UUNIVERSITY OF NIVERSITY OF MMASSACHUSETTSASSACHUSETTS, A, AMHERST • MHERST • Department of Computer Science Department of Computer ScienceUUNIVERSITY OF NIVERSITY OF MMASSACHUSETTSASSACHUSETTS, A, AMHERST • MHERST • Department of Computer Science Department of Computer Science

Sensor Networks and Platforms for Advancing Water Research

Prashant ShenoyUniversity of Massachusetts

Amherst

UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS, AMHERST • Department of Computer Science

Motivation

Water and environmental monitoring todayOften requires periodic field visits for data collectionNetworking of sensor / instruments infeasible or expensiveNo infrastructure in remote locations

Satellite networks expensive; cellular data networks unavailable“BYON” : bring your own network challenging

Challenge: Design low-cost easily-deployable wireless sensor networks for real-time data collection from the field

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UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS, AMHERST • Department of Computer Science

Technology Trends

Low-cost wireless network technologies availableWiFi-based networks are the most common exampleMesh-based deployment at field siteBackhaul via point-to-point long-distance links

Directional antennas: Wifi links can stretch to 10s of kilometers!Other wireless radios: Xtend, XE1205 also give long range

Energy-efficient sensor platforms availableLow-power microcontrollers, high-capacity flash storageBattery-powered with lifetimes of weeks to monthsCan be solar or wind-powered!

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UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS, AMHERST • Department of Computer Science 4

3 Watt Solar Panel

15 dBi antenna(802.11b)

External Antenna(XE1205)

Weather-Proof

Enclosure

Sensor Node

UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS, AMHERST • Department of Computer Science 5

Solar-powered Sensor Platforms

Size/Power

Cap

ab

ility

(p

roce

ssin

g,

sensi

ng

, st

ora

ge)

Mote Micro sensor node

Brick Macro sensor

UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS, AMHERST • Department of Computer Science 6

Hydrophone

Camera

Argonaut(Pressure, Flow, Temperature)

Sensors

MicroLab - Nutrient sensor

UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS, AMHERST • Department of Computer Science 7

RiverNet: A River Sensor NetworkScalable sensor network that monitor water bodies (e.g. rivers) and watersheds

Initial deployment: Fort River, AmherstOngoing: Harvard Forest stream guagesPlanned: Blackstone & CT rivers

UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS, AMHERST • Department of Computer Science

Summary

It is possible to inexpensively network field sensors for water monitoring.

Deployments in environments without infrastructure is possible

Easily deployable wireless sensor networksSelf-configuring: deploy and go

Use solar – wind power to enhance batter life of sensor nodes

Joint work with Deepak Ganesan, Umass CS

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