Self-Constructing Wireless Networks
In a recent demonstration researchers in Europe showed that, in an emergency situation, mobile wireless networks could be much more efficient and provide invaluable information as compared to the typical fixed communications network. The scenario in the demonstration involved a road tunnel fire that had already destroyed fixed communications lines. Emergency workers would be very ineffective in such a situation - they would not be able to locate the fires or the victims. A wireless network of sensors could, however, move in and out of danger, adapting to the situation, and relay vital information to a central command which, in turn, could relay the information to emergency crews via hand held devices. For example, maps could be provided to emergency workers with data about temperatures, visibility and the locations of fires, vehicles and people.
The idea of such a mobile network revolves around the fact that we are surrounded by "embedded systems" in everyday life. Security cameras, traffic lights, mobile phones, webcams, weather instruments, to name a few, are constantly gathering data for a variety of applications from traffic control to emergency management. To become an invaluable mobile network in an emergency situation such devices would have to be able to organize themselves into a network that would span a variety of communications technologies. The European Union funded Reconfigurable Ubiquitous Networked Embedded Systems (RUNES) is developing software to make such networks a reality.
Dr Lesley Hanna, a consultant and dissemination manager for RUNES, explains that these "ad hoc" networks must be able to form themselves from any embedded systems or mobile devices that happen to be around. Without a human administrator they must be able to coordinate between devices as they move in and out of range. A typical network could incorporate hundreds of embedded systems, from handheld computers to "motes," tiny units each equipped with a sensor, a microcontroller and a radio that can be scattered around an area to be monitored. Other devices could be carried by robots, mounted at fixed points or worn by people as smart clothing. According to Hanna, the real challenge of creating such a network is not bridging the various communications standards, but having various operating systems work together reliably.
Interoperability is RUNES' main task. They are developing middleware, which is software that bridges the gap between the operating systems used by the mobile sensor nodes, and high-level applications that make use of data from the sensors. The middleware is modular which makes it easier to re-use applications and use new types of devices. RUNES has 21 partners with twice the amount of universities as industrial groups, which has resulted in most of the software being publicly available.
The big hurdle for this network technology now is commercial. According to Dr. Hanna, "A lot of people have been looking at embedded systems networking, but so far there has been a reluctance to take the plunge commercially,... [but] RUNES’ open-source model is an excellent way to stimulate progress, and it should generate plenty of consultancy work for the academic partners.”
[via Science Daily]
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