8th ACM International Conference on Nanoscale Computing and Communication (https://nanocom.acm.org)

Welcome to ACM NanoCom 2021: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_kjNr83oWM
Program Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aW3UNkKxSYA

September 7-9, 2021
Virtual Conference

Regular Papers due: May 12, 2021 (FIRM)
Poster and Demo Abstracts due: July 7, 2021
Dataset Competition due: July 11, 2021

NanoCom is endorsed by IEEE ComSoc Technical Committee on Molecular, Biological and Multi-Scale Communications (MBMC-TC)

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Call For Papers
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Communication technologies at micro- and nanoscale are essential for tackling numerous challenges in many fields, including ICT, medicine, pharmacology, synthetic biology, and materials science. The interdisciplinary nature of the related research challenges has prompted the creation of new multidisciplinary work groups.

The 8th ACM International Conference on Nanoscale Computing and Communication (ACM NanoCom 2021) aims to further grow the research community that contributes to nanocomputing and communications, and to stimulate the knowledge transfer to industries. In this time and age where lives are impacted by COVID-19, NanoCom also rises as an opportunity to discuss novel ways to model and address this problem from the nanocommunications perspective.

ACM NanoCom 2021 will highlight novel research results and breakthrough ideas, and identify directions for short and medium term exploitation. Novel theoretical and experimental research contributions are welcome. The conference will feature contributed and invited papers, posters, demos and keynote addresses in this emerging inter-disciplinary field.

We invite submissions in areas including (but not limited to) the following:

* Electromagnetic communication at (sub-)THz and optical frequencies
[This includes,
** Coding, modulation, detection, and estimation
** Channel modeling including free-space propagation and intra-chip/intra-body propagation
** Devices based on nanomaterials and metamaterials
** Localization and positioning]

* Molecular communication in the biological, chemical, or mechanical environments
[This includes
** Signal design, detection, estimation, and sensing
** Modeling channels of free diffusion, guided transport, microfluidic, in-vivo/in-vitro biological
** Molecular communication components including signal sources and encoders/decoders]

* Quantum communications in integrated quantum computers
[This includes
** Design and modeling of quantum-coherent interconnects
** Communication theoretic approaches for quantum communications
** Quantum communication protocol design]

* Interfaces for molecular and electromagnetic nanoscale communications

* Nanoscale communication network protocols for nanosensor and biological networks

* Simulation tools and experimental testbeds for nanonetworks
[This includes,
** Design and formal methods for specifying components and parameters
** Experimental demonstration of nano-communication systems]

* Integration of nano- and traditional macroscale communication systems

* Nano-computing paradigms, including neuromorphic computing, DNA and molecular computing, membrane computing, quantum computing, and biological computing

* Applications, such as the Internet of Nano(-Bio)-things, nanosensor networks, systems on chip, nanomedicine, tissue engineering, future and emerging applications, as well as nanonetworks in exotic materials such as functional meta-surfaces and metamaterials.

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Call for Posters and Demos
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ACM NanoCom 2021 solicits submissions for a poster and demo session dedicated to sharing late-breaking results or work-in-progress on any topic related to nanoscale communication, computing and networks. Posters and demos provide a chance for in-depth research discussions with other conference attendees and are therefore especially well suited for obtaining feedback on ongoing research or controversial ideas. A demo proposal is expected to insist on how the demonstration supports innovative research results or original applications and/or the value for the community of the test platform (please see the topics of interest above). Demonstrations will be selected based on the expected interest from the Nanocom audience. Poster and demo papers will be presented in an appropriate session.

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Call For Dataset Competition
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THEME
Symbol Detection for Molecular Communication

BACKGROUND
Detecting the transmitted symbols is challenging in experimental molecular communication systems because of severe inter-symbol interference and changing channel conditions. The goal of this data competition is to design novel detection algorithms for a molecular communication system based on the experimental platform presented in [1].
This testbed is realized using E. Coli bacteria that express the light-driven proton pump gloeorhodopsin. Upon an external light stimulus, these bacteria (as a transmitter) export protons (as the signaling molecules) into the channel. This changes the pH level of the environment, which can be detected with a pH sensor (as the receiver). In this way, a sequence of light pulses can be converted into a pH signal which carries the underlying information. This signal conversion yields a received signal which is highly non-linear, time-variant, and noisy. Moreover, due to the unpredictable bacteria behavior, each realization can be considered random. To provide a consistent data set for this competition, the training data is generated by simulation based on parameters obtained by experiments with real bacteria.

COMPETITION AND EVALUATION CRITERIA
The object of the competition is to design and develop/train an algorithm that can detect the transmitted bits from the training dataset. Possible solutions may build on classic algorithms (e.g., creating a new statistical model of the channel and use it to design maximum likelihood sequence detectors), or using purely data-driven machine-learning approaches, or a hybrid of these two. The training dataset contains 10 samples of 1000 consecutive bits transmitted over a molecular communication channel along with the signal detected at the receiver. Each of the 10 samples is under different channel conditions and the competitors must be aware that the test dataset, which will be used for evaluation can also be under different channel conditions.
To compete, teams should download the dataset from the conference website (see https://www.dropbox.com/s/lh3hf35fwpi2n84/ACMNanoCom2021_training.zip?dl=0) and develop algorithms. On July 10, 2021 (11:59 PM Pacific Time), a set of test data consisting of only the signal detected at the receiver (but no knowledge of the transmission bits) will be distributed. The participating teams should run their algorithms on this test dataset and submit their estimated bit sequences no later than July 11, 2021 (11:59 PM Pacific Time). The results must be submitted as a CSV file containing the estimated bits, similar in format to the training data. All competitors must submit a 2-page abstract, describing their algorithms and experiments on July 11, 2021 (11:59 PM Pacific Time) with their CSV files of the estimated bits, and present a poster at the conference. The instructions for preparing the poster will be posted on the conference website. Note that to be considered a valid participant in the competition, the competitors are expected to submit the 2-page abstract and attend the conference to present a poster, otherwise, they will be withdrawn from the competition. The winners will be determined by the organizers, by evaluating and comparing the bit error rate (BER) over the entire test dataset.

For more information see the conference website at http://nanocom.acm.org/nanocom2021/data_competition.php.

PRIZES
The competitors who are placed first, second, and third will receive certificates. In addition, the first-place and the second-place winners will receive a prize.

CONTACT
Nariman Farsad, nfarsad@ryerson.ca

REFERENCE
[1] L. Grebenstein et al., "A Molecular Communication Testbed Based on Proton Pumping Bacteria: Methods and Data," in IEEE Transactions on Molecular, Biological and Multi-Scale Communications, vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 56-62, 2019.

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Important Dates
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Regular Papers due: May 12, 2021 (FIRM)
Poster and Demo Abstracts due: July 7, 2021
Notification of Acceptance for Regular Papers: June 30, 2021
Notification of Acceptance for Poster and Demo Abstracts: July 25, 2021
Camera ready paper due: July 31, 2021

Dataset distribution: July 10, 2021
Dataset Competition Abstract due: July 11, 2021

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Submission Guidelines
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Regular papers submitted to ACM NanoCom 2021 must be original, not previously published or accepted for publication elsewhere, and they must not be submitted to any other event or publication during the entire review process.
Regular papers are limited to 6 pages including figures and references. They should describe novel advances in topics within the scope of the conference. Authors may submit a 7-page manuscript for review, but an extra page charge of $100 is required for accepted papers.

Poster and demo submissions require an abstract with a maximum length of 2 pages including all figures and references.

All manuscripts must adhere to the guidelines at http://nanocom.acm.org/nanocom2021/cfp.php#submission.

The submitted regular papers, poster, and demo abstracts will undergo a peer review process, as coordinated by the Technical Program Committee.

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Committees
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General Co-chairs:
- Laura Galluccio, Università degli Studi di Catania, Italy
- Urbashi Mitra, University of Southern California, USA

Vice General chair:
- Maurizio Magarini, Politecnico di Milano, Italy

Technical Program Committee Co-chairs:
- Sergi Abadal, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Spain
- Michael T. Barros, University of Essex, UK
- Bhuvana Krishnaswamy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA

Steering Committee:
- Sasitharan Balasubramaniam, Tampere University of Technology, Finland
- Ilangko Balasingham, Norwegian University of Science & Technology, Norway
- Josep Miquel Jornet, Northeastern University, USA
- Massimiliano Pierobon, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA
- Tadashi Nakano, Osaka University, Japan