A New Language for Phone Networks

Node clusters: The topology of pocket-switched networks changes quickly over time as humans move about, causing nodes to leave and join local networks. Researchers group devices by community, clusters that share the same information, and the average delay to receive information. Nodes with the same color receive information after a similar delay.
Credit: University of Cambridge 

Scientists love the cell phone. Researchers have used the ubiquitous device as a portable polling station, a tracking device, and a sensor. Now, computer scientists want to use mobile phones to exchange data without using the phone's network, instead of communicating directly with cellular towers, base stations, and the occasional wireless network.

 By Robert Lemos