Wireless Sensor Networks

Smart Attire - Bringing Technology Into The Closet!

Marco Zennaro — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 08:35:09 +0000

What is smart attire? To some it may be clothes that tell you when they are mismatched, or that figure out how to conform to your body type or inform you that these clothing articles do not belong on your body unless you look like Gisele Bundchen. Smart attire like that would soon get rid of the numerous ‘What not to wear’ blogs and shows we watch, but unfortunately, that is not what we are talking about today. Smart Attire is the next generation of attire that will embed computing and sensing power in clothes, aiding in the development of novel personal monitoring services such as healthcare for the elderly in the comfort of their own home, safety of people working in dangerous situations such as firefighters, construction workers, etc., personal and medical monitoring for joggers, bicyclists, etc. and even entertainment in offering a personal tourist guide system or for social networking. Smart attire can be useful in many ways to help, benefit and entertain those that use them by personally monitoring their environment and bringing technology into their wardrobe.

Performance in the Face of Adversity

Claro Noda — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:14:46 +0000

Here’s a great talk from Kris Pister Prof. EECS, UC Berkeley, Founder & CTO, Dust Networks. It shows some results from years of experimentation on how to build reliable nets out of nasty unreliable RF channels.

Half of this talk, at CITRIS, is devoted to break down TSMP, a MAC/Network protocol that implements time, space and frequency diversity to provide five 9 reliability communications in a mesh network of sensor nodes.

While some false-starts have limited deployments to date, it seems the dust begins to settle: proven low power solutions for difficult RF environments with multi path interference, thus leading to industry-strength solutions and no site survey installations among different application spaces.

Where are they heading today? Toward a mote on a standard CMOS SoC (~4 mm^2) expected for 2009 and 10 years of battery life out of a coin cell, but then photo-voltaic also potentially embedded in the chip..

The video can be seen here or alternatively you could download (96 MB), watch and keep it, using this tool. Enjoy!

Safe and INDependent LIving (SINDI)

Marco Zennaro — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 09:00:16 +0000

The large increase in aging population has a strong negative effect on the cost and quality of healthcare.
The delivery of clinical care through assistive monitoring represents a cost-effective solution to this problem.

The NOMADIS research lab developed an Assisted Living system, called Safe and INDependent LIving (SINDI) focused on the intelligent use of technology to improve the quality of life of people who live mainly at home.

SINDI has three components:

a wireless sensor network that continuously evaluate the state of the elderly,

a set-top box that handles TV, communication with the outside world and an agenda including the intake of drugs, and

a logic-based reasoning engine that supports effective conflict resolution and it is able not only to trace general habits of a patient (walking ability, quality of sleep, movements within the house) in an unobtrusive way, but also to understand dependencies between behaviors and patient’s well-being, based on a hierarchical model of health.

The sensor network of SINDI has a large number of sensors both in fixed locations and on the patient’s body.
The network is used both for data collection and for localization. Such a network requires a clever management of routing and power consumption. Moreover, the system is able to understand the evolution of patient’s health state and prevent situations that could be potentially critical, before the emergency arises.

More info here.

Cisco, Nivis demo 6LoWPAN sensor network

Marco Zennaro — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 08:54:49 +0000

Cisco and Nivis this week demonstrated an operational wireless IP mesh network using the low-power IPv6 protocol, dubbed 6LoWPAN.

Using Nivis wireless sensors and routers, the demonstration network linked a parking meter with several streetlights, a sensor ring in a parking space, and what was described as a Cisco cell phone. The arrangement was used to communicate to the driver that a parking space was available, and in another instance that the meter had expired. The same system could be used to alert security details to turn on parking garage lights, or provide traffic meter staff with information about expired or inoperable meters.

More info here.

Sentilla to announce General Availability of its Pervasive Computing Platform

Claro Noda — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 21:20:19 +0000

Sentilla’s Pervasive Computing Platform is now said to be available under a variety options. Customers and integrators may license the software directly from Sentilla as part of their own solution, or may purchase computer modules that combine software and hardware in a compact, scalable device suitable for an OEM.

For those wishing to get started right away, Sentilla’s platform is also available as a Development Kit, which includes the Java Powered(TM) software pre-installed on eight low-power wireless computers, an Eclipse-based IDE, server software for management and integration, and a gateway device to connect the pervasive network to a PC.

More info at Sentilla’s blog

Open Position at CSIRO: Sensor and Sensor Networks Platform Leader

Marco Zennaro — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 13:58:50 +0000

Position Description: as the Capability Platform Leader you will have direct responsibility to the Deputy Director of the ICT Centre for the successful execution and management of the capability platform. You will recommend and implement the strategic direction for the Capability Platform and will oversee the integration and delivery of the portfolio of science projects. Additionally you will have a key role in designing and facilitating successful delivery and adoption of the science within the objectives of the Platform.

More info here.

WSN summer school

Ruzzelli — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 10:27:26 +0000

To whom it may be interested, attached is a call for participation on the third International Summer School on Applications of WSN and Wireless Sensing in the Future Internet.

The event will be held in Slovenia from 1 Sept 2008 to 5 Sept 2008. The application deadline is on 15 July.

WSN summer school

SOCRADES Demo

Muneeb Ali — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 13:30:10 +0000

The SOCRADES project is a European Commission co-funded project featuring major industrial players of the automation and business domains. SOCRADES focuses on perception and control systems in intelligent environments, which are enhanced with system intelligence achieved by co-operation of smart embedded devices pursuing common goals. Video demo of their system here. More information here.

Wireless sensor nets seek “killer” application

Marco Zennaro — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 13:38:50 +0000

Wireless sensor networks are not being fully utilized in commercial markets due to the lack of a ‘killer application’ to drive interest, a Plextek led report for U.K. communications industry regulator Ofcom has concluded. The 10-month study was commissioned to examine technology developments in wireless sensor networks, along with likely market growth scenarios and what the spectrum implications would be.

The report suggests WSNs may begin to become more widely deployed over the next three to five years, with systems continuing to adopt existing licence-free bands including 13.56MHz, 433MHz, 868MHz and 2.4GHz. The main issue for WSNs will be the crowding of bands, especially 2.4GHz with the increasing use of Wi-Fi.

More info here.

M-GAGE wireless sensor from Micromax

Ruzzelli — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 10:43:05 +0000

Banner Engineering has introduced M-GAGE Wireless Sensor Node for vehicle sensing using its new SureCross Wireless Network.

The specially optimised M-GAGE wireless sensor is encapsulated in a rugged, IP67 SureCross Node enclosure and accompanied by a long-lasting FlexPower battery.

The battery supplies power for both sensing and wireless connectivity up to 10 years.

The M-GAGE wireless sensor offers greater durability and reliability than inductive loops and is less costly to install and maintain. Simple in-ground installation requires no major excavation and provides quick and easy access for battery replacement when required.

For more information, click here