Design and Analysis of Wireless Sensor and Control Networks with Applications for Smart Buildings

Nathan Ota, 2003 M.S. (advisor: Paul K. Wright)

This paper presents a formal design exercise to facilitate the development of wireless sensor and control networks. Software modifications of the operating system are implemented on a candidate wireless sensor network technology to create a functionally robust sensor and control platform. Two network configurations, in-series and redundant, are tested as a real time sensor and control network in an industrial setting. Network quality of service is dramatically reduced by location with respect to other nodes, electromagnetic interference sources and hallway ends. Results also show round trip times are dramatically increased at nodes located near high electromagnetic interference. This effect is an inherent feature of the eventbased operating system of the wireless sensor network technology. Communication with nodes who’s RTT is increased also generates significantly more extraneous erroneous packets. Several design guidelines are presented for creating a wireless sensor and control network using current wireless sensor network technology.