Tiny, omnipresent and omnipotent

From the Editor. It would seem, how does the development of wireless sensor networks for mobile communication, both intersect these two such different directions? Indeed, in one case, created a network for specialized tasks, the second provides specific services for specific groups of users. The reality is not far off when it is mobile network will be dynamically configured their sites in addition to conventional base stations can be a conventional mobile phones or other devices connected to the network, which will increase as the coverage of networks, and lead them to a qualitatively new level services. It is unlikely that this will be the fourth-generation network, but rather the fifth or even sixth. But the basis for such sensor networks are laid today, so we want to introduce you to look at the issue of Intel, a leader of the computer market, while a firm that is a leader in investment in research and development of new devices.

Moore's Law, coupled with rapid advances in the telecommunications industry opens doors for us in a truly magical "tomorrow", where we were waiting for something far more amazing than even the magic of the Internet. Hundreds of billions of microscopic sensors that are embedded in virtually all subjects, from key rings to cots, will be able to respond to the environment and communicate with each other wirelessly, solving a lot of useful tasks. Experts are assured: not far off the advent of the new network paradigm - a paradigm of wireless sensor ad hoc networks.

The era of active computing

Translate phrases ad hoc - «special designed for this purpose - quite accurately reflects the essence of sensor networks, which are created anew each time for specific tasks and immediately after their performance fall into separate elements, ready to form a new network as soon as that occurs necessity. Tiny, no bigger than a speck of dust, semiconductor device operating at the same time computing and communication functions and abilities in the best way is automatically configured in a self-organizing networks are the foundation of a new network paradigm that improves the performance and security of networked computing.

Imagine a crib, which "listens" to the breath of the child and picks up the slightest temperature change his body, a swimming pool, which is itself "follows" the freshness and purity of water, smoke detectors in buildings that not only record the fire, but firefighters reported, which specific floors and what kind of room smoke more or less ... The possibility of using sensor networks extend far beyond the home or office. The most obvious areas of ad hoc networks experts call the ecology and Rescue Service: a tiny speck of dust sensors, scattered from aircraft over large forest areas, depending on the parameters can monitor any occurrence of forest fires, or the route misguided tourist group, passing to the control Center for self-organized wireless network thorough monitoring of the "green ocean". Sensor networks can monitor the maturation of the crop, informing farmers about the need for watering seedlings, the state of the environment in industrial and public buildings, etc. etc.

The concept of sensor networks significantly changed the role of humans, since their elements - sensory microcomputers - are becoming much more independent, often pre-empting the jobs generated by man, long before they arrive."Homocentrical" model of network computing with the man as a central link in the network rooted in the past - a man "displaced" from the center of computing on its periphery, concentrating on managing the process, becoming a kind of mediator between the real world, and computers.

Naturally, in order to realize the dream of enticing sensory wireless networks in life, there is still much to do. Sensory devices, or "mota" (from the English. Mote - «mote") should be an integrated platform that combines features of sensors (external sensors, detecting certain parameters or their combination), computers and communications devices. Tiny computers should not only "to distinguish" the world around us, but to act according to his condition. And they must all be united in a single wireless network to be able to send logging information "on the chain." Finally, they must have an impressive store of energy for the battery life and cost so little to make them less emissions than recharge.

Some of the experts believe that the proliferation of small sensor devices can create an effect in the hundreds or thousands of times more powerful than the spread of the Internet. The rapid decrease in the size of modern sensors with their cheaper and lower power consumption brings the arrival time of sensor networks, and hence the advent of the new network paradigm.

Intel Lab

Research Laboratory of Intel Corporation University of California at Berkeley (USA) is a kind of center for the study of sensor networks, coordinating the efforts of the academic community and industry. The main objective laboratory sees the creation of the aforementioned wireless integrated computing platform, a sensor with low power consumption and is working in three main areas: developing a flexible and open operating system, the creation of networking technologies for self-organizing networks of sensors, the development of popular applications for ad hoc networks .

Laboratory specialists already have a prototype of such a platform, which provides researchers with an opportunity to find effective ways of using ad hoc sensors. Yet it is large enough device - the sensor area of ​​the prototype is about 5-6 square meters. cm (about ruble coin), but researchers at Berkeley, are hoping that in the near future they will be able to place the sensor in an amount equal to 1 cu. mm.

Since the main purpose of sensor networks - the perception and transmission of useful information, specialists Intel lab in Berkeley are developing methods of combining sensors with objects, and monitoring are "imputed" to them in duty, as well as explore the possibility of "actuators" - a device based on sensors that allow influence the situation, not only to record its condition.

No less active Laboratory staff working on precision biology, the creation of biochips. In addition to sensory perception of the world of "hard" things, the possibility of "feel" and biological fluids, developing facilities. Such studies offer great promise for medical and pharmaceutical development, the implementation of chemical processes and manufacturing of biological products.

Touch ... vineyard

As you know, making wine - very "data-intensive" occupation. Unlike corn or potatoes, the wine is bought and sold not by weight or volume - the price depends largely on the location and year, where and when it was grown and harvested grapes. Experienced winemakers spend many hours selecting and mixing the ripe bunches of juicy grapes from different areas of winemaking, to achieve the desired taste, color and bouquet of wine. There are many parameters that affect the quality of the drink.

The idea of ​​applying sensor networks in viticulture is to dispel the wireless sensors to vineyards and continuously collect and store information about temperature, water and other modes of maturation of each vine.After this will only analyze what mode gives a particular quality of wine, and further mixing the juice of different clusters have a scientific basis.

On several acres of vineyard varieties Pinot noir in the Valley Villamet (Oregon), researchers from the laboratory Intel launched a pilot area of ​​such wireless sensor networks. The project is led professional ... psychologist Richard Beckwith, research using technology known as "participant observation". He really is watching the one hand, the experts Intel, which place the sensors in a vineyard, and gather scientific information, on the other hand, for those who grow grapes in order to understand what criteria are important in the field of viticulture for those and others and how this information is linked together. Why?

"In Intel's work, including ethnographers and sociologists of the highest level who are studying the behavior of people while they work to understand how they are using technological advances in its work, and how else they can help - says David Tennenhauz, Vice President, Corporate Technology Group, Intel. - Methods of use of sensor networks is very different from today's interactive computing, when computers are either waiting for our instructions, or we are waiting for their results. In the world of active computing machines will operate at the forefront, just anticipating and anticipating our wishes, and sometimes even acting on our behalf to advance ". We must seriously think about a time when every person on Earth will fall not once but a hundred or even thousands of computers. In this case, people will not be the center of all this variety of computing, and some "top of the pyramid", providing communication between the computer and the real world, says D. Tennenhauz.

Intel researchers believe the vineyards is very suitable place for the pilot application of embedded network (embedded networking), because modern farming methods are based on average estimates and may not meet the requirements of these sensitive areas of agriculture, which is the cultivation of grapes. Information collected by networks of sensors that can be used to ensure maximum productivity by allowing vineyard owners and managers to quickly recoup the investment.

Thus, experts Intel did not accidentally select the vineyard as the first pilot site for implementation of their sensor networks. It is this sphere of agriculture has so far been deprived of the attention of high technology and it is here that their application, oddly enough, can give the maximum effect. At the first trial vineyard Intel's sensors measure the ambient temperature once a minute, and then memorize the highest and lowest value over the past hour. From time to time Beckwith walks the vineyard and gather information that have accumulated sensors using small devices with wireless capabilities. He manages to do it once every few weeks, but next year he plans to do it every day with a four-legged assistant named Roger, who still runs an intensive course of study.

Frankly, Roger will be exploited for a better high-tech future without his knowledge or consent. This dog and so regularly goes round the ranks of the vineyard, fending off coyotes and rodents. Beckwith is going to attach it to the collar a special device to collect information from sensors.And here without the help of our "little brothers can not do ...

Intel researchers anticipate a new era of so-called proactive computing, where computers are directly connected with the physical world will be able to anticipate the desires of the people - and even do on your own. "Imagine a world in which to countless very cheap electronic sensors - says chief technology officer for Intel's Patrick Gelsinger. - You can submit a "smart farm", where literally each vine will set its own sensor, which monitors a sufficient supply of nutrients and moisture. Just imagine what impact this will have on agriculture in problem areas around the world. "

We thank the Russian representation of Intel for the material

Posted - March 31, 2003

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