NeTS: Small: Addressing Research Challenges in Low-Duty-Cycle Wireless Sensor Networks

Energy-efficient wireless communication is critical for long-term sensor network applications, such as military surveillance, habitat monitoring and infrastructure protection. To reduce the energy costs of RF listening, a node has to reduce its duty-cycle by sampling wireless channels very briefly and shutting down for long periods. Consequently, the connectivity of low-duty-cycle networks becomes time-dependent. Previous research in this type of networks predominately focused on physical and link-layer designs. This project is positioned to provide significantly added value to these earlier successful research by conducting the first systematic research at the network layer for low-duty-cycle communication under a wide spectrum of network configurations covering a large design space. The key research challenge addressed by this project is to optimize networking performance (e.g., delay, reliability, and cost) in the presence of sleep latency and other practical considerations including (i) unreliable links, (ii) dynamic energy availability, and (iii) mobility. With a successful outcome from this project, long-term sensor applications can be supported by low-duty-cycle networking technologies, leading to significantly reduced costs in development, deployment, and maintenance. These applications, in turn, can improve the safety of transportation, the quality of education and learning, and the development of innovations in many scientific frontiers.

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).