Course Objectives and Description

Recent advances in hardware technologies are allowing us to create vast numbers of capable and inexpensive devices. One can then build exceptionally small devices that sense fields and forces in the physical world. The sensors themselves can range from small passive microsensors (e.g, "smart dust") to larger scale, controllable weather-sensing platforms. Wireless networking technologies can then be used to communicate with these devices. These inexpensive, low-power devices can be densely deployed so that they can process and communicate information while coordinating actions with other nodes. Each individual device is resource constrained; the strength of sensor systems come from their collective numbers and the coordination protocols. Sensor networks have been successfully deployed in environment monitoring (coastal areas, forests, volvanoes, underwater habitats), in weather forecasting, forest fire prediction, oilfield monitoring and managment, battle field scenarios, manufacturing, health care, etc.

A primary goal of this class is to introduce important challenges faced by networked sensor systems. The course will introduce some of the important application scenarios and the fundamental research topics exposed by each scenario. We will survey the current sensor nets literature, focusing on the systems challenges. The course will include a significant course project.

Course Organization

Course textbook will be augmented by topical research papers.

Course text

Required

• Wireless Sensor Networks: An Informing Processing Approach. Feng Zhao and Leonidas Guibas
• Research papers

Prerequisites

Background in networking/operating systems/programming skills is necessary.