Wireless sensor network

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A wireless sensor network (WSN) is a computer network consisting of spatially distributed autonomous devices using sensors to cooperatively monitor physical or environmental conditions, such as temperature, sound, vibration, pressure, motion or pollutants, at different locations. !" #he development of wireless sensor networks was originally motivated by military applications such as battlefield surveillance. $owever, wireless sensor networks are now used in many civilian application areas, including environment and habitat monitoring, healthcare applications, home automation, and traffic control. !" %" &n addition to one or more sensors, each node in a sensor network is typically e'uipped with a radio transceiver or other wireless communications device, a small microcontroller, and an energy source, usually a battery. #he si(e a single sensor node can vary from shoebo)*si(ed nodes down to devices the si(e of grain of dust. !" #he cost of sensor nodes is similarly variable, ranging from hundreds of dollars to a few cents, depending on the si(e of the sensor network and the comple)ity re'uired of individual sensor nodes. !" Si(e and cost constraints on sensor nodes result in corresponding constraints on resources such as energy, memory, computational speed and bandwidth. !" &n computer science, wireless sensor networks are an active research area with numerous workshops and conferences arranged each year.

Applications
#he applications for WSNs are many and varied. #hey are used in commercial and industrial applications to monitor data that would be difficult or e)pensive to monitor using wired sensors. #hey could be deployed in wilderness areas, where they would remain for many years (monitoring some environmental variable) without the need to recharge+replace their power supplies. #hey could form a perimeter about a property and monitor the progression of intruders (passing information from one node to the ne)t). #here are a many uses for WSNs.

#ypical applications of WSNs include monitoring, tracking, and controlling. Some of the specific applications are habitat monitoring, ob,ect tracking, nuclear reactor controlling, fire detection, traffic monitoring, etc. &n a typical application, a WSN is scattered in a region where it is meant to collect data through its sensor nodes.

-nvironmental monitoring $abitat monitoring Acoustic detection Seismic .etection /ilitary surveillance &nventory tracking /edical monitoring Smart spaces 0rocess /onitoring

Area monitoring
Area monitoring is a typical application of WSNs. &n area monitoring, the WSN is deployed over a region where some phenomenon is to be monitored. As an e)ample, a large 'uantity of sensor nodes could be deployed over a battlefield to detect enemy intrusion instead of using landmines. When the sensors detect the event being monitored (heat, pressure, sound, light, electro*magnetic field, vibration, etc), the event needs to be reported to one of the base stations, which can take appropriate action (e.g., send a message on the internet or to a satellite). .epending on the e)act application, different ob,ective functions will re'uire different data*propagation strategies, depending on things such as need for real-time response, redundancy of the data (which can be tackled via data aggregation techni'ues), need for security, etc.

Characteristics
1ni'ue characteristics of a WSN are2

Small*scale sensor nodes 3imited power they can harvest or store $arsh environmental conditions Node failures /obility of nodes .ynamic network topology

4ommunication failures $eterogeneity of nodes 3arge scale of deployment 1nattended operation

Sensor nodes can be imagined as small computers, e)tremely basic in terms of their interfaces and their components. #hey usually consist of a processing unit with limited computational power and limited memory, sensors (including specific conditioning circuitry), a communication device (usually radio transceivers or alternatively optical), and a power source usually in the form of a battery. 5ther possible inclusions are energy harvesting modules, secondary AS&4s, and possibly secondary communication devices (e.g. 6S%7% or 1S8). #he base stations are one or more distinguished components of the WSN with much more computational, energy and communication resources. #hey act as a gateway between sensor nodes and the end user.

Platforms
Hardware
#he main challenge is to produce low cost and tiny sensor nodes. With respect to these ob,ectives, current sensor nodes are mainly prototypes. /iniaturi(ation and low cost are understood to follow from recent and future progress in the fields of /-/S and N-/S. Some of the e)isting sensor nodes are given below. Some of the nodes are still in research stage.

Atlas (0ervasa+1niversity of 9lorida) (http2++www.pervasa.com+) 8-AN 0ro,ect (http2++www.dcc.ufmg.br+:mmvieira+publications+bean.pdf;search< =%%8-AN=%>bra(ilian=%>sensor=%>node=%%) 8#node (-#$ ?urich) (http2++www.btnode.eth(.ch) 4orte) 0ro,ect 45#S .ust (.ust Networks) (http2++www.dustnetworks.com+ spun out of 14 8erkeley) -@-S 0ro,ect (http2++eyes.eu.org Server down") $oarder 8oard (/&# /edia 3ab) (http2++vadim.oversigma.com+$oarder+$oarder.htm)

/ica /ote (4rossbow) (http2++www.)bow.com+0roducts+productsdetails.asp)A sid<B%) SensiNet Smart Sensors (Sensicast Systems) (http2++www.sensicast.com) Sensor Webs (SensorWare Systems) (http2++www.sensorwaresystems.com+ spun out of the NASA+C03 Sensor Webs 0ro,ect) Smart .ust (.ust Networks) (http2++www.dustnetworks.com+ spun out of 14 8erkeley) W&NS (6ockwell) (Wireless &ntegrated Network Sensors) W&NS (143A) D@? node (http2++www.eng.yale.edu+enalab+D@?+)

Standards

?ig8ee Blowpan

Software
-nergy is the scarcest resource of WSN nodes, and it determines the lifetime of WSNs. WSNs are meant to be deployed in large numbers in various environments, including remote and hostile regions, with ad*hoc communications as key. 9or this reason, algorithms and protocols need to address the following issues2

3ifetime ma)imi(ation 6obustness and fault tolerance Self*configuration

Amongst the hot topics in WSN software, the following can also be pointed out2

Security /obility (when sensor nodes or base stations are moving) /iddleware2 the design of middle*level primitives between the software and the hardware

Operating systems

8ertha (pushpin computing platform) 8#nut Nut+5S 4ontiki 456/5S2 A 4ommunication 5riented 6untime System for Sensor Networks

-@-S5S /agnet5S /AN#&S (/ultimodAl Ne#works &n*situ Sensors) Sen5S S5S #iny5S

Middleware #here is a need and considerable research efforts currently invested in the design of middleware for WSNEs. #here are various research efforts in developing middleware for wireless sensor networks. %" &n general approaches can be classified into distributed database, mobile agents, and event*based. 7"

AutoSec 45/iS 451FA6 .SWare -nviro*#rack Flobal Sensor NetworksGFSN (Application 5riented /iddleware for sensor networks) !". &mpala /agnet5S /i3AN SensorWare S&NA #iny.8 #inyFA3S

Programming languages 0rogramming the sensor nodes is difficult when compared to the normal computer systems. #he resource constrained nature of these nodes gives rise to new programming models.

cHt (4omputation at a point in space (H) #ime ) .43 (.istributed 4ompositional 3anguage) gals4 nes4

0rotothreads SNA4I SJ#3

Algorithms WSNs are composed of a large number of sensor nodes, therefore, an algorithm for a WSN is implicitly a distributed algorithm. &n WSNs the scarcest resource is energy, and one of the most energy*e)pensive operation is data transmission. 9or this reason, algorithmic research in WSN mostly focuses on the study and design of energy aware algorithms for data transmission from the sensor nodes to the bases stations. .ata transmission is usually multi*hop (from node to node, towards the base stations), due to the polynomial growth in the energy*cost of radio tranmission with respect to the tranmission distance. #he algorithmic approach to WSN differentiates itself from the protocol approach by the fact that the mathematical models used are more abstract, more general, but sometimes less realistic than the models used for protocol design.

Simulators
#here are platforms specifically designed to simulate Wireless Sensor Networks, like #5SS&/, which is a part of #iny5S. #raditional network simulators like ns*% have also been used. Apart from the above mentioned simulators, there are other simulators in the literature.

-mstar * An -nvironment for .eveloping Wireless -mbedded Systems Software Flo/oSim * F3obal /5bile &nformation systems S&/ulator, a scalable simulation environment for wireless and wired network systems S-NS * a sensor environment and network simulator C*Sim * a component*based, compositional simulation environmentG formerly known as CavaSim SWAN * Simulator for Wireless Ad*$oc Networks SensorSim * a patch to the NS*% simulator #ython * a dynamic simulation environment for sensor networks WiseNet A#-/1

5pSeNet 5/Ne#KK * a modular, easy*to*use discrete event simulator with many e)tensions for wireless network simulations 50#N-# Sidh Avrora Shawn * discrete event simulator designed with the simulation of large wireless sensor networks in mind 0rowler and C0rowler AlgoSenSim * an algorithm oriented sensor network simulator

Commercial sensor nodes

#he following lists some of the sensor nodes on the market.

8#node (-#$ ?urich, Swit(erland) &ntel motes Sun S05# Small 0rogrammable 5b,ect #echnology (Sun microsystems) /&4A( motes (4rossbow technology) #/ote Sky #&0 series mote (/a)for) i.wa69*!BL 0rogrammable 6adio /odule (chipMN.com) SensiNet Smart Sensors (Sensicast Systems)

ata !isuali"ation
#he data gathered from wireless sensor networks is usually saved in the form of numerical data in a central base station. #here are many programs, like #osF1& and /onSense,FSN that facilitate the viewing of these large amounts of data. Additionally, the 5pen Feospatial 4onsortium (5F4) is specifying standards for interoperability interfaces and metadata encodings that enable real time integration of heterogeneous sensor webs into the &nternet, allowing any individual to monitor or control Wireless Sensor Networks through a Web 8rowser.

#esearch centers

-)amples of ma,or academic centers for research in wireless sensor networks are 4&#6&S at 8erkeley and 4-NS at 143A, in the 1SA and the N446 /&4S in Swit(erland.

C$%S
#he 4enter for -mbedded Networked Systems (4-NS) at the 1niversity of 4alifornia, 3os Angeles, directed by .eborah -strin, is a leading research center with OM> million in core funding from the National Science 9oundation %".

C&'#&S
#he 4enter for &nformation #echnology 6esearch in the &nterest of Society (4&#6&S) at the 1niversity of 4alifornia, 8erkeley, currently directed by S. Shankar Sastry, is a O7>> million multicampus research center that includes research and development of wireless sensor networks, and has used them to study microclimate variations in individual redwood trees 7".

%CC# M&CS
#he N446 /&4S was launched in %>>! and is currently in its second round. &t involves research institutions, universities and corporate partners from all over Swit(erland. &t is performing research in mobile information and communication systems, with a strong emphasis on wireless sensor networks and novel self* organi(ing networks and information systems.

MA&()roup at 'yndall
#he /icroelectronic Applications &ntegration (/A&), sector of the #yndall National &nstitute in 4ork, &reland, headed by .r. 4ian 5E/athuna, is currently involved in developing microsensing and microactuation devices for use in miniaturised wireless sensor networks. &n particular the Ambient #echnology Froup is developing modular interchangeable hardware layers for use in many sensor network applications.

Conferences

SenSys * A4/ 4onference on -mbedded Networked Sensor Systems &0SN * A4/+&--- &nternational 4onference on &nformation 0rocessing in Sensor Networks

-WSN * -uropean 4onference on Wireless Sensor Networks S-45N * &--- 4ommunications Society 4onference on Sensor and Ad $oc 4ommunications and Networks .45SS Algosensor

See also

Smartdust /esh networking /obile ad*hoc network (/AN-#S)

#eferences
!. P a b c d e 6Qmer, Iay, 9riedemann /attern (.ecember %>>M). R#he .esign Space of Wireless Sensor NetworksR. IEEE Wireless Communications ** (B)2 NM*B!. %. P a b $adim, Salem, Nader /ohamed (%>>B). R/iddleware 4hallenges and Approaches for Wireless Sensor NetworksR. IEEE Distributed Systems Online + (7). art. no. >B>7*o7>>!. 7. , 6Qmer, Iay (9ebruary %>>M). R0rogramming 0aradigms and /iddleware for Sensor NetworksR. GI/I G !achgespr"ch Sensornet#e$ %arlsruhe.

Further reading

&n !D'(ed e)tboo* on Sensor +etwor*s,-., #homas $aenselmann. Wireless Sensor +etwor*s, 4auligi S. 6aghavendra (-ditor), Irishna /. Sivalingam (-ditor), #aieb ?nati. Wireless Sensor +etwor*s/ &rchitectures and 0rotocols, -dgar $. 4allaway, Cr. and -dgar $. 4allaway, 464 0ress, August %>>7, 7N% pages. In1ormation 0rocessing in Sensor +etwor*s, 9eng ?hao, and 3eonidas C. Fuibas (-ds). 2andboo* o1 sensor networ*s3 algorithms and architectures , -dited by &van Sto,menovic, Wiley*&nterscience, %>>N, N7! pages. Wireless Sensor +etwor* & Systems 0erspective , Nirupama 8ulusu, San,ay Cha, Artech $ouse, 0ublished Culy %>>N, &S8N !*NL>N7*LBS*7

0rotocols and &rchitectures 1or Wireless Sensor +etwor*s , $olger Iarl, Andreas Willig, &S8N >*MS>*>TN!!*7, N%B pages, Canuary %>>B &dhoc and Sensor +etwor*s heory and &pplications , 4arlos de /orais 4ordeiro (0hilips 6esearch North America, 1SA) U .harma 0rakash Agrawal (1niversity of 4incinnati, 1SA), /arch %>>B. +etwor*ing Wireless Sensors, 8haskar Irishnamachari (1niversity of Southern 4alifornia), (&S8N*!72 TSL>N%!L7LMSM V &S8N*!>2 >N%!L7LMST) Energy Scavenging 1or Wireless Sensor +etwor*s/ With Special !ocus on 4ibrations, Shad 6oundy, 0aul Ienneth Wright, Can /. 6abaey, %7% pages, Iluwer Academic 0ublishersG (Canuary !, %>>M), &S8N !*M>%>*SBB7*>. Distributed Sensor +etwor*s5$ S6 S6 Iyengar$ 76 76 8roo*s$ Chapman 9 2all/C7C3 :October ;;$ ;<<-=$ IS8+ >-?@-@@-A@A-B 6 2andboo* o1 Sensor +etwor*s/ Compact Wireless and Wired Sensing Systems , /ohammad &lyas, &mad /ahgoub, BS% pages 464 0ressG (Culy !B, %>>M), &S8N >*LMT7*!TBL*M . &lgorithmic &spects O1 Wireless Sensor +etwor*s (3ecture Notes in 4omputer Science)R, Sotiris Nikoletseas, Cose 6olim, Springer*WerlagG (September 7>, %>>M), &S8N 7*NM>*%%MSB*T . Cobile$ Wireless$ and Sensor +etwor*s / echnology$ &pplications$ and !uture Directions 6a,eev Shorey, A. Ananda, /un 4hoon 4han, Wei #sang 5oi, &S8N >*MS!*SNNNL*7, M%% pages, /arch %>>B .

-ournals

International Dournal o1 Distributed Sensor +etwor*s,?.

$.ternal links

5verview of wireless sensor networks (&--- 4omputer Society) 3ecture on Sensor Networks incl. slides, e)ercises and sample solutions (1niversity of /annheim) Wireless Sensor Networks #raining Seminar (4rossbow #echnology) Wireless 4ommunications and Sensor Networks ($arvard) Sensor Network Systems (Stanford) Wireless Sensor Networks (course reading package available online) Wireless Sensor Networks with slides and e)ercises * partially in Ferman (&nstitute for 0ervasive 4omputing, -#$ ?urich)