Overview - Why wireless sensor networks?

Summary: Introduction to wireless sensor networks (WSNs).  How design and performance analysis of WNS’s integrate multiple subdisciplines of ECE, including analog and digital circuit design, signal processing, wireless communication and RF design, networking, and embedded computing systems hardware and software.  Current design challenges and applications of WSNs.
Widespread deployment and IT integration of WSNs, and implications for society.
Examples: Motes, WiSARDNet

Objectives:

• Be able to write a one-paragraph definition of a WSN
• Understand how WSNs differ from infrastructured wireless (mobile telephony, WiFi)
• Be able to define embedded computing systems, and how they differ from other types of computing systems.
• Be able to articulate how WSN’s are an enabling technology for new applications
• Be able to describe how WSN’s may be the leading of edge of technologies that will allow a mesh-connected society of people and things, and the pros and cons of this vision

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