Beyond Sensor Networks: ZUMA Middleware

Most wireless sensor network (WSN) proposals are unrelated to multimedia and other smart home infrastructures. This paper combines these issues and presents a solution where the Kilavi sensor network platform can be used as middleware to provide information for ZUMA. Kilavi is a centralized protocol designed for communication between high capacity management point and low capacity sensor nodes in building environment. ZUMA is a centralized future smart-home platform that interconnects all kinds devices in the home environment. This paper mainly focuses on sensor network operation issues. The discussion is on the benefits that the centralized architecture can provide in typical sensor network operations that are node discovery, routing and data dissemination, power control, and security. To support the discussion, the paper gives numbers that illustrate the benefits that centralization has over typical decentralized WSN solutions in home environment.