Methodologies and measurement techniques for spatio-temporal localization in wireless sensor networks

PRIN 2008 - Macii DIT-PRJ-10-040

Status NOT active project
DISI role Partner
Project type Research Project
Dimension National
Acquisition date 2010-03-22
Start date 2010-03-22
End date 2012-03-22
SAP code 40101635

Project details

Project astract The goal of this research program is to design and to characterize with metrological methodologies some novel and accurate techniques to perform the joint localization and synchronization of wireless embedded systems (e.g. sensor network nodes, personal consumer electronic devices like PDAs or earphones, domotic systems, ...). The solutions developed during the research will have to meet suitable energy and cost constraints. Also, they will be finally implemented into an embedded prototype that should exhibit better performance than other existing solutions in terms of accuracy, robustness and flexibility. The expected research results include:<br/>- Models describing the uncertainty sources affecting the time synchronization of generic wireless network nodes;<br/>- The realization of hardware-software based platforms, also based on software-defined radio paradigms, for experimenting synchronization methods;<br/>- Adaptive techniques to synchronize such nodes after identifying and compensating the main systematic uncertainty contributions;<br/>- Analyses and implementation of localization techniques based on time interval measurements;<br/>- The design of preliminary prototypes to check the correct operation of the proposed techniques;<br/>- An ad-hoc network based on a unique new version of the system prototype which will be used to assess the performances of the proposed theoretical solutions;<br/>- The definition of models and metrics useful for the determination of the characteristics of immunity towards electromagnetic disturbances in sensor networks having synchronization and localization capabilities.<br/>The project will be developed by four Research Units and will consist of two major phases. In the former one, the Units will tackle the problems related to synchronization and localization problem independently. In the latter phase, all Units will work in close cooperation in order to integrate their solutions, thus assuring the joint localization and synchronization of the low-cost systems of an ad-hoc wireless network. The involved Research Units have been working on these<br/>topics for some time and they have already obtained some interesting theoretical and applicative results. Also, all Units can rely on laboratories that are provided with almost all the equipment needed for the planned experimental activities. The final research results are expected to be very useful in many contexts. In fact, achieving the simultaneous synchronization and localization of possible wireless network nodes could bring about significant improvements and innovations in both<br/>processes and products, such as navigation techniques in indoor environments (e.g. offices, hospitals or museums), industrial monitoring applications (e.g. by sampling synchronously quantities collected by multiple distributed sensors), precise farming applications and optimal resource management procedures.
Fundings 149049 €
Partners
  • University of Brescia
  • DISI - UniTN
  • University of Padua
  • University of Perugia

DISI Sub-project details

Project astract The role of the Trento Unit within the research project coordinated by the Perugia Unit is to develop, to characterize and to implement a novel adaptive synchronization algorithm/protocol for wireless sensor networks (WSNs). The proposed solution should be flexible enough to be used in a variety of applications, thus addressing the requirements of the other research Units involved in this project. Inter-node synchronization is essential to coordinate node activities in real-time. Synchronization may affect either data acquisition and processing procedures (e.g., to fuse redundant data collected by multiple sensors operating in the same area) or communication tasks (e.g., to manage the activity duty-cycle of the WSN nodes in order to maximize network lifetime). Network-level synchronization is a well-known research topic that has been extensively studied for several years. Indeed, many synchronization protocols and algorithms with different flexibility and accuracy characteristics have been developed. In spite of these efforts, many issues are still unsolved especially when wireless networks are considered. Such issues concern with maximum achievable accuracy and protocol robustness when sudden failures or unforeseen events occur.<br/>Furthermore, synchronization techniques devised for wired networks are usually unsuitable for energy-constrained wireless sensor nodes provided with limited computing capability.<br/>In this context, the researchers of the Trento Unit will develop a novel synchronization algorithm (as well as a corresponding protocol) able to minimize power consumption at the network level, while meeting preset accuracy and robustness requirements. This approach is quite new because up to now most researchers have focused their attention on protocol simplicity and/or on maximum achievable accuracy. Also, adjusting dynamically the time intervals between two subsequent synchronization events as a function of the target synchronization accuracy would have a major advantage. In fact, the same algorithm could be employed in applications with quite different timing requirements (ranging from environmental monitoring to industrial automation equipment), which is not possible using existing solutions.<br/>
Keywords synchronization, wireless sensor networks, embedded systems
Fundings 28800 €
Manager David Macii