, with focus on the most
energy efficiency: since many devices are energy-constrained and
relevant protocol implementations in the Contiki operating system.
communicate using a relatively energy-demanding radio, a large body
• Learn how to program Contiki software and how to use resource-
of research has emerged for energy-saving Medium Access Control
constrained IoT devices.
(MAC) protocols. The IEEE has standardized different protocols for
• Implemented IEEE 802.15.4’s Coordinated Sampled Listening
radio duty cycling, in which the radio can be turned off most of the
MAC protocol in Contiki.
time when it is not needed: Coordinated Sampled Listening (CSL) and
• Conduct an experimental evaluation using both simulated and real
Time-Slotted Channel Hopping (TSCH). Contiki is an operating
nodes where CSL’s performance is compared to IEEE 802.15.4’s
system for resource-constrained IoT and sensor networks that has
alternative low-power MAC protocol TSCH. The student may also
had various state-of-the-art MAC protocol implementations for nearly
compare CSL against other similar low-power-listening MAC
a decade. These protocols were research artifacts, however, and
protocols, such as ContikiMAC.
interoperability with other operating systems was consequently
• Describe the technical background, the CSL implementation, the
limited. In recent years, Contiki has gotten a full-fledged
evaluation, and the lessons learned in a Master’s Thesis.
implementation of the standard IEEE 802.15.4 protocol TSCH. CSL
protocol support is lacking, however. Additionally, there is limited
Competence
knowledge regarding how the two protocols compare in performance.
We are looking for a bright student with good grades that has
completed all the courses to start the M.Sc. project. Strong skills in C
In this Master’s Thesis project, the student will implement and
programming are required, as is good spoken and written English.
evaluate Coordinated Sampled Listening for the Contiki operating
Experience with embedded systems, software design, and network
system. The implementation comprises the handling of the standard
protocols are highly beneficial.
IEEE 802.15.4 packet format for CSL, radio duty cycling, packet
queuing, channel hopping, and various other aspects that are
Applications should include a brief cover letter, CV, and recent
common in state-of-the-art MAC protocols for the IoT. Protocols with
grades. In your application, make sure to give examples of previous
some similarities to CSL have been implemented for Contiki
programming or other projects that you consider relevant for the
previously (e.g., ContikiMAC & MiCMAC), which can help to
position. Candidates are encouraged to send in their application as
accelerate the student’s learning phase of how the implementation
soon as possible. Suitable applicants will be interviewed as
should be made.
applications are received.
The scientific goal of this project is to gain an understanding of how
Project Supervisors:
CSL performs with various network traffic patterns and how the
Dr. Nicolas Tsiftes, E-mail: nicolas.tsiftes@ri.se, Web: https://
performance compares to that of TSCH. The evaluation can be made
www.sics.se/people/nicolas-tsiftes
in simulation and in RISE SICS’s internal testbed of 25 IoT devices.
Dr. Simon Duquennoy, E-mail: simon.duquennoy@ri.se, Web:
Contiki’s COOJA simulator can emulate the hardware of real IoT
http://www.simonduquennoy.net/
devices, so that the same system implementation can be evaluated in
both the testbed and in the simulator. We expect the student to
Description of the hosting research group NES
benefit from this work by gaining knowledge of IoT networking, the
Our current research focus is on the Internet of Things and wireless
Contiki operating system, and the basics of conducting an
sensor networks. Among the group's key technologies and systems are
experimental evaluation. In case of a highly successful project, the
the Contiki operating system, uIP stack , Coffee file system, Antelope
student’s work may be developed into an academic paper. To help the
DBMS, ContikiRPL, Orchestra/TSCH, SICSLoWPAN, lightweight
student along the way, SICS will provide expert knowledge of the
implementations of various security protocols, and the IoT cloud
ID: 1568
technologies used as part of the project, as our researchers are the
service SICSthSense. The NES group conducts projects together with
primary authors of much of the relevant software. The student will be
industrial and academic partners from Sweden and across the world.
RISE RESEARCH INSTITUTES OF SWEDEN ADRESS KONTAKT
Division ICT Isafjordsgatan 22 info.sics@ri.se, www.ri.se/sics
RISE SICS Box 1263, 164 29 Kista
Innventia, SP och Swedish ICT har gått samman i RISE för att bli en starkare forsknings- och innovationspartner för näringsliv och samhälle.
