Boosting IoT with Embedded AI, Network Softwarization, and Data Privacy:
An Integrative Approach

Research Network of Brazilians Abroad

Federal University of Pará (Brazil) | Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil) | Brock University (Canada) | University of Twente (Netherlands) | Delft University of Technology (Netherlands) | New Mexico Institute Of Mining And Technology (USA)

Funding: National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq)

Duration: December 2024 - December 2026

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An integrative approach to IoT involving Embedded AI, Network Softwarization, and Data Privacy.

IoT+
3 Research Lines
7
Institutions
4
Countries
15+
Researchers

Research Lines

Focus on three research lines and integration.

01

Embedded AI

Federated Learning, Tiny ML, and Explainable Artificial Intelligence.

02

Network Softwarization

SDN, Open RAN, and Data Plane Programmability.

03

Data Privacy

Attacks and Defenses in Artificial Intelligence for IoT applications.

Network Collaboration in Numbers.

Co-supervisions

4 Student co-supervisions.

Publication Collaborations

10+ publications

Missions and Technical Visits

3 Executed missions and one sandwich doctorate.

Seminars

TBA.

Researchers

Institutions

André Riker (UFPA)

Antônio Abelém (UFPA)

Glauco Gonçalves (UFPA)

Weverton Cordeiro (UFRGS)

BRAZIL

Federal University of Pará
Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul

Glaucio Carvalho (Brock University)

CANADA

+

Brock University

Adônis Leal (NMT)
André Riker (ASU)

UNITED STATES

New Mexico Tech
Arizona State University

Jair Santanna (University of Twente)

Giovane Moura (TU Delft)

NETHERLANDS

University of Twente
Delft University of Technology

Publications

Integrating Data Privacy and Energy Management in Smart Cities with Partial Sustainable IoT Networks

IEEE Access (2025).

Access Here
01
02

Bringing Programmable Low-End Networks to Life: A Field Study with An Off-the-Shelf Prototype

IEEE NOMS (2025).

Access Here

Federated Learning of Decision Trees in Cooperative IoT Edge Computing

IEEE Symposium on Computers and Communications - IEEE ISCC (2025).

Access Here
03
04

Federated Learning based on Multiple Decision Trees for Cooperative IoT Edge Computing (PT)

CoUrb (2025).

Access Here

Automating User Allocation in 5G Slices within Open RAN Architectures (PT)

WGRS (2025).

Access Here
05
06

Adding Generative Features to Honeypots Through Large Language Models (PT)

National Meeting on Artificial and Computational Intelligence - ENIAC (2025).

Access Here

Evasion Adversarial Attack on Intrusion Detection Systems and Defense Methods in Open RAN Networks (PT)

Brazilian Symposium on Cybersecurity (SBSeg) - SBSEG (2025).

Access Here
07
08

FEXT-DP: An Approach for Differentially Private and Explainable Federated Learning

IEEE Consumer Communications & Networking Conference - CCNC (2025).

Access Here

Federated Learning Attack: Fast Image Leakage from Gradients

IEEE 30th International Workshop on Computer Aided Modeling and Design of Communication Links and Networks (CAMAD).

Access Here
09

Project Highlights Timeline

Start
Sandwich PhD
Mission #1
Mission #2
1st Year Defenses
Mission #3
🚩

Official Launch

January 2025

The project officially began on December 26, 2024. In January 2025, the first general meeting was held online to align researchers and plan activities according to the project lines.

Sandwich PhD: UFPA & Brock University (Canada)

October 2025 -- March 2026

In October 2025, Yuri Melo e Silva do Espírito Santo, a PhD student from the Graduate Program in Computing at the Federal University of Pará, began his sandwich doctorate at Brock University, Canada. Yuri Santo's doctoral research is being developed within the scope of this project, under the supervision of professors Gláucio Carvalho, André Riker, and Antônio Abelém. His research topic is related to the development of homomorphic encryption mechanisms applied to Artificial Intelligence based on Federated Decision Trees.

Mission #1: Technical Visit - Brock University (Canada)

December 2025

In December 2025, Douglas Almeida Vidal, a PhD student from the Graduate Program in Electrical Engineering at the Federal University of Pará, conducted a technical visit mission to Brock University, Canada. Douglas Vidal is developing research within the scope of this project under the supervision of professors Glauco Gonçalves and Gláucio Carvalho. His research topic is related to the development of Online Federated Decision Trees.



Mission #2: Technical Visit - Delft University of Technology

December 2025

In December 2025, Weverton Cordeiro, a professor at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, conducted a technical visit mission to Delft University of Technology, Netherlands. Weverton Cordeiro is developing research within the scope of this project in the network softwarization line, in collaboration with Professor Giovane Moura.





🎓

1st Year Defenses - Human Resources Training

October 2025 -- January 2026

Between October 2025 and January 2026, undergraduate student Eduardo Lourenço (Computer Engineering) and master's students Cléber Reis and Victor Leite (UFPA Graduate Program) defended their theses. The works were developed within this project, specifically focusing on data privacy and AI.

🎓

Mission #3: Technical Visit - New Mexico Tech

March 2026

From March 18 to 20, 2026, researcher André Riker, project coordinator, conducted a technical visit mission to New Mexico Tech, United States. The mission enabled a meeting with Prof. Adônis Leal, a faculty member at New Mexico Tech. During the visit, discussions, alignment, and strengthening of research interests in the "Embedded AI in IoT" line were conducted, along with plans for future collaborations between the Federal University of Pará and New Mexico Tech.

Connect

Principal Investigator: Dr. André Riker.
Email

ariker (at) ufpa.br
cs.andreriker.com