Energy efficient wireless sensor networks based on 6LoWPAN and virtual MIMO technology

6LoWPAN (IPv6 over Low-power Wireless Personal Area Network) is a standard defined by IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force), which enables IPv6 transmission over IEEE 802.15.4 based WPANs (Wireless Personal Area Networks) to support many types of services, including WSNs (Wireless Sensor Networks). 6LoWPAN technology is rapidly gaining popularity for its extensive applicability, ranging from healthcare to environmental monitoring. In order to provide more reliable and effective IPv6 connectivity on top of LoWPAN, the 6LoWPAN WG (Working Group) has defined some key technologies. This paper introduces the 6LoWPAN technology and its applications, and discusses on possible technology that can enhance the energy efficiency of 6LoWPAN. One possible technology that is considered for combination with 6LoWPAN is the virtual multiple input and multiple output (V-MIMO) technology. The technical details of V-MIMO and its possible combination with 6LoWPAN are described in this paper.