Fast and Adaptive Task Management in MEC: A Deep Learning Approach Using Pointer Networks
Bibliographic record
Abstract
Task offloading and scheduling in Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) are vital for meeting the low-latency demands of modern IoT and dynamic task scheduling scenarios. MEC reduces the processing burden on resource-constrained devices by enabling task execution at nearby edge servers. However, efficient task scheduling remains a challenge in dynamic, time-sensitive environments. Conventional methods—such as heuristic algorithms and mixed-integer programming—suffer from high computational overhead, limiting their real-time applicability. Existing deep learning (DL) approaches offer faster inference but often lack scalability and adaptability to dynamic workloads. To address these issues, we propose a Pointer Network-based architecture for task scheduling in dynamic edge computing scenarios. Our model is trained on a generated dataset using genetic algorithms to determine the optimal task ordering. Experimental results show that our model achieves lower drop ratios and waiting times than baseline methods, and a soft sequence accuracy of up to $89.2 \%$. Our model consistently achieves inference times under 2 seconds across all evaluated task counts, whereas the integer and binary programming approaches require approximately up to 18 seconds and 90 seconds, respectively. It also shows strong generalization across varying scenarios, and adaptability to real-time changes, offering a scalable and efficient solution for edge-based task management.
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How this classification was reachedexpand
Full frame machine prediction
Teacher imitationNot calibrated prevalence, not ground truth. Human validation pending. The Gemma side is a direct model label for every work in the frame, read from the title-only record. The Codex side is a classifier learned from the 10,348 direct Codex labels and calibrated to design-weighted sample rates; fields without enough sample support carry no Codex call. Candidate is the union of the two sides; consensus is their intersection. These outputs are machine_predicted_unvalidated and are not human labels.
Distilled classifier scores by category (both heads)
| Category | Codex | Gemma |
|---|---|---|
| Metaresearch | 0.001 | 0.002 |
| Meta-epidemiology (narrow) | 0.001 | 0.000 |
| Meta-epidemiology (broad) | 0.001 | 0.001 |
| Bibliometrics | 0.001 | 0.001 |
| Science and technology studies | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| Scholarly communication | 0.001 | 0.001 |
| Open science | 0.002 | 0.001 |
| Research integrity | 0.001 | 0.002 |
| Insufficient payload (model declined to judge) | 0.002 | 0.000 |
Machine scores (provisional)
The two teacher heads of the student model, read on this work. A score orders the frame for review; it never asserts a category, and the validation status ships verbatim with every row.
Baseline scores from an immature model (maturity gate not passed, 7 training rounds). Scores rank; they never assert a category.
score_only:v0-immature-baseline · verbatim from the scoring run: score_only means the number may rank works, and no category label ships from itClassification
machine, unvalidatedMachine predicted; a candidate call from one source (direct Gemma or distilled Codex), not a consensus.
How this classification was reached, model by model and score by score, is at the end of the page under "How this classification was reached".