Wireless Sensor Network (WSNs) are wireless networks consisting of a collection of spatially separated tiny nodes (smart sensors or motes) that autonomously form and maintain a network through the wireless medium. As models for mobile wireless networking, their appeal comes from the fact that they can operate autonomously without the need for an existing infrastructure.

WSNs have direct applications in mobility, presence detection, source detection, source localization, source tracking, security, environmental control, habitat monitoring, medical control, highway traffic management, building and industrial monitoring, among other domains.

Focusing on the technological research side to obtain standard paradigms for unsolved problems related to WSNs, the uSWN project’s main objective is to research generic and reusable Software-Hardware solutions that are common to existent and potential future applications.

Moreover, we will focus on researching and developing reusable Middleware components to ease future development regarding similar systems under real-time restrictions. The research regarding the challenge of WSN architectural design and deployment will be focused on obtaining solutions that although generic, allow for further fine-tuning when a given application is considered.

For the uSWN project, WSN technology has been applied to three specific application scenarios: surveillance, multi-tracking and real-time event handling to be implemented at the Versmé Sanatorium, Birstonas Municipality in Lithuania. However, the advantages of wireless sensor technology can clearly go beyond these applications and the potential of this technology in today’s world is boundless.  Regardless of the sector, be it environmental, healthcare or agricultural, this technology has the capability of transforming people’s lives in all parts of society worldwide.

uSWN Consortium