A sensor network is a network consisting of several independent, wirelessly-connected sensors
that are capable of monitoring and measuring physical and environmental conditions (such as temperature, pollution or moisture).
Sensor location decisions
are complicated by geographical, technological, and quality considerations. As part of CSIRO-wide initiatives
in sensors and sensor networks (e.g. see Wireless Sensor Networks), our group is developing tools/software for solving the sensor location decision problem.
Wireless sensor networks can be effective when employed in applications such as:
- Environment surveillance: Observing or controlling various environmental variables of an area of interest (e.g., habitat monitoring).
- Medicine and health care: Sensors attached to patients in postoperative or intensive care. Sensors used for surveillance of elderly patients. Sensors used to monitor drug administration.
- Logistics and transportation: Tracking objects during transportation. Inventory tracking.
- Disaster management: Wildfire detection is possible if nodes are equipped with thermometers. Temperatures indicating fire can be signalled and transmitted through a WSN to centralised situation analysis and control centres.
Sensor location decisions are complicated by geographical, technological, and quality considerations.
Wireless communication technology is energy-intensive. Hence locations have to be chosen to minimize energy cost of gathering the data.
However to maximize the quality of data collected by the sensors, they must be effectively dispersed across the system so
that the quality of observation as well as the reliability of the data are maximized.
Mathematical solutions to the sensor location decision problem can provide answers the following questions:
- How many sensors to deploy?
- What types of sensors?
- Where should these sensors be deployed?
- At what rate information need to be polled and how this affects the battery life (i.e. powering) of sensors
Using optimization and statistical analysis we are developing software systems that will provide
answers to these questions, and so help build effective and efficient wireless sensor networks.
For more information please contact Olena Gavriliouk at CSIRO.
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