An extended-life sensor networking prototype system

Microsensor networks will be important tools in the creation of the information force, providing remote sensing for operations such as area denial, search and rescue, and MOUT. Many efforts have focused on single elements of the intelligent microsensor network, but this paper presents an approach for complete system development. This approach includes algorithm, protocol, hardware, and prototype development stages leading toward the creation of extended-life sensor network nodes suitable for forward battlefield deployment. The resulting ad-hoc network will provide an intelligent radio communications system that can automatically self-configure into a network upon deployment in the field and which can support a variety of sensors. Finally we discuss some of the algorithms necessary to implement a complete system, including distributed discovery, routing and network configuration.