Wireless Sensor Networks: Challenges and Opportunities

Advancements in sensing, microelectronics and wireless communications technologies are paving the way for the development of a new breed of integrated wireless sensing devices. The relatively simple devices that we envision are akin to the sensory receptors of the nervous system in that they are capable of detecting changes in the environment due to stimuli. As are their biological counterparts, these \RF neurons" or neuRFon devices are endowed with the ability to associate, producing e cient sensory networks. These pervasive wireless sensor networks may potentially have an unprecedented impact on the way we interact with our surroundings, by providing a sensory fabric, linking cyberspace to our surrounding environment. Many issues must be addressed in order to bring this unconventional communication centric vision to mainstream. This paper presents an overview of research trends and challenges in the design and implementation of largescale wireless embedded networks.