Wireless sensor network

How sensor networks work

Sensor network nodes can be equipped with different types of sensors, which is why they play an increasingly important role in industry. They make it possible, for example, to monitor river levels, environmental pollution in a given area or the condition of patients in a hospital.

Interesting applications of wireless sensors:

• Military use – monitoring soldiers, ammunition and equipment. All information is sent from the battlefield to commanders, so it can be analysed better.
• Monitoring of natural environments – sensors spread, for example, over a forest report an existing threat in the event of fire.
• Medical use – remote monitoring of patients’ condition or of medicines available in a hospital.

Features of a wireless sensor network

• small physical size of nodes
• optimised wireless communication, among others through efficient algorithms and routing methods, to save energy
• limited computing power and memory to further minimise energy consumption
• ability to self-organise
• resilience to node failures
• strong protection of (usually wireless) communication against transmission errors
• strong emphasis on transmission speed (especially in sensor networks designed to warn of threats)
• minimal or no human involvement in keeping the network running