Wireless Integrated Network Sensors (WINS): Principles and Practice

Wireless Integrated Network Sensors (WINS) provide distributed network and Internet access to sensors, controls, and processors that are deeply embedded in equipment, facilities, and the environment. The WINS network is a new monitoring and control capability for applications in transportation, manufacturing, health care, environmental monitoring, and safety and security. WINS combine microsensor technology, low power signal processing, low power computation, and low power, low cost wireless networking capability in a compact system. Recent advances in integrated circuit technology have enabled construction of far more capable sensors, radios, and processors at low cost, allowing mass production of sophisticated systems that link the physical world to networks [1-4]. Scales will range from local to global, with applications including medicine, security, factory automation, environmental monitoring, and condition-based maintenance. Compact geometry and low cost allows WINS to be embedded and distributed at a small fraction of the cost of conventional wireline sensor and actuator systems.