Wireless Sensor Networks in Structural Health Monitoring: a Modular Approach

In this paper, we present the Modular Monitoring System (MMS), a low-power wireless architecture dedicated to Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) applications. Our solution features an easily customizable modular architecture, fulfilling the needs of many SHM applications. The MMS supports mesh network topology and offers excellent coverage and reliability, taking advantage of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) technology. In this preliminary work we show how the flexibility of our approach offers great advantages with respect to the current state-of-the-art systems dedicated to SHM

DISSense: An Adaptive Ultralow-power Communication Protocol for Wireless Sensor Networks

Abstract—This paper presents DISSense, an adaptive, ultralow-power communication protocol for wireless sensor networks. DISSense is specifically designed for long-term environmental monitoring applications and it provides for both data collection and data dissemination services. By automatically adapting the length of its active phases, DISSense can guarantee for both a very low duty cycle and reliable data delivery. We tested the performance of DISSense on both a testbed and on the TOSSIM simulation environment. Our experimental results show that a sensor network running DISSense can provide for average data delivery ratios above 98 % and at the same time achieve a lifetime of several years. Our TinyOS 2.1 implementation of DISSense is publicly available. I

On the accuracy of OMNeT++ in the Wireless Sensor Networks domain: Simulation vs. testbed

In this paper we present a first effort in assessing the reliability of OMNeT++ and the MAC Simulator framework in simulating Wireless Sensor Networks. A collection of metrics on the flooding algorithm running on a simple testbed made of few Tmote Sky is used as reference to evaluate the quality of the simulation results. Our experiments show that simulation results tend to over-estimate the metrics collected in the testbed. A correcting factor derived from experimental evidences must be considered in order to improve the simulation results. At the best of our knowledge, this is the first result about the accuracy of OMNet++ in the wireless sensor network domain. Copyright 2007 ACM

A Modular Design for Wireless Structural Health Monitoring Applications

This article presents the research and development activity on the Modular Monitoring System (MMS), a low-power wireless modular architecture for Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) introduced in 1. The MMS is a device capable to easily interface the vast majority of sensors employed in SHM thanks to a novel modular architecture. In addition, the low-power design allows the MMS to support long-lasting monitoring activities and to support the deployment of modern Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) techniques

MagoNode: Advantages of RF Front-ends in Wireless Sensor Networks

This chapter introduces the MagoNode: A new low-power wireless device for Wireless Sensor Networks operating in the ISM 2.4Ghz band. This platform is based on a highly efficient RF front-end that greatly improves RF performance, in terms of radio range and sensibility, still limiting energy consumption. Indeed, the device outperforms other existing amplified platforms available on the market and is comparable to most commonly known unamplified motes. Moreover, the MagoNode is tailored to operate in various countries with different wireless regulations. Our platform is also TinyOS-compatible and supports the Contiki operating system. © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2014

Self-adaptive recommendation systems: Models and experimental analysis

We design and study recommendation algorithms for a fully decentralized scenario in which each item/node of a network recommends other items/nodes only on the basis of simple statistics on the behaviour of users that visited the node in the past. We perform a theoretical and experimental study assessing that very simple heuristics can provide recommendations of good quality even in such a restrictive scenario. © 2008 IEEE

REACTIVE: A peaceful coexistence between deluge and Low Power Listening

In this paper we analyze the interaction between two communication protocols implemented in TinyOS 2.x: Deluge T2, an over-the-air programming protocol, and the Low Power Listening (LPL) implementation provided with the standard Medium Access Control layer, BoX-MAC. We show how the characteristics of the two layers deeply diverge, leading to a sensible performance degradation. We present REACTIVE, a simple algorithm that, integrated in Deluge, is able to dynamically disable and re-enable LPL in order to boost Deluge performance, leveraging on the critical aspects of the layers integration. REACTIVE is able to increase the performance of Deluge, compared to its standard implementation, by a factor of 2.6 in terms of energy efficiency and 7 in terms of dissemination time. © 2014 IFIP