Scribd
Upload
24 views3 pages

Wireless Sensor Networks

Uploaded by

vanshtaneja2004
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
24 views3 pages

Wireless Sensor Networks

Uploaded by

vanshtaneja2004
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 3

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN)

Definition and Overview of WSN

• Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) consist of distributed autonomous sensors to monitor


physical or environmental conditions, such as temperature, sound, vibration, pressure, or
pollutants, and pass data through the network to a central location for analysis and
processing.

• WSNs are foundational to IoT applications due to their ability to collect real-time data and
facilitate the communication between IoT devices.

Historical Development

• Early Development: WSNs evolved from military applications in the 1980s. They were
primarily used for battlefield surveillance and monitoring.

• Technological Evolution: In the 1990s and early 2000s, advancements in micro-


electromechanical systems (MEMS), wireless communication technologies, and low-power
electronics enabled the development of low-cost, high-performance sensor nodes, leading
to broader adoption in commercial applications.

• WSN in IoT: Today, WSNs are integrated into the IoT ecosystem. They play a critical role in
gathering sensor data from the environment, which is then transmitted over the internet for
processing and action.

Applications of WSNs

• Environmental Monitoring: Used for monitoring weather conditions, air quality, and
disaster management.

• Healthcare: Wearable sensors collect patient health data for remote monitoring.

• Smart Cities: Used in traffic control, waste management, and smart lighting systems.

• Industrial Automation: Deployed in manufacturing for machine health monitoring and


predictive maintenance.

The Node in WSN

What is a Sensor Node?

• A sensor node in a WSN is a small, autonomous device equipped with sensors,


microprocessors, wireless communication capabilities, and power sources (usually batteries).

• Each node can sense its surroundings, process information locally, and communicate
wirelessly with other nodes or a central hub.

Components of a Sensor Node

1. Sensing Unit: Contains sensors and Analog-to-Digital Converters (ADC) that collect data from
the physical environment.

2. Processing Unit: Typically a microcontroller that processes sensor data and controls node
functions.
3. Communication Unit: A transceiver or radio module that facilitates wireless data
communication.

4. Power Unit: Provides energy to the node, often from batteries or energy-harvesting systems.

Challenges in Node Design

• Energy Efficiency: As sensor nodes are often battery-powered, minimizing energy


consumption is crucial to prolonging the network’s operational life.

• Scalability: The network should accommodate a large number of nodes without


performance degradation.

• Cost-effectiveness: Nodes need to be low-cost to make WSNs economically feasible in large-


scale deployments.

Connecting Nodes

Node Communication in WSN

• Sensor nodes communicate with each other through wireless channels. Data from individual
nodes is aggregated and routed to a central node (or base station) where it can be further
processed or transmitted to external systems.

Communication Protocols

• Multi-hop Communication: Sensor nodes often use multi-hop communication, where data is
passed from node to node until it reaches the central hub. This reduces energy consumption
by avoiding long-distance transmissions.

• Protocols: Examples include ZigBee, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), and proprietary mesh
networking protocols designed to minimize power consumption while maintaining
communication reliability.

Networking Nodes

Network Topologies in WSN

• Star Topology: Each sensor node communicates directly with the base station. This is
suitable for small networks but can suffer from scalability issues.

• Mesh Topology: Nodes connect to multiple neighboring nodes, forming a mesh structure.
This topology provides redundancy and fault tolerance, as data can take multiple paths to
the base station.

• Hybrid Topology: A combination of star and mesh topologies, often used in large-scale
deployments to balance efficiency and resilience.

Routing in WSN

• Routing is a critical aspect of WSNs, determining how data travels from sensor nodes to the
base station. Key considerations include:
o Energy-efficient Routing: Routes are chosen based on energy consumption to
maximize network lifetime.

o Cluster-based Routing: Nodes are grouped into clusters, each with a cluster head
responsible for routing data to the base station. This reduces communication
overhead for individual nodes.

WSN and IoT

Role of WSN in IoT Ecosystems

• WSNs as IoT Enablers: WSNs serve as the foundational layer in IoT systems, providing the
data-gathering mechanism that fuels IoT applications. They bridge the gap between the
physical world (sensor data) and the digital world (data processing and analytics).

• Integration with IoT Frameworks: WSNs integrate with IoT platforms to enable seamless
data transmission, real-time monitoring, and control. The data collected from sensor nodes
can be uploaded to cloud platforms for analysis, creating actionable insights for decision-
making.

Challenges in WSN for IoT

• Scalability: As IoT systems grow, the number of WSN nodes can increase significantly,
requiring protocols and infrastructure capable of handling vast amounts of data.

• Interoperability: WSNs often use diverse communication protocols, which can make
integration with IoT systems complex. IoT frameworks must be designed to accommodate
these differences.

• Security: WSNs are vulnerable to attacks due to their wireless nature and resource
constraints. Ensuring security in data transmission is a major concern in IoT environments.

You might also like

pFad - Phonifier reborn

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.

Note: This service is not intended for secure transactions such as banking, social media, email, or purchasing. Use at your own risk. We assume no liability whatsoever for broken pages.


Alternative Proxies:

Alternative Proxy

pFad Proxy

pFad v3 Proxy

pFad v4 Proxy