35190 - Wireless Sensor Networks M

Learning outcomes

The course aims at providing to students the basics and the tools to properly design and implement a wireless sensor network (WSN). The full protocols stack (from Physical to Application layer) suitable for WSNs will be presented, with particular emphasis to Medium Access Control (layer 2) and Network (layer 3) layers and with reference to the existing standard IEEE 802.15.4/Zigbee. Half of the course will be dedicated to laboratory activities, where students will program MC1322 Freescale 802.15.4-compliant devices in order to setup a real WSN and to perform experiments on the field.

Course contents

The course is divided into three parts: i) theoretical part; ii) laboratory activities; iii) seminars on case studies.

In the first part lectures will be dedicated to present the WSN protocols to be used at the different layers, which are physical, medium access control, network and application layers. Some cross-layer topics, such as energy efficiency, time synchronisation and distributed detection, will be also addressed.

As far as the laboratory activity is concerned students will have possibility to program MC1322 Freescale 802.15.4-compliant devices in order to setup a real WSN. Form one hand, the laboratory activities will consist in the observation of the network behavior (network formation, multi-hopping data transmission, etc.) through the use of a sniffer; from the other hand, students will have the opportunity to implement their own applications, program devices and perform some measurements.

The third part of the course will be dedicated to a sequence of seminars, dealing with some research hot topics and applications, like smart city, smart buildings, smart body.

Readings/Bibliography

Textbook 1: R. Verdone, D. Dardari, G. Mazzini, A. Conti, "Wireless Sensor and Actuator Networks - Technologies, Analysis, Design", Ed. Elsevier

Textbook 2: C. Buratti, M. Martalò, R. Verdone, G. Ferrari, "Distributed Processing, MAC, and Connectivity in Sensor Networks with Application to IEEE 802.15.4 Systems". Ed. Springer, Germania, 2011.

Textbook 3: Josè A. Gutierrez, Edgar H. Callaway, Raymond L. Barrett, "Low-Rate Wireless Personal Area Networks - Enabling Wireless Sensors with IEEE 802.15.4", Ed. IEEE

Teaching methods

Chalk and Talk - approx. 20 hours

Lab sessions - approx. 25 hours

Problem sessions - approx. 10 hours

Enquiry sessions - approx. 5 hours

Assessment methods

“On line” Mode. This is for students following the course and coming to the exam before end of February 2017. The exam will be composed of: 1) one intermediate test including 2 exercises to be performed in class; 2) one homework (design of a WSN), assigned at the end of the course, to be performed at home and to be delivered one week before the oral exam; 3) oral exam. The oral is divided into two parts: i) discussion of the homework (point 2 above) and one question on the theoretical part of the couse; ii) 10 minutes presentation (with power point slides) on the laboratory activities.

“Off line” Mode. This is for students not following the course or that will not give the exam by end of February. The oral is divided into three parts: 1) one exercise; i) two questions related to the theoretical part of the course; ii) 10 minutes presentation (with power point slides) on the laboratory activities.

Teaching tools

Laboratory: Freescale 802.15.4-compliant devices, sniffers, PCs.

Theoretical part tools: Slides, books, scientific papers. 

Links to further information

http://www.chiaraburatti.org/index.php?page=masset-it

Office hours

See the website of Chiara Buratti