Molecular Communications

This comprehensive guide, by pioneers in the field, brings together, for the first time, everything a new researcher, graduate student or industry practitioner needs to get started in molecular communication. Written with accessibility in mind, it requires little background knowledge, and provides a detailed introduction to the relevant aspects of biology and information theory, as well as coverage of practical systems. The authors start by describing biological nanomachines, the basics of biological molecular communication and the microorganisms that use it. They then proceed to engineered molecular communication and the molecular communication paradigm, with mathematical models of various types of molecular communication and a description of the information and communication theory of molecular communication. Finally, the practical aspects of designing molecular communication systems are presented, including a review of the key applications. Ideal for engineers and biologists looking to get up to speed on the current practice in this growing field.

This book provides a complete analysis of molecular communications systems from the paradigm of TCP/IP network stack, and it exploits network theories (e.g. independent functions of a layer into a stack, addressing, flow control, error control, and traffic control) and applies them to biological systems. The authors show how these models can be applied in different areas such as industry, medicine, engineering, biochemistry, biotechnology, computer sciences, and other disciplines. The authors then explain how it is possible to obtain enormous benefits from these practices when applied in medicine, such as enhancing current treatment of diseases and reducing the side effects of drugs and improving the quality of treatment for patients. The authors show how molecular communications systems, in contrast to existing telecommunication paradigms, use molecules as information carriers. They show how sender biological nanomachines (bio-nano machines) encode data on molecules (signal molecules) and release the molecules into the environment. They go on to explain how the molecules then travel through the environment to reach the receiver bio-nano machines, where they biochemically react with the molecules to decipher information. This book is relevant to those studying telecommunications and biomedical students, engineers, masters, PhDs, and researchers.

This book will introduce the concept of molecular communications and nanonetworks. The publication addresses why nanoscale communication is needed for the sophisticated nano and biotechnology applications. The text introduces the frontier applications of the molecular communication and nanonetworks. The book examines the molecular communication types called active, passive, and gap junction molecular communications. The author presents the molecular transmitter, receiver, encoding and decoding mechanisms used in these systems. Discussing the molecular communication system model and looking at the unique characteristics of practical molecular communication systems and these chemical reactions and their effects on the communication performance. Finally, the book examines the point-to-point, broadcast, and multiple-access molecular channel and shows two promising application examples of the nanonetworks. The first application example is the body area nanonetworks used in nanomedicine. the second nanonetwork application example, i.e., NanoSensor Networks (NSNs) with Molecular Communication.

This book reports on cutting-edge modeling techniques, methodologies and tools used to understand, design and engineer nanoscale communication systems, such as molecular communication systems. Moreover, it includes introductory materials for those who are new to the field. The book’s interdisciplinary approach, which merges perspectives in computer science, the biological sciences and nanotechnology, will appeal to graduate students and researchers in these three areas.The book is organized into five parts, the first of which describes the fundamentals of molecular communication, including basic concepts, models and designs. In turn, the second part examines specific types of molecular communication found in biological systems, such as neuronal communication in the brain. The book continues by exploring further types of nanoscale communication, such as fluorescence resonance energy transfer and electromagnetic-based nanoscale communication, in the third part, and by describing nanomaterials and structures for practical applications in the fourth. Lastly, the book presents nanomedical applications such as targeted drug delivery and biomolecular sensing.

The book addresses the need to investigate new approaches to lower energy requirement in multiple application areas and serves as a guide into emerging circuit technologies. It explores revolutionary device concepts, sensors, and associated circuits and architectures that will greatly extend the practical engineering limits of energy-efficient computation. The book responds to the need to develop disruptive new system architectures and semiconductor processes aimed at achieving the highest level of computational energy efficiency for general purpose computing systems. Discusses unique technologies and material only available in specialized journal and conferences. Covers emerging materials and device structures, such as ultra-low power technologies, nanoelectronics, and microsystem manufacturing. Explores semiconductor processing and manufacturing, device design, and performance. Contains practical applications in the engineering field, as well as graduate studies. Written by international experts from both academia and industry.

A comprehensive guide written by pioneers in the field, providing a detailed introduction to the state of the art in molecular communication.

Molecular communication (MC) is a promising bio-inspired paradigm for the exchange of information among nanotechnology-enabled devices. These devices, called nanomachines, are expected to have the ability to sense, compute and actuate, and interconnect into networks, called nanonetworks, to overcome their individual limitations and benefit from collaborative efforts. MC realizes the exchange of information through the transmission, propagation, and reception of molecules, and it is proposed as a feasible solution for nanonetworks. This idea is motivated by the observation of nature, where MC is successfully adopted by cells for intracellular and intercellular communication. MC-based nanonetworks have the potential to be the enabling technology for a wide range of applications, mostly in the biomedical, but also in the industrial and surveillance fields. The focus of this Ph. D. thesis is on the most fundamental type of MC, i.e., diffusion-based MC, where the propagation of information-bearing molecules between a transmitter and a receiver is realized through free diffusion in a fluid. The objectives of the research presented in this thesis are to analyze the MC paradigm from the point of view of communication engineering and information theory, and to provide solutions to the modeling and design of MC-based nanonetworks. First, a physical end-to-end model is realized to study each component in a basic diffusion-based MC system design, as well as the overall system, in terms of gain and delay. Second, the noise sources affecting a diffusion-based MC are identified and statistically modeled. Third, upper/lower bounds to the capacity are derived to evaluate the information-theoretic performance of diffusion-based MC. Fourth, a stochastic analysis of the interference when multiple transmitters access the diffusion-based MC channel is provided. Fifth, as a proof of concept, a design of a diffusion-based MC system built upon genetically-engineered biological circuits is analyzed. This research provides fundamental results that establish a basis for the modeling, design, and realization of future MC-based nanonetworks, as novel technologies and tools are being developed.

Fully revised and updated, this second edition is a comprehensive introduction to molecular communication including the theory, applications, and latest developments. Written with accessibility in mind, it requires little background knowledge, and carefully introduces the relevant aspects of biology and information theory, as well as practical systems. Capturing the significant changes and developments in the past decade, this edition includes seven new chapters covering: the architecture of molecular communication; modelling of biological molecular communication; mobile molecular communication; macroscale systems; design of components and bio-nanomachine formations. The authors present the biological foundations followed by analyses of biological systems in terms of communication theory, and go on to discuss the practical aspects of designing molecular communication systems such as drug delivery, lab-on-a-chip, and tissue engineering. Including case studies and experimental techniques, this remains a definitive guide to molecular communication for graduate students and researchers in electrical engineering, computer science, and molecular biology.