PHOENIX: Revisiting Cloudlet Development with Recycled Phones.

Abstract

This work revisits the idea of re-purposing e-waste (aka old electronics) into cloudlets that can be used as general computing units for several applications, including edge computing, the Internet of Things (IoT), and pervasive computing applications. While the idea has been around for over a decade, the continuous evolution of personal electronics makes it difficult to keep up to date with general guidelines and principles for re-purposing. As a result, we investigate the latest developments in this topic and provide newer insights for recycling deprecated electronics using modern tools and frameworks. To do this, four Nexus 5 phones are adapted with PostmarketOS, a Linux-based mobile OS, and subjected to benchmark tests alongside a Raspberry Pi 4 and a laptop. Results indicate lower performance metrics in mobile phones, accompanied by substantial heat generation during intensive tasks. The study delves into the advantages, disadvantages, and techniques for optimization, including load balancing, task scheduling, parallel computing, cloud offloading, and energy-aware algorithms. Potential applications are explored, emphasizing community empowerment, low-cost microclouds, and disaster response. While mobile phone-based cloudlets show promise, the challenges and limitations must be addressed. The study underscores the environmental benefits of repurposing mobile phones and proposes sustainable practices, including the removal of batteries for a reduced carbon footprint. The thesis also advocates for the educational empowerment of underprivileged students through accessible technologies, highlighting the potential societal impact of this innovative approach to edge computing.