Extending the reach of online social networks to opportunistic networks with PodNet

PodNet is an opportunistic architecture allowing to exchange multimedia content, or podcasts, from mobiles to mobiles in an opportunistic fashion using Wifi. Content can originate from the Internet (e.g., YouTube, BBC) but it can also be user generated content (e.g., pictures or video/voice recordings). We have enhanced the PodNet architecture to extend the reach of online social networking applications (e.g., Facebook, Twitter) to opportunistic networks. We'll demonstrate how Facebook feeds (public or private) are distributed opportunistically among the demo devices that are carried by participants. Using additional PodNet gateway components, content generated in the opportunistic domain can be sent to the Internet (e.g. updates on the Facebook page). Eventually, we will demonstrate an Infoscreen (embedded with a PodNet gateway), which displays useful high-level information (campus life, tram schedules) users can subscribe to, to fetch richer content provided through PodNet.