Building Wireless Sensor Networks

Preface

Building Wireless Sensor Networks is an essential guide for anyone interested in wireless communications for sensor networks, home networking, or device hacking. It is a first step in becoming proficient in making these systems. It is not a textbook on protocols or a complete guide to networking theory. No engineering or computer science background is expected or required. Those who have fooled around a bit with electronics or programming will certainly have a leg up, but in general, this book is aimed at hobbyists, students, makers, hardware hackers, designers, artists, and prototypers. In the chapters to come, you will scaffold your way up toward greater comfort and proficiency with hardware, software, radio, and communications. I’ll explain everything necessary to get started, at least briefly. We’ll create examples using accessible environments, such as Arduino for hardware and Processing for displays. And I’ll provide a full range of resources, including helpful references to outside works for the electronics and networking novice. Whether you are a young inventor or an experienced engineer, this book focuses on getting your projects up and running as efficiently as possible.

All the projects you’ll create in this book use radio signals that pass invisibly through the air. This “wirelessness” is essential whenever you want to place sensors where no cables can be installed, or where such tethering is undesirable. With radio, you can employ sensing and actuation in pristine ...