ENERGY MODELING IN CARBON NANOTUBE BASED

WIRELESS SENSOR NETWORK

TECHNICAL SEMINAR REPORT

Submitted by

SADHAN KUMAR R 081CS177

VIVEK CHANDER C 081CS209
VIVEKANANDAN M 081CS210

in partial fulfilment for the award of the degree

of

BACHELOR OF ENGINEERING

in
COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

BANNARI AMMAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

(An Autonomous Institution Affiliated to Anna University of Technology, Coimbatore)

Sathyamangalam - 638 401

 BANNARI AMMAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
(An Autonomous Institution affiliated to Anna University of Technology, Coimbatore)
SATHYAMANGALAM – 638 401

BONAFIDE CERTIFICATE

It is certified that the project titled,” Energy Modelling In Carbon Nano Tube based
Wireless Sensor Networks” is a bonafide record of work done by,

SADHAN KUMAR R 081CS177

VIVEK CHANDER C 081CS209
VIVEKANANDAN M 081CS210

Who carried out the project work under my supervision.

SIGNATURE SIGNATURE
N M SARAVANA KUMAR P THANGARAJ
SUPERVISOR HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT ,
Senior Lecturer , Computer Science And Engineering,
Computer Science And Engineering, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology,
Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam.
Sathyamangalam.

Certified that the candidate was examined in the viva-voce examination held on ....……………

Internal Examiner External Examiner

 SYNOPSIS

We have analyzed the effect of innovations in Nanotechnology on Wireless

Sensor Networks (WSN) and have modeled Carbon Nanotube (CNT) based system. We
have shown the integration of CNT in WSN and formulated a Nano routing system. A
proposition is put forward by us on the changes needed in the existing sensor node
structure to improve its efficiency and to facilitate and enhance the assimilation of
CNT based devices in a WSN. We have shown the functioning of CNT based Nano
devices in WSN technology. The functioning of CNT based Nano devices like sensors,
microprocessors, batteries etc. in WSN technology is exemplified in the paper. SUGAR
library in MATLAB is used to model MEMS structure and to compute parameters of
MEMS devices in a WSN. Using Simulink toolbox in MATLAB, a WSN model is also
programmed. A proposition is made to improve reliability of WSN to facilitate and
enhance the assimilation of CNT based devices into it. The paper ends with the
concluding remarks on the challenges existing in the technology, the important factors
that need to be kept under consideration for the calculation of the reliability of CNT
based WSN devices and their key effects on the WSN modeling. Finally we have
commented on the challenges that exist in this technology and described the important
factors that need to be kept under consideration for the calculation of the energy of CNT
based WSN.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER NO TITLE PAGE NO

1 INTRODUCTION 1
2 LITERATURE REVIEW 2
3 EXISTING SYSTEM 3
4 PROPOSED SYSTEM 7
5 SYSTEM SPECIFICATION 12
6 CONCLUSION 13
7 REFERENCES 14
 LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURE NO FIGURE NAME PAGE

NO

1 WIRELESS SENSOR NETWORKS.

3

2 MODEL OF WSN SYSTEM BASED ON MEMS.

5
3 INTERACTION OF CNT AND OTHER MOLECULES. 8
4 FUNCTIONING OF CNT DEVICES IN WSN, WHERE
THE ENERGY DEPENDENCY WITH DISTANCE
IS SHOWN
9
5 GRAPH BETWEEN POWER CONSUMED VS. VOLTAGE
APPLIED VS. CAPACITANCE OF THE SYSTEM.
10
6 ENERGY CONSUMPTION IN NANO ROUTING
OF A CNT BASED WSN.
11
7 SIMULINK MODEL
12
8 INTEGRATION OF CNT BASED DEVICES FOR A WSN.
13
 ABBREVIATIONS

CNT Carbon Nano Tube

MEMS Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems
WSN Wireless Sensor Networks
WSANs Wireless Sensor and Actor Networks
EPOS Embedded Parallel Operating System
SWNTs Single-Walled Nano Tubes
MWNTs Multi-Walled Nano Tubes
 1: INTRODUCTION

The combination of recent technological advances in electronics, nanotechnology,

wireless communications, computing, and networking has hastened the development of
Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) technology. Wireless Sensor and Actor Networks
(WSANs) constitute an emerging and pervasive technology that is attracting increased
interest for a wide range of applications. WSN see application in various areas like
space
research, biomedical engineering, military applications such as battlefield surveillance
and the quest for making low power, reliable and cheap sensor nodes has been a prime
focus in recent years. We know that Nanotechnology has enabled realization of low
power devices such as MEMS devices and CNT based FETs.

CNT based sensors have shown many benefits over their past counterparts and are
suitable candidates in this Nanotechnology driven age . Nanotechnology uses the
smallest unit of matter to engineer new materials and devices atom by atom, aiming at
achieving superior properties and performance through atomic scale architecture. An
improvement in techniques of Nano-characterization and Nano-fabrication has helped
us to pave the way to develop many novel materials that can be applied to various
spheres of technology. For example the impact of Nanotechnology on Wireless
Communications has been shown by Er. Ping Li. An Architecture of Quantum-Based
Nano-sensor Node for Future Wireless Sensor Networks has been proposed . WSN in
space application has been shown in which uses adaptive MEMS antennas.Wireless
Sensor Networks with biomedical Applications has been shown by Zachary Walker
describing the importance of Middleware.
 Miniature Acoustic Communication Subsystem Architecture for Underwater
Wireless Sensor Networks has been proposed by Saunvit Pandya .WSN architecture for
the Wireless Health Mobile Bio-diagnostic System for physiological studies has been
proposed.Also recent developments in RFID based on MEMS and CNT and their new
modeling techniques are making it easier to move toward CNT and MEMS based
technology . Thus, we have expanded and proposed designing and modeling of MEMS
based array of sensors in our paper that can lead to its practical applications in these
areas.

2: LITERATURE REVIEW

The combination of recent technological advances in electronics,

nanotechnology, wireless communications, computing, and networking has hastened the
development of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) technology. Wireless Sensor and
Actor Networks (WSANs) constitute an emerging and pervasive technology that is
attracting increased interest for a wide range of applications. Application of WSN is
visible in various areas like space research, biomedical engineering & military
applications such as battlefield surveillance. The quest for making low power, reliable
and cheap sensor nodes has been a prime focus in recent years. Nanotechnology has
enabled realization of low power devices such as MEMS devices and CNT based FETs.
CNT based sensors have shown many benefits over their past counterparts and are
suitable candidates in this Nanotechnology driven age. Nanotechnology uses the
smallest unit of matter to engineer new materials and devices, atom by atom, aiming at
achieving superior properties and performance through atomic scale architecture. An
improvement in techniques of Nano-characterization and Nano-fabrication has paved
the way to develop many novel materials that can be applied to various areas of
technology. The impact of Nanotechnology on Wireless Communications has been
shown by Er. Ping Li. An Architecture of Quantum-Based Nano-sensor Node for Future
Wireless Sensor Networks has been proposed. Use of WSN in space application
utilizing adaptive MEMS antennas has been illustrated. Wireless Sensor Networks with
Biomedical Applications has been shown by Zachary Walker describing the importance
of Middleware. Thus aforementioned research work indicates that for describing any
application of WSN using java platform, service directory, data model, event type and
subscription system needs to be specified. But this kind of implementation necessitates
smaller and energy efficient installation which is the area targeted by the proposed
work. Thus these proposals make a foundation and bring out a need for an efficient
WSN. Miniature Acoustic Communication Subsystem Architecture for Underwater
Wireless Sensor Networks has been described. WSN architecture for the Wireless
Health Mobile Bio-diagnostic System for physiological studies has been illustrated.
This paper exemplifies the designing and modelling of MEMS based array of sensors
that can lead to its practical applications in aforesaid areas. This is an expansion to our
previous work in which a gentle introduction was given regarding Nano WSNs

2
3: EXISTING SYSTEM

What is WSN?

Fig.1: Wireless sensor Networks.

 The wireless sensor network was primarily developed as a military application to
survey a battlefield. However, now a WSN is commonly used in many other industrial
and commercial applications to monitor environmental conditions, health care
applications and traffic controls. There are many different kinds of wireless sensor
networks however; they all normally come equipped with a radio transceiver or a
wireless communication device or a power source.

There are many applications to this technology and typically involve monitoring,
tracking or controlling. Area monitoring comes as one very commonly used to be able
to track any kind of movement whether it is heat, pressure, sound, light or vibrations in
an specific area.

This technology is now being utilized by almost every industry and this includes
the environmentally related industry as this is a technology which allows the reading of
many different kinds of changes in the atmosphere and how they can guide those in the
industry to determine simple factors like water levels or more complex aspects of the
environment like the possibility of an earthquake in an specific area.

Vehicle tracking and movement can also be tracked through this technology and
therefore, it is also being used by the security industry. Medical science also depends on
the wireless sensor network to be able to track the changes on some of the health
monitors which will immediately notify the medical staff of a change in the monitoring
device.

Zigbee is a technology developed as a global standard to comply with the needs

of low cost and low power wireless networks. It has been designed with the facility to
be able to provide an easy to use wireless solution which creates a secure and reliable
network. Some of the features of Zigbee include the ability to support multiple network
functions like the point to point or multipoint to point and also the mesh networks as
well. Since it functions on a low duty cycle it is also considered to be very good on
battery life. And it has the direct sequence spread spectrum as well. It also has the
ability to run for years without any kind of maintenance and with an automatic meter
reading.

TinyOS has been designed for wireless sensor networks. It works in component
based software that supports high degree of data in a very small space and which has
been designed to minimize power consumption, while being able to use all its
sophisticated protocols. The wireless sensor network has been created taking into
consideration a variety of applications, incorporating various components and being
capable of deployment of new environments. However, it also requires greater
processing compared to the wired networks. It is a complex mechanism which needs to
be properly processed. Another specific Operating system for the WSN is the EPOS or
Embedded Parallel Operating System which is based on runtime support for the
environment. This framework allows programmers to develop their own applications
and tools through their system in accordance with the requirements of these particular
applications.

The right Operating system for the Wireless sensor network will allow
applications to express when certain software components are not being used, allowing
the system to work on the levels that it needs to and thus implement less power as well.

MEMS SENSORS FOR WSN:

Trends toward smaller size, higher performance, and greater functionality for
electronic devices are made possible by the success of solid-state microelectronics
technology. Recent developments in MEMS and wirelesstechnology together enable
remote sensing of the environment using a large number of miniaturized wireless
sensor nodes . A sensor node AccuMicroMotion based on MEMS is proposed that has
the ability to detect motion in six degrees of freedom for the application of
physiological activity monitoring . The proposed CMOS circuit architecture provides a
dynamic range of 60 dB. It was designed to interface circuit which can resolve a dc to 1
kHz and as low as 200 nV signal from the transducers.

MEMS based sensors used in WSN for environmental monitoring, traffic

monitoring and water quality monitoring can be used for prevention of undesirable
events has been shown. Batteryless-Wireless MEMS Sensor System with 3D Loop
Antenna RFID based device has been proposed by Sasaki which can be used for passive
RFID based sensors. It illustrates the capability to send and receive using six surfaces.
Their MPU consumed 14.4 mW, about 96% of total, acceleration sensing by the MEMS
sensor took 6 mW at maximum. Aforementioned research signifies the importance of
MEMS devices in Sensors and benefits of them over their traditional counterparts.
Reliability and failure mechanism in MEMS, its implications for WSN and the changes
to be made in the modeling of the nodal software and operating system have been the
major challenges in MEMS based WSNs.

SUGAR MODELING OF MEMS SENSORS:

During the last two decades, the field of micro electro-mechanical systems
(MEMS) has advanced from producing simple-function devices to building systems of
greater complexity. With the ultimate goal of quickly and accurately simulating
complex systems, the efficient methods to configure, model, and simulate MEMS are
presented that composed of a large number of lumped components. These methods are
packaged in a CAE for MEMS tool called SUGAR. SUGAR has been primarily used in
modeling MEMS based sensor networks. MEMS based sensors networks utilization for
space application has been shown. MEMS capacitive sensor for chemical detection
presents a system with sensor element as a parallel plate capacitor using a chemically
sensitive polymer as the dielectric. Modeling of such structures can be developed using
CAD tools.
 Fig. 2 Model of WSN system based on MEMS.

5
CODE I
ARRAY OF SENSORS

use("mumps.net")
use("stdlib.net")
gap=300u
gridDim=gap/3
fringeDim=40u
beamw = gridDim-fringeDim
beaml=200u
--Array junction
junction = { node{} }
for n=0,3 do --z
for m=0,3 do --y
--Nodes
junction[n] = node{0, m*gap, n*gap}
junction[n+1] = node{}
junction[n+2] = node{}
junction[n+3] = node{}
junction[n+4] = node{0, (m*gap), (n*gap)-(gap-beamw)/2}
--Beams
beam3d { junction[n], junction[n+1] ; material=p1, l=gap-beamw, w=gap-beamw,
h=beamw, oy=90}
anchor { junction[n] ; material=p1, l=gap-beamw, w=gap-beamw, h=beamw, oy=90}
beam3d { junction[n+4], junction[n+2] ; material=p1, l=beaml, w=beamw, h=beamw,
ox=90}
beam3d { junction[n+2], junction[n+3] ; material=p1, l=beaml/1.5, w=beamw/2,
h=beamw*4, ox=90}
end
end

Computation of various parameters required in reliability calculations from

SUGAR simulation program is shown in CODE I using beamw, beaml and junction
functions. The sensing parameter which a function of linear displacement is F1(x1)
.Attaching materials at the free end of the cantilever and studying the change in
parameters may facilitate in realizing the application of MEMS based sensors. Here in
the simplest case 1 x is the linear displacement.

CARBON NANOTUBES:

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are allotropes of carbon with a cylindrical

nanostructure. Nanotubes have been constructed with length-to-diameter ratio of up to
132,000,000:1, significantly larger than any other material.

These cylindrical carbon molecules have novel properties, making them

potentially useful in many application in nanotechnology, electronics, optics, and other
fields of materials science, as well as potential uses in architectural fields. They may
also have applications in the construction of body armor. They exhibit extraordinary
strength and unique electrical properties, and are efficient thermal conductors.

Nanotubes are members of the fullerene structural family, which also includes
the spherical buckyballs. The ends of a nanotube may be capped with a hemisphere of
the buckyball structure. Their name is derived from their size, since the diameter of a
nanotube is on the order of a few nanometers (approximately 1/50,000th of the width of
a human hair), while they can be up to 18 centimeters in length (as of 2010). Nanotubes
are categorized as single-walled nanotubes (SWNTs) and multi-walled nanotubes
(MWNTs).

Applied quantum chemistry, specifically, orbital hybridization best describes

chemical bonding in nanotubes. The chemical bonding of nanotubes is composed
entirely of sp2 bonds, similar to those of graphite. These bonds, which are stronger than
the sp3 bonds found in alkanes, provide nanotubules with their unique strength.
Moreover, nanotubes naturally align themselves into "ropes" held together by van der
Waals forces
4: PROPOSED SYSTEM
.
CNT SENSORS AND NANO PROCESSORS:

Research on carbon nanotubes is ever intensifying in diverse fields of science

and engineering in spite of the more than a decade that have passed since and many
applications being proposed over the years. Realization of CNT based sensors devices
can make them a suitable candidate for WSN sensor nodes. Functionalization of CNT
can lead to novel device application giving advantages of their unique properties. Hence
we can model a sensor dependent on the above parameters as follows:

1. Define m, n and calculate the radius required for the particular sensor as electronic
structure (energy band
gap structure) depends on the integers, m and n.
2. Take note of impact of working temperature and environmental factors on the
reactivity of CNT like
hydrogenation, oxygenation, NO2, NH3, CO, O3.
3. Effect of elasticity, mechanical motions and effect of other adsorbent on CNT
surface.
4. Predicting the reliability of the sensor.

7
 Fig. 3: Interaction of CNT and other molecules.

We know that variations in current conductance properties of CNT make it a

useful for detecting gas and chemicals .The special semiconducting properties of CNTs
have been exposited that makes them a suitable candidate for the future development of
Nano-processors and Nano-scale circuitry . Atashbar et. al. has asserted that SWNT
based efficient gas sensor using SWNT functionalized with Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate
improved the solubility of SWNT in DI water significantly. He proposes that this
functionalization reduces the short range attraction forces by introducing repulsive
forces of equal strength and this result in the alteration of structural, electronic, and
mechanical properties of the nanotubes.

We are aware that there is a change in conductance of CNT on absorption of

CO, NH3, CO, O3, NO2 and O2 and other gases . Jing Li has proposed a unique and
commercializable way to develop Nano-scale chemical sensors with polymer-coated
CNTs for selective chemical sensing in gas phase. But we need more exploration in
coating and doping techniques for broad application coverage. In Fig. 2 we have shown
the integration of CNT sensor in a WSN. The main challenge for any engineering
application of CNT is its reliability and interconnects. Functions of CNT based devices
have been shown in Fig. 4.

DEVELOPED MODEL FOR NANO ROUTING IN A CNT BASED WSN:

This is an extention to our model for CNT based WSN where we described the
general issues regarding the CNT based WSN system .Now we need to find the a path
in which the the distance, the load at node (which is defined in terms of n which is also
the number of connection is made) and the energy conservationas to makes least energy
dissipation for routine in a CNT based sensor network. Now this energy loss will be
calculated by each node and then it will decide the path of propogation.
Nanotechnology has enabled modeling of Nano antennas and MEMS technology enable
transducers thus we can see that energy consumption can be greatly minimized.

Propogation of waves is a independent area for a WSN and routine methodology

formation can be worked as shown below:
Here we have calcualted the energy loss as a function of distance, load on the device,
and the Voltage at which the CNT device is working. We know that Energy at a
distance r is Er= k/r2 (this is the relation of the energy received at a distance r and k is
assumed contant) by classical propogation theories.

Fig. 4: Functioning of CNT Devices in WSN, where the energy dependency with
distance is shown

9
 Fig. 5: Graph between Power Consumed vs. Voltage applied vs. Capacitance of the
system.

Now the energy loss is a function

EL=f(lt,nl, Nf) .....................................................(1)
EL = k/l2 t + nl + (K1e-k 1 V + K21/2 CV2) ....(2)
lt=length at which the transmission is to be made
Nf = Nanofactor for a CNT which is dependent on the energy conservation
formulae derieved in the earlier part, which is assumed as the energy conserved in the
CNT as a function of Voltage which may be induced by MEMS transducers in this case
nl = load due to n devices at a node, which can also be said as the load
complexity and also weighted value can be taken.
The Energy consumed by a CNT based WSN device can be seen in fig. 5. And
the energy consumped with distance can be seen in fig. 4. Also the relation can be
studied graphically as EL vs. lt vs. V as shown below .

10
 Fig.6: Energy consumption in Nano routing of a CNT based WSN.

Now we need to find the a path in which the the distance, the load at node (which
is defined in terms of n which is also the number of connection is made) and the energy
conservationas to makes least energy dissipation for routine in a CNT based sensor
network. As we can see that this energy loss will be calculated by each node and then it
will decide the path of propogation. Thus the analysis leads to Energy optimized Adhoc
analysis .

Algorithms for the functioning of the sensor node:

PROPOSED ALGORITHM I

Start
Step 1: Input from CNT Sensors.
Step 2: ADC converters.
Step 3: Data sent to CNT based Nano-processors.
Step 4: Computation of data to study the reliability of the signal and the various aspects
of occurrence of discrepancy in the readings of the functional CNT sensors.
End

Proposed modifications in current Operating System for CNT based WSN:-

1. Minimizing the inconsistency in the readings of CNT sensor nodes due to functional
CNTs.
2. Inclusion of correction for the CNT based Nano battery source.
Modeling of CNT based devices in a WSN environment such as CNT Sensors, CNT
electronics, CNT based power sources is done in this way. Since CNT is the main
ingredient of devices, its reliability is of paramount importance. It has already been
validated that the reliability of CNT based sensor node depends upon functionalization
of the CNT molecule, application, interconnects and packaging.

Fig. 7: Simulink Model

11
5: SYSTEM SPECIFICATION

The following are the required system specification

Nano Battery
Transceiver
Array of CNT Sensor
CNT based FET
ADC
CNT/MEMS based Memory
MEMS Sensor

Fig. 8: Integration of CNT based devices for a WSN.

12
6: CONCLUSION

The application and implementation of Nanotechnology and MEMS enabled

devices used in a WSN environment is shown and the solutions that needs to be
confronted is described. The integration of CNT based devices in WSN is described.
The challenges that exist on modeling of CNT and MEMS based devices for a WSN
sensor node are corroborated. The functioning of CNT devices and the possible
reliability issues effecting WSNs are also demonstrated. The proposition is also made
for the changes that are needed in the analysis of the current setup of a sensor node
system to enable and improve the integration of CNT based devices in WSN. Change in
the properties of the MEMS and CNT devices to be incorporated in their analysis have
been proposed in a case specific scenario for WSN. A Simulink model in MATLAB is
constructed and some modeling aspects for a Nano WSN have also been proposed.
Thus, this work provides a basis for modeling of CNT based nodes using CAD tools
like MATLAB Simulink. Integration of Sugar MEMS as an added functionality with
MATLAB along with reliability analysis also remains an area to
work in this regard.

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