Wireless Sensors and Actuators Networks: Localization for Medical and Robotics Applications

Abstract Wireless sensors and actuators networks (WSAN) have started to be massively deployed for a large number of diverse applications, such as military, environmental, medical, factory automation, home appliances, interactive museums and many others. These networks are usually integrated into extremely complex cyber physical systems. The nodes of these networks are either fixed, or mobile. All WSAN share some common characteristics, but they also address particular challenges, specific to each application area. A need that is common to many such networks, but has also particular requirements and constraints due to their specific application area is determining the position of certain nodes in the network. The paper reviews the most popular approaches in localization, as well as the specific requirements and constraints in medical and robotics applications and discusses the best approaches for localization in such applications