Hardwaresoftware implementation of a test-bed for the management of sensor networks

Abstract

The emergence of new technologies in the wireless realm, coupled with recent advancements in the area of Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) sensor technology, have led the way for current and innovative research in the area of sensor networks. The potential applications of sensor networks range from biomedical to health, military, habitat monitoring, environmental, industrial, traffic control, among others, so more and more wireless sensor networks are being integrated into our daily lives. An implementation of a sensor network test-bed is presented in this thesis. The test-bed is implemented by combining a FPGA-based Nios II Development kit, Cyclone Edition serially connected to a MIB510 equipped with a MICA2 node with ID0. This test-bed can be used for developing tools for monitoring and managing heterogeneous sensor networks. This thesis deals with building a test-bed that consists of a PC which manages the network through a sensor management Graphical User Interface (GUI) and communicates with the sensor nodes through a Base Station.