Cooperative and Self-Growing Energy-Aware Networks

In next generation systems and networks, the incorporation of mechanisms achieving robust, predictable and self-adaptive behavior with minimum cost will be a key requirement. Towards this goal we introduce the notion of the "self-growing network". The latter, in its initial deployment stage, is limited to a single dedicated purpose (energy-efficient networking, spectrum efficient communications, control and surveillance use, etc) but can evolve/grow into a multi-purpose, versatile infrastructure, that serves a broader range of applications by utilising combinations of self-x and cooperating features.