Wireless Intelligent Sensor and Actuator Network (WISAN)
is a scalable ultra-low-power platform for sensing applications.
Existing sensor networks do not completely satisfy requirements of problems
posed by structural health monitoring: the proactive, constant data rate character of the
data streams rather than reactive, event-driven data delivery; real-time requirements to
bidirectional data flow from sensors and to actuators.
WISAN is designed to address these issues and support massive arrays of
heterogeneous sensors with constant data streams. Development of WISAN is funded by
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and industry.
WISAN has the following key features:
1. WISAN provides low-cost massive data acquisition from arrays of
heterogeneous sensors with constant data streams forming a distributed data
acquisition system. Providing uninterrupted, steady streams of data is the
focus of the network.
2. Ultra-low power consumption of a sensor node is achieved through utilization
of energy-efficient microcontrollers from TI's MSP430 series and optimization
techniques minimizing the amount of
time the transceiver is powered during
operation.
3. A project in progress (funded by the
National Academies) is targeting design
of electromagnetic energy harvesting
devices that convert ambient vibration
into electric energy. Energy harvesting
will allow fully autonomous operation of
the WISAN nodes on civil structures.
4. WISAN is fully compatible with IEEE
802.15.4 and can be utilized worldwide
in 2.4Ghz ISM frequency band and
coexists with WiFi and other devices.
Front view of a sensor node