This article outlines how wireless sensors work, network layout, and how they work for IoT applications. The Internet of Things is transforming our world in an amazing way. Wireless communication between objects can automate data exchange and greatly increase efficiency, which has a positive impact on life and production.
The foundation of the Internet of Things is wireless sensor technology, which allows us to gather information about the surrounding environment for a long time without human intervention. Wireless sensors measure a variety of variables, from air temperature to vibration. In general, there are many different types of wireless sensors on the market.
Many wireless networks contain hundreds or even thousands of wireless sensors. These devices have been used in a wide range of applications including retail, agriculture, urban planning, security and supply chain management.
In this article, we delve into how wireless sensors work and explain why they are so important to the IoT revolution.
What is the role of wireless sensors?
Wireless sensors collect data about local conditions and share analysis results with other powerful components or platforms for further processing. Sensors are typically distributed over a wide geographical area and are programmed to communicate with central hubs, gateways, and servers.
One of the main advantages of wireless sensors is that they require lower levels of maintenance and lower power consumption. The sensor can support IoT applications for years after charging or replacing the battery.
One of the problems developers face in building wireless networks is how to configure wireless sensors in the field. Sensors or "nodes" must be distributed in a way that supports the overall goals of the web developer.
Wireless sensor network
The two types of networks commonly used in wireless sensors are star topology and mesh topology.
A mesh topology is one in which the sensor can connect to as many neighboring nodes as possible. In other words, data can be "hopped" from one node to another without having to follow a specific routing or sensor hierarchy. Connection problems are less harmful to network performance because data can be routed to processing components in multiple ways. Since the new sensor only needs to be connected to an existing node, the mesh topology is also easy to expand.
On the other hand, mesh topologies are expensive and difficult to maintain. There are so many connections that need to be created and managed, and as the network evolves, this becomes even more challenging.
A star topology is a network in which each sensor is directly connected to a central gateway or hub. These hubs receive sensor information and transmit it to other applications for processing. In this layout, there is no direct communication between the nodes.
Compared to mesh networks, star networks are more cost effective because fewer connections are required. But because any new sensor must be connected to a central hub, and the capacity of the central hub is limited, expanding the network becomes a big problem.
How did wireless sensors communicate before?
Until now, cellular technology has been a common choice for WAN connections. However, cellular technology is costly and consumes a lot of energy, which is not suitable for long-distance, low-power devices such as wireless sensors.
In addition to cellular technology, WiFi, Bluetooth (BLE) and Zigbee can also support wireless sensor networks. These standards also fall under the category of “traditional wireless solutions†but have their advantages and disadvantages.
WiFi is one of the most widely used wireless technologies in today's business office and home. WiFi uses the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz ISM bands. Because of the high popularity of WiFi, it is relatively easy to connect wireless sensors using existing networks.
However, WiFi signals are difficult to penetrate walls, which is detrimental to remote applications. In addition, WiFi networks are managed by local routers, which may not always have a direct user interface for updating sensor keys.
BLE is a low power protocol that is different from traditional Bluetooth technology. BLE uses the 2.4 GHz band to transmit a small amount of information. The wireless standard is less expensive to use than WiFi; however, the same problem exists when sending data over walls or over long distances. In addition, BLE is susceptible to signal interference due to the use of the 2.4 GHz band by many other devices and standards.
ZigBee is a wireless standard that relies on a mesh network to support a large number of nodes (>65k) in a single network. ZigBee is ideal for wireless sensor networks that don't require too much bandwidth.
One disadvantage of Zigbee is that certain sensors must always be active in order to share information for processing. Therefore, Zigbee's power consumption is still high.
What are the practical communication standards for wireless sensors?
While traditional wireless standards are effective, a new standard that is more effective for wireless sensor networks has emerged. Low-power wide-area networks (LPWANs) are growing as key technologies for long-distance data transmission. LPWANs can support billions of sensors and will be used in a large number of applications for IoT.
LPWANs have some advantages over traditional standards. First, information can be transmitted at a lower bit rate. With just one battery charge, the sensor can run on LPWANs for a few years. Because data can be transmitted over long distances, LPWANs can also support sensors that cover a wide geographic area.
From a cost perspective, deploying wireless sensors on LPWANs is more cost effective than other methods. Since the data rate is too low, the hardware requirements are less intense.
There are several disadvantages to using LPWANs. LPWAN is not well suited for applications involving large data packets. Sensor networks that need to transmit more data should use larger capacity cellular or short-range WiFi, BLE, and Zigbee networks. In addition, LPWANs use unlicensed radio frequencies, which may be more difficult to manage from an interference perspective.
What are the LPWANs for wireless sensors?
The three main LPWANs for wireless sensors are LoRa, SigFox, and NB-IoT.
LoRa is a widely accepted standard that uses a chirp spread spectrum modulation scheme to transmit data over very long distances. LoRa is a publicly available layer specification for LoRaWAN (connecting wireless sensors through a gateway or LoRaWAN network provider). LoRaWAN has higher bandwidth than SigFox and can transmit packets more efficiently in a noisy environment.
With LoRaWAN, data can be sent via encrypted messages between the gateway and the web server. The server authenticates and decrypts the data that is ultimately sent to the final application. Users can send messages to wireless sensors directly through LoRaWAN to reconfigure the device.
LoRaWAN sensors are classified into three categories based on their ability to send and receive messages. Class A devices are always in sleep mode until something is available for transmission. These sensors can send upstream messages at any time, which makes them important in wireless sensor and actuator networks (WSAN).
Class B sensors arrange windows for devices to receive downstream messages from the server. Class C sensors maintain an open receive window for messages until they need to transmit information. Therefore, the C sensor can achieve low latency communication, but consumes more power than other types of sensors.
For all of these LoRaWAN sensor types, network developers must have the appropriate gateway hardware to receive the data and pass it to the server.
SigFox uses ultra-narrowband transmission to connect wireless sensors directly to the base station. The standard has been covered in more than 55 countries/regions and can support more than 100 channels per sub-band at a rate of 600 bps in the United States. However, the packet is limited to 12 bytes, and the standard does not allow message ACK (confirmation character). SigFox users pay for each device and the number of upstream and downstream messages sent each day.
NB-IoT leverages the existing cellular tower infrastructure to provide a wide range of coverage for low power devices. The standard uses a narrow channel of protection to avoid interference and penetrate the indoor environment well. In 2018, T-Mobile increased the coverage of NB-IoT through 4G networks.
What are the essential elements that make up a wireless sensor network?
Designing wireless sensor networks has several key features for ongoing maintenance and replacement.
First, it should be easy to locate nodes in the network. When developers know where to find all of their equipment, it's much easier to perform sensor maintenance (such as replacing batteries and updating components).
Second, the sensor network should be able to withstand node failures without causing widespread interference. Topology plays an important role in how the network handles connectivity. Users deploying wireless sensor networks must choose a topology that can withstand component failures.
Third, the network should be easy to scale. Developers must be able to effectively scale their wireless sensor networks without having to invest a lot of money.
Finally, power consumption. The wireless sensor used should be consistent with the data needs of the IoT application. Otherwise, the network administrator may spend a lot of time and money
How does a wireless sensor empower the Internet of Everything?
There are many real-world examples of how wireless sensor technology can be used in a wide variety of industries and applications.
The security department has adopted wireless sensor technology in many ways. With wireless sensors, organizations can monitor their locations, identify suspicious activity, and track valuable assets. Banks can convert wireless buttons to emergency buttons for employees, and retailers can install wireless window sensors at the access points of each building. Homeowners can also use wireless air sensors to detect harmful gases in the air, such as carbon monoxide.
In the area of ​​utility management, wireless sensors facilitate automated communication between critical systems and predictive repairs. For example, a water leak sensor can be installed on the wall to detect a water pipe failure or a pipe that may burst in winter. Wireless cable sensors are being used in server rooms and data centers to detect the presence of water droplets near computer hardware.
Wireless sensors also support disaster management efforts. Installing a wireless sensor on the bridge can detect water levels above a certain threshold, indicating that there may be flash floods in the area. Large mechanical plants are using wireless vibration sensors to make predictions before equipment failures occur.
In the healthcare sector, wireless sensors monitor patients in real time, and wireless buttons serve as advanced care facilities for PERS devices. Humidity sensors are helping hospital facility managers maintain healthy environmental conditions for patients.
Retailers and grocery stores are using wireless sensors on the floor to create a positive experience for customers. A wireless push sensor is installed in the restroom so that the shopper can indicate when cleaning is needed. Wireless air temperature equipment can also monitor refrigerated items in the refrigerator at the store.
These are just a few examples of how wireless sensor networks can increase the efficiency of production and life and influence life in a positive way. With the continued development of the Internet of Things, it is expected to see more innovative sensor applications changing the case of modern society.
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