Research Booklet

1.1 SOMS – SEECS Open Mobile Squad

1.1.1 Theme

Open. Mobile. Free.
SEECS Open Mobile Squad (SOMS) was created in January 2009 by Dr. Arshad Ali. SOMS is established for creating a Linux mobile development culture in SEECS and behaving as a hub for other Pakistani universities in this regard. In the initial run, the Openmoko’s Smartphones are sponsored by respected DG SEECS. The devices provide students a golden opportunity; to play/unlock the completely documented mobile device.
Open: Opening up the formerly-closed mobile world
Mobile: Mobile devices are the future
Free: 100% Free Software from driver through UI

1.1.2 Objectives

The main objective of the group is to develop an understanding in the new emerging field of open mobile development. The group will explore and do experimenting with multiple open mobile platforms and frameworks; existing in the mobile eco-system. The group provides an opportunity to have a hands-on experience in the state of the art wireless and mobile technologies. The group will also prepare students with a kind of skill set so they can compete in global competitions and challenges organized by Google and Intel every year with their projects which will add value to the existing system.

1. Understanding Open mobile technology
2. Getting hands on experience
3. Hacking mobile
4. Building mobile from scratch
   

1.1.3 Application domain

• Linux mobile application development
• Linux mobile platforms and frameworks
• MobileOS
• Mobile Computing
• Mobile communication technologies
• Wireless communication technologies
• Linux device drivers
• Gadgets interfacing with smart phones
• Open Source in Mobiles

1.1.4 Group Members

Dr. Arshad Ali
Phd, USA

Director General, SEECS
arshad.ali@niit.edu.pk

Dr. Fauzan Mirza
Phd, UK
fauzan.mirza@niit.edu.pk

Dr. Ali khayyam
Phd, USA
ali.khayyam@niit.edu.pk

Syed Ali haider
MSc, UK
ali.haider@niit.edu.pk

Students

Mr. M QasimAli [President]
Mr. Asad Rehman
Mr. Wahib-ul-Haq [Webmaster]
Mr. Raja Ehtisham [Webmaster]
Mr. Fahad Abid
Mr. Robert Mehfooz
Mr. Omer Farooq Khan [Marketing Manager]
Mr. Sibguat-Ullah [Graphics manager]
Mr. Iftikhar Ahmed [Graphics Manger]
Mr. Salamn Majeed
Mrs. Iqra Arshad
Mr. Khuram Shahzad
Mr. Usama Shahid

1.1.5 Publications

No publication yet.

1.1.6 Organization of conferences and workshops in 2007-08

• Introducing Open Mobile Technology
• Openmoko an Introduction
• Openmoko Supported frameworks
• Qtopia’s QT C++ GUI Application framework
• Eclipse SWT Library

1.1.7 Associated Labs

SOMS Open Mobile Research Lab, C-216 Ug block

1.1.8 Research Projects

1.1.8.1 Projects

USB Hascks

a) Openmoko Live Tv tuner

The aim of this project will be to write a middleware for openmoko freerunner so we can watch live tv broadcast on it using a USB arial antenna attached with openmoko.

Devices supporting live TV broadcasting:

The Nokia N96 smartphone also sports an integrated Digital Video Broadcast Handheld (DVB-H) receiver supporting Live Broadcast Mobile TV with impressive audio quality and the ability to record live TV.

b) Openmoko Radio tuner

A fm reciver will attached to the  openmoko using USB and we’ll be able to tune, control and tune it from Openmoko control panel.

Hardware  Requirements:

1. TDA7000 Reciever

Frequency recieving range:  70-120Mhz

Software Requirements:

1.1.8.2 Brainstormed Projects
a) Controlling robots with Freerunner
The lego robots that are available in SEECS have Bluetooth dongles built in, so we can use openmoko freerunner to control the actions of the robots by using the concepts of telemetry. It’s like robots interfacing with openmoko using Bluetooth protocol.

b) USB camera interfacing with openmoko
Openmoko’s freerunner don’t have a built-in camera but it has USB host port which allows developers to interface any USB device with it.

c) Open GSM radio
That idea is little tricky and have a direct impact on the business model of GSM cellular providers. The idea is to configure the device in such a way that GSM module of the devices can make communication with other devices’ GSM module in a peer to peer fashion rather then routing the call from the BS.

d) Smartphone virtualization
Now a couple of vendors have created Smartphones with processor speeds 500MHz or so and multiple frameworks exist in the FOSS (Free open Source Software) community. There is a need to use the concept of virtualization where a Smartphone can have dual OS.

e) Ad hoc wireless network
Areas when struck by any natural or force disasters; like earthquakes which destroys the existing cellular system. Due to this reason different rescue operations can’t be carried out efficiently and effectively. In this scenario, the Smartphone carrying by the rescue guys will establish an ad hoc network using built-in wifi module; which will extend up to the time they find some node in the cellular network range.

f) Embedding RFID card in Freerunner
The world’s first open and user-customizable mobile phone is open both in terms of hardware and software. This provides developers to test their hacking capabilities and tweak their phones the way they like or rightly said imagined. The PCB circuit files are available form openmoko.org. Openmoko’s first product was developed their own developers named NEO1973 which was just a simple mobile but later on when the FOSS community catches their idea, they start embedding different technologies like Bluetooth, WIFI, GPS and accelerometers. Now the simple neo is now turned out to be a Smartphone but couples of things are still missing like RFID and Camera.

g) Integration of micro projectors with openmoko hardware
After reviewing the evolution process of mobile phones it is very much clear that every technology wants to sink into the small little fellow of everyone the mobile phone. Different companies are looking towards creating micro-projectors like the 3M’s MM200. If we get that gadget interfacing openmoko with this will be great and who knows openmoko gets that projects and release their new devices with miro-projectors build-in.

h) Cloud computing on Smartphones

i) Homogeneous Cross platform framework
The year 2008 was considered to be year for mobile Linux because of the fact that a couple of frameworks were popped up in the same year. Different vendors launch their own frameworks as listed hereunder:-
• Qtopia Phone Edition for Trolltech GreenPhone
• Openmoko’s FOS Freerunner OS
• Openmoko’s Om2007.2 and Om2008.9 for Neo1973 and Freerunner
• Google’s Android for gphone
• Java linux mobile platform – JavaFX
• Intel’s Maemo Hildon architecture for UMPC – Ultra-Mobile PC
• Linux foundation’s Mobilin for MIDs Mobile Internet Devices
• Linux GNOME mobile architecture
• Azingo mobile framework
• MontaVista Linux
• Ubuntu Mobile
• LiPs application architeture
• Access’s hiker application and some others due
Due to this the market is no so much fragmented that he need of homogenous cross platform framework is required.

j) Intelligent profile adjustment
Let me give you an example. Right now we’re talking, and one of the things the phone should be able to do is turn the microphone on and sense ambient noises to be able to determine whether or not there is a conversation in this room. So, if there was so could be able to turn the ring-tone to silent. This is not possible if your phone was closed, only if it was open.

1.1.9 Contracts and grants

Planning to gain ICT and RnD fund
1.1.10 International Collaboration
1.1.10.1 OpenLab
Communicating with Openmoko’s OpenLab in Taiwan
1.1.10.2 Mokoversity
The mokoversity (http://mokoversity.org/) provides summer internship opportunity and the only organization which is created, funded and sponsored by Openmoko Inc. for the involvement of openmoko with academic institutions. They conduct trainings and workshops on openmoko products and related technologies. We are trying to make efforts to get benefit from their resources.