ECE4884 / 4007 Project Summary

Project Title Thermal Detecting Wireless Sensor Network

Team Members Joseph Roberson (EE)

(names and majors) Jessica Curry (EE)
Gautam Ankala (EE)

Advisor / Section Milor / L02

Semester 2008 Fall

Project Abstract Wireless sensor networks are designed for minimal power consumption, low cost,
(250-300 words) and small volume. The sensors are small devices equipped with components for
sensing, calculating, and wireless transfer. Sensor technology can be used as a
means to detect potential environmental issues such as fires and failures in bridges
and buildings so the proper individuals can be alerted of the potential problem. The
Heat Sensor team will design a wireless sensor network that can be used to detect
hazardous thermal activity in buildings and specifically, environmental areas such
as wildlife and forests. The sensors will be programmed with an algorithm that
enables the design to implement an energy proficient network. This will allow the
network to efficiently broadcast collected information from individual sensors and
route the data to a personal computer for analysis. Crossbow’s MICAz wireless
sensors will be used to take data readings and transfer the data to a computer by use
of its wireless capabilities. A prototype network will be designed to show that
wireless sensors can detect hazardous temperatures, based on the varying
applications, and wirelessly transfer the data to the user of the product.
The prototype network will consist of four MICAz sensors for temperature
measurements and a personal computer to display the readings. This heat sensor
system can be provided for a total cost of $14097.00. Since each sensor has an
outdoor range of 75 to 100 meters, each unit will be able to monitor an area up to
10,000 square meters. The heat sensing network will provide reliable detection of
fires and real-time communication at a low cost to the consumer.
Project Title Thermal Detecting Wireless Sensor Network

List codes and Crossbow MICAz is compliant with the IEEE 802.15.4 and ZigBee standards. The
standards that IEEE 802.15.4 standard is for low data rate networks within a relatively small area.
Since the design is a prototype, the network does not require extensive wireless
significantly affect your coverage, which would require other forms of wireless communication. ZigBee is
project. Briefly describe also a standard designed for low data rate and low power consumption wireless
how they influenced networks. However, ZigBee set standards for the network and application layer
your design. while IEEE 802.15.4 deals primarily with the physical layer. The MICAz operates
with an open source operating system called TinyOS, which uses nesC as the
programming language. The nesC language is designed especially for wireless
embedded sensor networks and features component based architecture to minimize
code size.

List at least two One constraint associated with the MICAz is that it runs on TinyOS, which is an
significant realistic open source operating system that requires engineers to learn the nesC
programming language to be able to control the MICAz. Understanding the
design constraints that language without the use of publicized resources makes the design process
applied to your project. significantly more difficult. This required the group to simply the design since no
Briefly describe how team member had a prior working knowledge of the language. The second
they affected your constraint is the sensitivity of the MTS400CB weather sensor boards that will be
design. used in the network. The light sensors do not require a sufficient amount of energy
for detection and might generate false detections. This would limit the functionality
of the wireless network in properly detecting thermal activity.

Briefly explain two The team considered using an alternative wireless sensor. Unlike the MICAz, the
significant trade-offs Heliomote, which is developed by the research group at University of California,
Los Angeles, has built-in sensors as well as the capability to acquire energy from
considered in your the environment. Such a capability is called energy harvesting and is highly
design, including effective when incorporated in a wireless network to increase energy efficiency.
options considered and However, the Heliomotes have built-in functionalities that are difficult or even
the solution chosen. impossible to modify making this choice unacceptable. Another trade-off the team
considered in the design is GPS adaptation of the wireless sensor. This would
enable the sensors to be located by position. Being a prototype design and the
limitation on time, the team decided to eliminate this component of the wireless
network and focus on proper detection and energy efficient algorithms.

Briefly describe the N/A

computing aspects of
your projects,
specifically identifying
hardware-software
tradeoffs, interfaces,
and/or interactions.

Complete if applicable;
required if team
includes CmpE majors.