Wireless Sensor Networks for urban applications: evaluation and practical considerations

Abstract: The Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are an emerging technology for monitoring applications. WSNs are enabled by the considerable progress in fields like micro-electronics, computer science and communications. Those progresses allow to build very small and relatively cheap components, that can be deployed in the environment to monitor, where the network self-configures itself and the nodes communicate over the wireless medium. This paper aims to illustrate the broad range of applications to urbanistic problems, where there is the need to detect relevant parameters like pollution, building strains, noise level, and video feeds. We firstly present the main features and challenges for applying WSNs to urban scenarios. Then, we provide a preliminary set of experimental results to assess the main involved parameters. Finally, we discuss the integration of a WSN with the GIS, in order to associate physical measurements with geographical information