Performance Characterization and Architecture Exploration of PicoRadio Data Link Layer using VCC

PicoRadio is an ongoing project at the Berkeley Wireless Research Center that is trying to develop tiny meso-scale nodes capable of forming adhoc networks. The key challenges in the project are the small form factor and energy constraints at every node. For this, we need smart protocols that are energy efficient while meeting all requirements of the application. To test the behavior of the protocols that are developed, we defined the protocol stack in VCC. We then used VCC Architectural Services to provide a performance characterization of the data link protocol layer. Using this characterization, we explored different target architectures and obtained an architecture that is efficient as well as met all the constraints of the protocol operation. This is crucial for the design of the next generation PicoNode. At the same time, the project has identified new services VCC needs to support for simulating such large-scale embedded systems.