The Internet of Things Magazine (IoTM) publishes peer-reviewed papers on end-to-end IoT solutions. IoTM papers are written by and for practitioners and researchers interested in practice and applications, such as corporate engineers working to design and deploy IoT applications every day. The technical focus of IoTM is the multi-disciplinary, systems nature of IoT solutions.

Special Issue on Applications of Large Language Models in Internet of Things
Submission Date: 2024-11-30

Large Language Models (LLMs) with their advanced natural language processing capabilities, offer numerous benefits, such as improved user interaction, enhanced data analysis, and context-aware services. The integration of LLMs and 6G telecom networks into the Internet of Things (IoT) represents a significant advancement in enhancing the intelligence and interactivity of IoT systems. The LLMs can understand and process complex human language, making IoT devices more user-friendly and capable of responding intelligently to voice commands and text inputs. The applications of LLMs to IoT are vast and varied. LLMs can be employed in smart homes for voice-activated control and personalized user experiences, in industrial IoT for predictive maintenance, anomaly detection and report analysis, and in healthcare IoT for patient monitoring and real-time data analysis. Additionally, LLMs can enhance customer service through intelligent chatbots and virtual assistants, providing timely and contextually relevant information to users. As IoT continues to evolve, the integration of LLMs will play a crucial role in driving innovation and delivering smarter, more responsive, and efficient IoT solutions.

Integrating LLMs into IoT involves several challenges, including the significant computational power and energy consumption required by LLMs, which can strain the limited resources of IoT devices. Real-time processing demands pose latency issues, especially when balancing edge and cloud computing. Ensuring data privacy and security is critical, given the sensitive nature of IoT data and the vulnerability of LLMs to adversarial attacks. Scalability in deployment and maintenance, along with ensuring compatibility and integration across diverse IoT platforms adds complexity. The high costs of implementation and ongoing operations further complicate the integration. Additionally, this Special Issue (SI) aims to optimize model efficiency without sacrificing performance, ensure reliable and accurate responses, and design user-friendly interfaces, which are essential for a positive user experience. Addressing these challenges requires advancements in AI, hardware, software, and cybersecurity to unlock the full potential of LLM-enhanced IoT systems.

Topics of Interest

Topics of primary interest include, but are not limited to, the following scopes:

    Optimizations for reducing the computational and memory footprint of LLMs training, fine-tuning, and inference in resource-constrained IoT environment.
    Optimizations for deploying LLMs on edge-cloud devices to reduce inference latency and improve real-time processing capabilities in IoT applications.
    Optimizations for reducing the energy consumption of LLMs in IoT environment.
    Optimizations of LLM systems and algorithms to meet the real-time processing requirements of IoT applications.
    Efficient and low-cost hardware design to accelerate LLM computation in IoT systems.
    Principles and user interface design to provide a seamless and intuitive user experience.
    Privacy and Security for safeguarding sensitive IoT data and ensuring the secure deployment and operation of LLMs.
    Standards and protocols to ensure seamless integration and interoperability/portability of LLMs with diverse IoT platforms and devices.
    Practical testbeds, datasets, and use cases of integrating LLMs in IoT applications.
    Wide-scale experimentation and performance scalability of LLM-enhanced IoT solutions.

Submission Guidelines

Manuscripts should conform to the IEEE Internet of Things Magazine standard format as indicated in the Information for Authors section of the Article Submission Guidelines. All manuscripts to be considered for publication must be submitted by the deadline through the magazine’s IEEE Author Portal site. Select the appropriate issue date and topic from the “Please Select an Article Type” drop-down menu.

Important Dates

Manuscript Submission Deadline: 30 November 2024
Initial Decision Date: 31 January 2025
Revised Manuscript Due: 10 March 2025
Final Decision Date: 10 April 2025
Final Manuscript Due: 20 May 2025
Publication Date: Third Quarter 2025

Guest Editors

Gang Sun (Lead Guest Editor)
University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, China

Dusit Niyato
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

Jiacheng Wang
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

Nelson Fonseca
University of Campinas, Brazil

Paolo Bellavista
University of Bologna, Italy

Shu-ping Yeh
Research Lab at Intel, USA

Special Issue on The Internet of Military Defense Things (IoMDT): State-of-the-Art, Challenges, Future Evolution, and Revolutionary Applications
Submission Date: 2024-11-30

The widespread adoption of technology, such as cloud computing, mobile communication, sensor networks, and artificial intelligence, poses significant challenges and opportunities for military defense and national security. In the current technological landscape, the use of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies has the potential to greatly enhance capabilities and fundamentally change the speed, scale, adaptability, and efficiency of defense and national security operations. The adoption of IoT will enhance situational awareness by connecting various components, such as soldiers, military vehicles, ships, tanks, aircrafts, satellites, and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).

However, the defense and national security environments, such as patrolling battlefields along safeguarding borders, surveillance, and providing advanced military training, pose particular difficulties. Moreover, the increasing diversity and interconnectivity of networked components, including combat attire, helmets, weaponry, and other equipment, that collect and transmit instantaneous data to military bases, present additional complexities for military defense and national security systems.

In order to tackle these challenges, it is crucial to develop innovative and practical methods that can accurately depict the present situation, understand emerging trends, and offer predictive analytics in a wide range of defense and national security contexts that are constantly evolving.  Achieving success in military operations relies heavily on possessing capabilities that facilitate dominance through technological adaptability, consistent speed, and a holistic, intelligent, autonomous, secure, and tactical system that surpasses the combined effectiveness of its individual components while also overcoming the constraints of inter-human communication and cognition.  In light of the above, it becomes evident that the distinct characteristics of military defense and national security environments present significant obstacles for IoT systems, distinguishing them from their civilian counterparts.

First and utmost, any failure or compromise may be life threatening and/or highly destructive. Second, IoT systems operating in hostile environmental contexts similar to those mentioned above, are prone to hoax as well as to repetitive physical and cyber-attacks. Under such circumstances, adversaries’ often devastating unforeseen locations may compromise IoT systems and exploit potential opportunities to intensify resulting damages. To this end, commercially available communication devices, networks, and cloud data centers are doomed to become unreliable. Disruption tolerance, data losses, and struggles to maintain connectivity in continuously and rapidly changing heterogeneous battle scenes are the rule rather than the exception. As such, IoT systems for military operations and national security are required to exhibit high flexibility, dynamism, and adaptability; hence, capable of incorporating additional devices, communication networks, and their protocols and standards in a real-time manner.

IoT Magazine is soliciting high-quality, novel, innovative, and impact-oriented manuscripts that: a) describe in depth and/or breadth real-world military defense and national security IoT deployments, applications and technologies that align with the above-elaborated special issue, b) present actual experiences in analyzing the benefits of IoT and resolving contextual defense and national security-related challenges, c) develop and share best practices, vision realizations and lessons learned from IoT deployments in such environments, and d) establish guiding principles for technical, experimental, and operational successes. Topics of interest may include, but are not limited to:

    Security and Privacy in IoMDT: Addressing issues in securing military smart bases and IoT networks, including encryption, authentication, intrusion detection, and cyber threat countermeasures in battlefield environments.
    IoT in Military Logistics: Explore how IoT is enhancing military logistics, including supply chain management, asset tracking, and real-time equipment, vehicle, and resource monitoring.
    IoT-Enabled Surveillance and Reconnaissance: Discuss the role and new capabilities of IoT devices, such as UAVs, Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs), Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs), autonomous robots, sensors, and cameras, in enhancing military surveillance, reconnaissance, and situational awareness capabilities.
    IoMDT for Soldier Enhancement: Explore how IoT devices and wearables are being used to enhance soldier performance, safety, and health on the battlefield.
    IoMDT for Soldier Training: Investigate XR/VR/AR IoT devices for the utilization of real-and-virtual integrated settings and develop effective training simulations for military personnel in special missions.
    Energy-Efficient IoMDT: Discuss energy-efficient IoT solutions for military applications, such as optimizing power usage in remote sensors and IoT devices to extend mission duration.
    Edge Computing in Military IoT: Explore the use of edge computing in military IoT systems to process data closer to the source, reducing latency and improving real-time decision.
    AI and Machine Learning in IoMDT: Examine how artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms are being applied to military IoT data for Valuable Vehicle or Human Identification, Unmanned Vehicle Control, intercepted communications translation, improvised explosive device detection, improving the efficiency of logistics operations, predictive analytics, anomaly detection, emergency response, and autonomous decision-making.
    Interoperability and Standards: Discuss the importance of interoperability and standards in IoMDT systems to ensure seamless integration of devices and data across different military branches and allied forces.
    Ethical and Legal Considerations: Explore the ethical and legal implications of deploying IoT technologies in military contexts, including data privacy, accountability, and adherence to international laws of armed conflict.
    Case Studies and Deployments: Share real-world case studies and deployments of IoMDT systems in military operations, highlighting their effectiveness and lessons learned.
    Resilience and Robustness: Discuss strategies for making IoMDT systems resilient to physical and cyberattacks, anti-jamming, GPS denied environments, Adversarial AI in IoMDT, ensuring they can operate in adverse conditions and withstand hostile actions.
    Human-Machine Teaming: Explore the evolving role of humans in military IoT systems, emphasizing the importance of effective human-machine collaboration and trust-building.
    Environmental Monitoring, Adaptation and Safety: Highlight how IoT sensors are used for environmental monitoring and adaptation, including tracking climate changes, predicting natural disasters, and optimizing military responses as well as ensuring public safety.
    IoMDT in Urban Warfare: Discuss the unique challenges and opportunities of deploying IoT technologies in urban warfare scenarios, where densely populated environments present complex challenges.
    Future Trends and Innovations: Discuss IoMDT trends like 5G, 5G+, and 6G mobile network integrations, satellite, and terrestrial network integrations (Space-Air-Ground-Sea Integrated Networks), hypersonic weapon communication, quantum encryption, and bio-inspired IoT technologies for tactical, military, and emergency applications.

Submission Guidelines

Manuscripts should conform to the IEEE Internet of Things Magazine standard format as indicated in the Information for Authors section of the Article Submission Guidelines. All manuscripts to be considered for publication must be submitted by the deadline through the IEEE Author Portal. Select “Q1’25/ The Internet IoMDT: State-of-the-Art, Challenges, Future Evolution, and Revolutionary Applications” from the drop-down menu of Topic/Series titles.

Important Dates

Manuscript Submission Deadline: 30 November 2024 (Extended Deadline)
First Round of Review Deadline: 15 December 2024
Authors’ Revision Deadline: 15 January 2025
Final Decision Notification: 15 February 2025
Final Manuscript Submission Deadline: 15 March 2025
Publication Date: Second Quarter 2025

Guest Editors

Maurice J. Khabbaz (Lead Guest Editor)
American University of Beirut, Lebanon

Abdellah Chehri (Co-Lead Guest Editor)
Royal Military College of Canada

Holger Claussen
Tyndall National Institute, Ireland

Nhien-An Le-Khac
University College Dublin, Ireland

Van-Linh Nguyen
National Chung Cheng University, Taiwan

Benoit Debaque
Thales Communications and Security SAS, Canada

Special Issue on Passive Reflective Communications for Internet of Things
Submission Date: 2024-11-30

As one of the main goals of the future 6G is the, "Internet of Everything and Digital Twin," encapsulated in the concept of, "Internet of Everything and Digital Twin," foresees a landscape where millions of people and billions of devices are seamlessly interconnected within Internet of Things (IoT) networks. However, the massive quantity of data traffic and the number of terminal access devices will bring tremendous challenges to 6G IoT, including spectrum resource scarcity and heightened energy consumption concerns. Towards that end, novel spectrum and energy-efficient communication technologies need to be developed for future IoT networks.

Amidst the background, two cutting-edge physical-layer technologies are emerging as key solutions for enhancing the efficiency of IoT networks: ambient backscatter communication (AmBC) and reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS). AmBC operates by dynamically adjusting the impedance of an IoT device's antenna, enabling it to passively modulate information onto existing primary signals and backscatter these modulated signals to the associated receiver. This innovative approach eliminates the need for power-hungry components in IoT devices, while also allowing them to harvest energy from primary signals to power their own circuitry. While RIS represents a revolutionary concept wherein an artificial metamaterial is constructed from numerous low-cost, sub-wavelength, and independently controllable reflective units. Each unit can manipulate signals by reflecting them with varying coefficients, enabling precise control over the propagation of electromagnetic waves. Integrating RIS into symbiotic communication environments creates an optimized radio propagation environment, capable of enhancing data rates, reception reliability, energy efficiency, coverage extension, and facilitating massive connectivity. By leveraging RIS, the mutual benefits of primary and secondary systems in symbiotic communication are further enhanced. Despite the potentials, the application of AmBC/RIS in IoT and even constructing symbiotic communication still faces significant challenges. Firstly, there is a pressing need to devise stable energy harvesting and utilization schemes for AmBC to adequately support communication requirements; Additionally, addressing the connectivity issues posed by the proliferation of access devices in symbiotic communication is paramount. Developing novel integration schemes for AmBC and RIS to realize a more spectrum- and energy-efficient communication paradigm represents another substantial challenge. Furthermore, concerns surrounding user privacy and security must be adequately addressed to foster widespread adoption. Lastly, assessing the feasibility of symbiotic communication utilizing AmBC and RIS within the context of future IoT networks remains a critical area of investigation. These challenges underscore the necessity for comprehensive research and innovation to unlock the full potential of AmBC, RIS, and symbiotic communication in the IoT landscape.

The research of AmBC/RIS and symbiotic communication for IoT is still in its infancy and calls for more extensive and in-depth research efforts. Towards that end, this Special Issue (SI) aims to provide a venue to exchange recent advances in this topic. In this SI, we look for original and high-quality research works in the novel area of symbiotic communication for the future IoT. Theoretical, experimental studies, and also case studies are highly encouraged. Relevant topics include, but are not limited to:

    Architecture and Modeling for AmBC/RIS enabled symbiotic communication in 6G IoT.
    Performance analysis for AmBC/RIS enabled symbiotic communication.
    Modulation and demodulation for AmBC/RIS communication in 6G IoT.
    Signal processing for AmBC/RIS communication for 6G IoT.
    Integrated Sensing and symbiotic communication for IoT.
    AmBC/RIS enabled symbiotic communication in other wireless systems like cellular networks, WiFi, and Lora Networks.
    Multiple access schemes for passive communication in 6G IoT.
    Radio resource management for AmBC/RIS communication.
    Standards and network protocols for AmBC/RIS communication.
    AI-empowered designs for AmBC/RIS communication in 6G IoT.
    Hardware and testbed for AmBC/RIS communication and the symbiotic communication.
    Secrecy and covert communication designs for AmBC/RIS symbiotic communication.
    Interoperability and integration to existing wireless systems and standardization efforts.
    Energy harvesting and energy storage solutions for AmBC/RIS communication.
    Device complexity and power consumption solutions for symbiotic communication in IoT.
    Scalability and network management for massive IoT deployment.

Submission Guidelines

Manuscripts should conform to the IEEE Internet of Things Magazine standard format as indicated in the Information for Authors section of the Article Submission Guidelines. All manuscripts to be considered for publication must be submitted by the deadline through the IEEE Author Portal. Select “Q3’25/ Passive Reflective Communications for IoT” from the drop-down menu of Topic/Series titles.

Important Dates

Manuscript Submission Start: 1 September 2024
Submission Deadline: 30 November 2024 (Extended Deadline)
First Round Review Due: 15 December 2024
Revision Due: 15 January 2025
Acceptance Notification: 28 February 2025
Final Manuscript Due: 7 March 2025
Publication Date: Third Quarter 2025 

Guest Editors

Xingwang Li
Henan Polytechnic University, China 

Arumugam Nallanathan
Queen Mary University of London, UK

Yajun Zhao
ZTE Corporation, China

Alexandros-Apostolos A. Boulogeorgos
University of Western Macedonia, Greece

Octavia A. Dobre
Memorial University, Canada

Yongjun Xu
Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, China

Daniel Benevides Da Costa
King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Saudi Arabia

Special Issue on Empowering People with Disabilities using IoT and Human-Centered Technologies
Submission Date: 2024-12-15

The World Health Organization estimates that 1.3 billion people, which represents about 16% of the global population, are presently living with some form of disability. Sadly, these individuals are also at higher risk of discrimination, poverty, social exclusion, violence, and abuse. Thankfully, global initiatives are rising to this challenge. The United Nations has set a target to foster social, economic, and political inclusion for all by 2030, regardless of factors such as disability. Similarly, the European Commission’s Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030 seeks to achieve the full participation and non-discrimination of people with disabilities in society.

To face these challenges and ensure a welcoming and accessible society for everyone, investing in human-centered technologies is paramount. The Internet of Things (IoT) offers transformative potential for empowering individuals with disabilities. Technologies designed with the active input from IoT sensors and engagement of disabled communities can lead to the creation of Human-centered solutions that are inclusive and adaptive to various needs. For instance, IoT can enhance physical environments to be more accessible through smart home systems that allow for voice-activated or remotely controlled management of appliances, doors, and lighting, reducing physical barriers. Wearable IoT devices can also aid in real-time health monitoring and emergency response, ensuring that people with disabilities receive timely medical attention when necessary. Furthermore, IoT can facilitate better communication and interaction with technology via customized interfaces that adapt to the physical and sensory capabilities of users, such as gesture recognition systems for those unable to use traditional input devices.

Through a human-centered strategy and investments in IoT devices within everyday objects and environments, we can significantly enhance the independence and quality of life for people with disabilities, creating a more inclusive society. This approach unlocks innovative solutions for collaborative environments, empowering individuals with disabilities to promote their rights and opportunities. Ultimately, by embracing this transformative approach, we tap into the varied talents and contributions of every member, leading to increased stability, balance, and sustainability for all.

This Special Issue (SI) aims to bring together researchers, policymakers, and industry professionals to contribute their ideas and work on the topic of empowering people with disabilities through IoT and human-centered technologies. Subtopics of interest include, but are not limited to:

    Sensor technology and computer processing algorithms, to improve safety, mobility, communication, and activities of daily living, etc.
    Tracking technologies and wearable IoT devices, to enhance data collection processes and improve the quality of life for individuals with disabilities.
    Accessible human-machine interfaces, featuring voice-controlled interfaces, alternative control devices, and adaptive user interfaces that learn and adapt to individual needs.
    Studies on the social implications of implementing IoT and human-centered technologies for individuals with disabilities.
    Real-world case studies and applications of human-centered communication technologies.
    Cloud-based technologies for telehealth, remote care, collaborative learning, and working platforms.
    Human-robot collaboration into healthcare, education, and workplaces for assistive and caregiving roles.
    Use digital twins to simulate accessibility in the design of buildings, spaces, and products.

Researchers are invited to publish their experimental and theoretical results in detail. Submissions should align with the outlined topics and seek to spark meaningful discussions on the role of technology in fostering a more inclusive society.
Submission Guidelines

Manuscripts should conform to the IEEE Internet of Things Magazine standard format as indicated in the Information for Authors section of the Article Submission Guidelines. All manuscripts to be considered for publication must be submitted by the deadline through the magazine’s IEEE Author Portal site. Select the appropriate issue date and topic from the “Please Select an Article Type” drop-down menu.

Important Dates

Manuscript Submissions Start: 1 August 2024
Manuscript Submission Deadline: 15 December 2024
First Round of Review Deadline: 31 January 2025
Authors’ Revision Deadline: 14 February 2025
Final Decision Notification: 28 February 2025
Final Manuscript Submission Deadline: 7 March 2025
Publication Date: May 2025

Guest Editors

Nagham Saeed (Lead Guest Editor)
School of Computing and Engineering, University of West London, UK

Carolina Lagartinho Oliveira
NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, Portugal

Abdellah Chehri
Royal Military College of Canada, Canada

Gwanggil Jeon
Incheon National University, South Korea