Sensor Networks Definition
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ece.ncsu.edu
A sensor network is a group of specialized transducers with a communications infrastructure intended to monitor and record conditions at diverse locations.
Commonly monitored parameters are:
temperature,
humidity,
pressure,
wind direction and
speed,
illumination intensity,
vibration intensity,
sound intensity,
power-line voltage,
chemical concentrations,
pollutant levels and
vital body functions.
A sensor network consists of multiple detection stations called sensor nodes, each of which is small, lightweight and portable. Every sensor node is equipped with a:
transducer,
microcomputer,
transceiver and
power source.
The transducer generates electrical signals based on sensed physical effects and phenomena. The microcomputer processes and stores the sensor output. The transceiver, which can be hard-wired or wireless, receives commands from a central computer and transmits data to that computer. The power for each sensor node is derived from the electric utility or from a battery.