This volume surveys recent research on autonomous sensor networks from the perspective of enabling technologies that support medical, environmental and military applications. State of the art, as well as emerging concepts in wireless sensor networks, body area networks and ambient assisted living introduce the reader to the field, while subsequent chapters deal in depth with established and related technologies, which render their implementation possible. These range from smart textiles and printed electronic devices to implanted devices and specialized packaging, including the most relevant technological features. The last four chapters are devoted to customization, implementation difficulties and outlook for these technologies in specific applications.

Self-Organization in Sensor and Actor Networks explores self-organization mechanisms and methodologies concerning the efficient coordination between intercommunicating autonomous systems.Self-organization is often referred to as the multitude of algorithms and methods that organise the global behaviour of a system based on inter-system communication. Studies of self-organization in natural systems first took off in the 1960s. In technology, such approaches have become a hot research topic over the last 4-5 years with emphasis upon management and control in communication networks, and especially in resource-constrained sensor and actor networks. In the area of ad hoc networks new solutions have been discovered that imitate the properties of self-organization. Some algorithms for on-demand communication and coordination, including data-centric networking, are well-known examples. Key features include: Detailed treatment of self-organization, mobile sensor and actor networks, coordination between autonomous systems, and bio-inspired networking. Overview of the basic methodologies for self-organization, a comparison to central and hierarchical control, and classification of algorithms and techniques in sensor and actor networks. Explanation of medium access control, ad hoc routing, data-centric networking, synchronization, and task allocation issues. Introduction to swarm intelligence, artificial immune system, molecular information exchange. Numerous examples and application scenarios to illustrate the theory. Self-Organization in Sensor and Actor Networks will prove essential reading for students of computer science and related fields; researchers working in the area of massively distributed systems, sensor networks, self-organization, and bio-inspired networking will also find this reference useful.

Autonomous sensors transmit data and power their electronics without using cables. They can be found in e.g. wireless sensor networks (WSNs) or remote acquisition systems. Although primary batteries provide a simple design for powering autonomous sensors, they present several limitations such as limited capacity and power density, and difficulty in predicting their condition and state of charge. An alternative is to extract energy from the ambient (energy harvesting). However, the reduced dimensions of most autonomous sensors lead to a low level of available power from the energy transducer. Thus, efficient methods and circuits to manage and gather the energy are a must. An integral approach for powering autonomous sensors by considering both primary batteries and energy harvesters is presented. Two rather different forms of energy harvesting are also dealt with: optical (or solar) and radiofrequency (RF). Optical energy provides high energy density, especially outdoors, whereas RF remote powering is possibly the most feasible option for autonomous sensors embedded into the soil or within structures. Throughout different chapters, devices such as primary and secondary batteries, supercapacitors, and energy transducers are extensively reviewed. Then, circuits and methods found in the literature used to efficiently extract and gather the energy are presented. Finally, new proposals based on the authors’ own research are analyzed and tested. Every chapter is written to be rather independent, with each incorporating the relevant literature references. Powering Autonomous Sensors is intended for a wide audience working on or interested in the powering of autonomous sensors. Researchers and engineers can find a broad introduction to basic topics in this interesting and emerging area as well as further insights on the topics of solar and RF harvesting and of circuits and methods to maximize the power extracted from energy transducers.

Provides a collection of works produced by COST Action IC1301 with the goal of achieving significant advances in the field of wireless power transmission This book constitutes together information from COST Action IC1301, a group of academic and industry experts seeking to align research efforts in the field of wireless power transmission (WPT). It begins with a discussion of backscatter as a solution for Internet of Things (IoT) devices and goes on to describe ambient backscattering sensors that use FM broadcasting for low cost and low power wireless applications. The book also explores localization of passive RFID tags and augmented tags using nonlinearities of RFID chips. It concludes with a review of methods of electromagnetic characterization of textile materials for the development of wearable antennas. Wireless Power Transmission for Sustainable Electronics: COST WiPE - IC1301 covers textile-supported wireless energy transfer, and reviews methods for the electromagnetic characterization of textile materials for the development of wearable antennas. It also looks at: backscatter RFID sensor systems for remote health monitoring; simultaneous localization (of robots and objects) and mapping (SLAM); autonomous system of wireless power distribution for static and moving nodes of wireless sensor networks; and more. Presents techniques for smart beam-forming for "on demand" wireless power transmission (WPT) Discusses RF and microwave energy harvesting for space applications Describes miniaturized RFID transponders for object identification and sensing Wireless Power Transmission for Sustainable Electronics: COST WiPE - IC1301 is an excellent book for both graduate students and industry engineers involved in wireless communications and power transfer, and sustainable materials for those fields.

In the computer science industry, high levels of performance remain the focal point in software engineering. This quest has made current systems exceedingly complex, as practitioners strive to discover novel approaches to increase the capabilities of modern computer structures. A prevalent area of research in recent years is scalable transaction processing and its usage in large databases and cloud computing. Despite its popularity, there remains a need for significant research in the understanding of scalability and its performance within distributed databases. Handling Priority Inversion in Time-Constrained Distributed Databases provides emerging research exploring the theoretical and practical aspects of database transaction processing frameworks and improving their performance using modern technologies and algorithms. Featuring coverage on a broad range of topics such as consistency mechanisms, real-time systems, and replica management, this book is ideally designed for IT professionals, computing specialists, developers, researchers, data engineers, executives, academics, and students seeking research on current trends and developments in distributed computing and databases.

In this book, the authors describe the fundamental concepts and practical aspects of wireless sensor networks. The book provides a comprehensive view to this rapidly evolving field, including its many novel applications, ranging from protecting civil infrastructure to pervasive health monitoring. Using detailed examples and illustrations, this book provides an inside track on the current state of the technology. The book is divided into three parts. In Part I, several node architectures, applications and operating systems are discussed. In Part II, the basic architectural frameworks, including the key building blocks required for constructing large-scale, energy-efficient sensor networks are presented. In Part III, the challenges and approaches pertaining to local and global management strategies are presented – this includes topics on power management, sensor node localization, time synchronization, and security. At the end of each chapter, the authors provide practical exercises to help students strengthen their grip on the subject. There are more than 200 exercises altogether. Key Features: Offers a comprehensive introduction to the theoretical and practical concepts pertaining to wireless sensor networks Explains the constraints and challenges of wireless sensor network design; and discusses the most promising solutions Provides an in-depth treatment of the most critical technologies for sensor network communications, power management, security, and programming Reviews the latest research results in sensor network design, and demonstrates how the individual components fit together to build complex sensing systems for a variety of application scenarios Includes an accompanying website containing solutions to exercises (http://www.wiley.com/go/dargie_fundamentals) This book serves as an introductory text to the field of wireless sensor networks at both graduate and advanced undergraduate level, but it will also appeal to researchers and practitioners wishing to learn about sensor network technologies and their application areas, including environmental monitoring, protection of civil infrastructure, health care, precision agriculture, traffic control, and homeland security.

This unique resource provides a detailed understanding of the options for harvesting energy from localized, renewable sources to supply power to autonomous wireless systems. You are introduced to a variety of types of autonomous system and wireless networks and discover the capabilities of existing battery-based solutions, RF solutions, and fuel cells. The book focuses on the most promising harvesting techniques, including solar, kinetic, and thermal energy. You also learn the implications of the energy harvesting techniques on the design of the power management electronics in a system. This in-depth reference discusses each energy harvesting approach in detail, comparing and contrasting its potential in the field.