Search arXiv⌕ Search
Home/Archive/arXiv

arXiv · 2609.02125

A Survey of Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network,Research Directions, and Open Challenges

Ming Jiang·Erwu Liu·Xinyu Qu·Wei Ni·Zhongxiang Wei·Ekram Hossain
View original source ↗Read source document ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

The Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network (DePIN) represents a transformative paradigm that redefines the construction, operation, and governance of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure in the Web 3.0 era. DePIN integrates physical resources, such as networking equipment, storage, and computing power, with decentralized digital governance, forming a self-incentivized ecosystem that is collaboratively built, shared, and governed by the community. It provides a foundational framework for future communication networks, facilitating decentralized edge intelligence, efficient resource sharing, and trustworthy coordination among heterogeneous devices. Focusing on the feasibility of this emerging paradigm, this paper examines the technology landscape in the pre-DePIN era and gaps between existing methodologies and the forthcoming decentralized infrastructure for Web 3.0. It provides a systematic and comprehensive survey of the background, core characteristics, technical architecture, and applications of DePIN across various vertical domains. The paper analyzes the DePIN technology stack from six layers: physical infrastructure, blockchain, interaction, trust, incentive, and application, with special attention to their cross-layer feedback loops, implementation readiness, and deployment limitations. To further bridge conceptual analysis and practical deployment, we propose a DePIN feasibility assessment framework covering technical, governance, and economic dimensions. Moreover, we highlight promising research directions, providing insights and guidance for further exploration and deployment of DePIN.

Explore related subjects

eess.SPcs.SYeess.SY

Keep this discovery

BibTeXRIS

Ming Jiang, Erwu Liu, Xinyu Qu, Wei Ni, Zhongxiang Wei, Ekram Hossain. 2026-09-02. A Survey of Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network,Research Directions, and Open Challenges. https://doi.org/10.1109/comst.2026.3729997

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

Discover connections

cs.SY subjecteess.SP subjecteess.SY subject

Connections use source metadata and explicit phrase matches, not verified experimental comparisons.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related papers

arXiv2026

A simple derivation of the Kalman filter

In this lecture note, we present a concise and self-contained derivation of the discrete-time Kalman filter equations that requires only a basic understanding of least squares estimation. The treatment is designed to minimize mathematical overhead while preserving both rigor and generality.

math.OC↗
arXiv2026

Constrained Parameter Update Law for Adaptive Control

In this paper, constrained parameter update laws for adaptive control are developed using barrier constraints. An interpretation of the parameter update law from a constrained optimization problem, in which a regularized Barrier saddle function is formulated to incorporate parameter constraints using inverse and logarithmic barrier functions from interior-point methods. The resulting constrained update law is integrated with an adaptive trajectory tracking controller, enabling online learning of the unknown system model parameters. Forward invariance of the parameter estimate is established and Lyapunov stability of the closed-loop system with the constrained parameter update law is derived. The effectiveness of the proposed constrained adaptive control law is demonstrated through simulations, which validate its ability to maintain parameter estimates within prescribed bounds while ensuring convergence to the true parameter values and achieving steady state tracking performance.

math.OC↗
arXiv2026

Biased Backpressure Routing for Multihop Wireless Networks with Heterogeneous Interfaces

Heterogeneous-interface multihop wireless networks (Het-MuNets) are emerging as a promising paradigm for tactical networks and for infrastructure-light applications such as vehicular communications, wireless backhaul, and non-terrestrial connectivity. To exploit the diverse profiles of heterogeneous communication technologies in penetration, interference, and bandwidth, packet-to-interface assignment must be determined on a per-hop basis, making routing and scheduling highly complex. In this work, we develop a unified framework for joint packet routing, link scheduling, and interface assignment in Het-MuNets with multiple concurrent flows. By modeling packet-to-interface assignment as transmission between virtual subnodes, we transform interface assignment into intra-device virtual routing, which is solved jointly with physical routing and scheduling under a unified multi-layer shortest path-biased Backpressure (SP-BP) scheme. Numerical results demonstrate that the proposed framework outperforms SP-BP operating on other baseline graph models and non-backpressure routing schemes in goodput, latency, and packet delivery rate.

cs.NI↗