Wireless Sensor and Actuator Networks Algorithms and Protocols for Scalable Coordination and Data Communication

This introductory chapter describes various applications, scenarios, and models of wireless sensor and actuator networks. Problems at the physical, medium access, network, and transport layers as well as various tools needed to enable their functioning are identified. Various assumptions and metrics used in simulations and protocol descriptions are discussed. The chapter then describes ways of generating sensor and actuator networks based on widely accepted unit disk graph models. Finally, this chapter discusses solution approaches arising in sensor networks and advocates the use of localized protocols, where individual sensors and actuators make their decisions based on local knowledge. 1.1 WIRELESS SENSORS We will elaborate first on wireless sensors; then on wireless sensor networks (WSNs) (with a single sink), their properties, models, and application types. Afterwards, we will add actuators to the model and discuss various combinations of sensors and actuators that can form a heterogeneous network with different levels of complexity. Wireless Sensor and Actuator Networks: Algorithms and Protocols for Scalable Coordination and Data Communication. By Amiya Nayak and Ivan Stojmenovic. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.