The Mannasim Framework is a module for WSN simulation based on theNetwork Simulator (NS-2). Mannasim extends NS-2 introducing new modules for design, development and analysis of different WSN applications.

Mannasim is a Wireless Sensor Networks simulation environment comprised of two solutions:

the Mannasim Framework;
the Script Generator Tool.

The Script Generator Tool (SGT) is a front-end for TCL simulation scripts easy creation. SGT comes blunded with Mannasim Framework and it’s written in pure Java making it plataform independent.

More info at the project’s webpage.

The PhD-NOW workshop, following the success of PhD sessions at the senZations’06 and senZations’07 summer schools aims to provide a friendly and supportive atmosphere where PhD students can present their ongoing research for an open discussion, get constructive feedback and learn what problems are being tackled by the fellow students. More importantly, it also provides a venue for all participants to “network” with their peers and established networks researchers, obtain valuable guidance tips and participate in a forum designed specifically to benefit graduate students. We particularly encourage PhD students from the EU convergence regions and Western Balkan countries to take part in the workshop.

The PhD workshop will be a one-day, seminar-style event, consisting of short presentations followed by roundtable discussions. Time will be allotted to each student for the presentation, and for the following in-depth consideration and discussion.

More info here.

The next TinyOS Tech Exchange will be held on Feb. 22 at UC Berkeley in Sibley Auditorium.

It will continue the tradition of providing a forum for researchers, developers, educators, companies, and users to learn from one another about important recent developments within the TinyOS embedded network systems area and to participate in shaping paths of future development.

This year there will be in-depth presentations from the working groups, in addition to the community demonstrations and topical panels.

More details to follow soon.

The 2008 IFIP Conference on Wireless Sensors and Actor Networks (WSAN 08) will be held from Monday, July 14th, to Tuesday, July 15th, 2008, at the School of Information Technology and Engineering of University Ottawa, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Ottawa is Canada’s national capital, and features a wealth of festivals and cultural activities. It is directly accessible by air from major cities around the world. The conference location is in the city centre, conveniently located near shopping, museums, and public transportation.

Important Dates
Submission Deadline: February 1, 2008
Notification of Acceptance: March 15, 2008
Final Version Due: April 1, 2008

More info here.

Adaptive Wireless Solutions have supplied a wireless sensor network as part of a multi-area pharmacy clean room, stores and packing area compliance monitoring solution for a major London NHS hospital.

The wireless system was installed in three phases as part of a validated monitoring system by Facility Monitoring Systems for the pharmacy operations of the major London NHS teaching hospital. The wireless system monitors ambient temperature and humidity and refrigerator temperatures in manufacturing clean room, packing and storage areas. The wireless system is deployed in three physically dispersed areas and each remote wireless system is connected to the class-leading FMS monitoring software using the existing hospital wired Ethernet network.

More info here.

The 2nd IEEE Workshop on Mission-Critical Networking MCN08, collocated with IEEE INFOCOM’2008, will be held this year in Phoenix, AZ.
Mission-Critical Networking refers to networking for application domains where life or livelihood may be at risk. Typical application domains for MCN include critical infrastructure protection, emergency and crisis intervention, and military operations. Such networking is essential for safety, security and economic vitality in our complex world characterized by uncertainty, heterogeneity and emergent behaviors.

MCN should comprise the best possible networking technology, infrastructure and services that may alleviate the risk and help save the lives of both the general public and the network users.

As advances in pervasive computing, wireless communication, ad hoc and mesh networking and networked sensor systems continue, more opportunities are being opened to mission-critical networks to benefit from these technologies. This workshop solicits high quality technical contributions to the area of mission-critical networking. The manuscript must explicitly address relevance to MCN.

Submission Deadline: February 15, 2008
Workshop Date: Friday, April 18, 2008

More info here

The Times has seen a patent application filed by the company for a computer system that links workers to their computers via wireless sensors that measure their metabolism. The system would allow managers to monitor employees’ performance by measuring their heart rate, body temperature, movement, facial expression and blood pressure. Unions said they fear that employees could be dismissed on the basis of a computer’s assessment of their physiological state.

Technology allowing constant monitoring of workers was previously limited to pilots, firefighters and Nasa astronauts. This is believed to be the first time a company has proposed developing such software for mainstream workplaces.

More info here.

Eric Singer, creator of musical robots and maestro of LEMUR, the League of Electronic Musical Urban Robots, has unveiled a new wireless sensor-to-MIDI interface. It’s quite a bit pricier than the non-wireless MIDI models at US$495, but the payoff is a complete kit for wireless performance that promises to be resistant to both latency and interference. The receiver can be connected via either USB or MIDI, and the sensor unit has 20 inputs which you can mix and match as up to 10 analog ins and 20 digital ins. Put the sensor/transmitter unit wherever you like, then transmit data wirelessly to the receiver — so the sensors could be strapped to a dancer while a computer or synth receives the data elsewhere.

More info here.

Dust Networks introduced a simpler, less expensive wireless sensor network with a new chip. The system-on-a-chip incorporates all the key elements of a sensor set: Dust’s network protocol, low-power technology, and code.

For more information click here.

Sensinode provides WSN products with seamless enterprise and internet integration. Sensinode products include innovative low-power, ad hoc wireless technology based on IEEE 802.15.4 and Internet Protocol standards.

As an example, they have recently announced the following news: Texas Instruments has adopted Sensinode as their first 6LoWPAN third party. This strengthens TI’s and Sensinode’s position in the field of 6LoWPAN technology.

The NanoStack project has been launched at http://SourceForge.net. The intent of this project is to encourage developers all over the world to share the ideas and interact with each other and make open-source 6LoWPAN a success.

More info about Sensinode can be found here, and NanoStack is available here.