Emergent wireless sensor network limitations: a plea for advancement in core technologies

The next several years will witness the evolution of sensor networks from simple test-and-report wired systems to intricate wireless information fabrics that connect our surroundings to the information super highway and cyberspace. These systems will be applied to agricultural monitoring, medical monitoring, intelligent space realization, automotive safety, personal area networks, and even wartime intelligence. To enable these applications research efforts will be focused on developing low-power, low-cost sensor technology and creating networks that self-assemble, self-anneal and self-heal into an emergent life-like system. The human nervous system with its 7-8 billion neurons represents a compelling model for such systems. Each wireless sensor device can be interpreted as a neuron with radio frequency (RF) connectivity. These devices are referred to as neuRFon/spl trade/ devices and can sense the environment, process various stimulus, and transmit a request for action while consuming very little power and requiring minimal, if any, human intervention. This paper presents an overview of neuRFon/spl trade/ technology and some of the associated challenges in the design and implementation of wireless sensor networks.