CSE 291 Chien, Spring 2003

Programming Sensor Networks (Section #465988)

Course Information

March 31, 2003

 

Course Meetings:  TuTh1230-150pm in Solis 109; alternate class meetings (makeups) F1230-150pm in SSB 106

Course web site:  http://www-csag.ucsd.edu/teaching/cse291s03/

Course Instructor: Andrew Chien, achien@ucsd.edu

 

Sensor Networks are a new type of networked computing system, enabled by the advance of wide array of hardware and radio technologies.  Because of their low-cost and capability for pervasive, low-cost, non-invasive sensing and actuation, sensor networks have the potential to transform (some would say ARE) a wide range of natural science, engineering, and social sciences.

While a number of groups have made significant contributions to sensor networks, the area is incredibly broad, spanning a stunning range of applications (monitoring bridges for seismic stress, fixed sensor arrays spanning the coastal waters, mobile arrays dropped into water runoff channels, monitoring birds nesting behavior, transient networks “smart dust” deployed to monitor vehicle movement, tracking zebra movements in east Africa, fixed sensor arrays for anti-terrorism monitoring, and many more).  These applications differ not only in their goals, but also the performance requirements and constraints they place on the sensor network systems which must meet them.

 

Topics to be covered include but are not limited to:

 

-          Vision and Hardware Technologies for Sensor Networks

-          Sensor Network Applications: Case Studies

-          Sensor Networks Middleware

-          Sensor Networks Programming

 

Note that the majority of the class will focus on programming, with the other elements covered primarily as support for understanding the programming challenges and needs.

 

Course Readings: The class will involve the reading original research papers.  The reading list  and some helpful additional references are included in the  Course Syllabus 

 

Course Work: Students in the course will read and present papers, leading discussions on the challenging research issues, and write paper summaries (2 units).  For students registering for four units, the class will also involve laboratory exercises and a project involving sensor network hardware from Ember networks and Crossbow.

 

Lectures/Presentation Slides are available.

 

Projects will be done in groups of two to four students for all students registering for 4 units.

More information on projects is now available.  Topics and groups must be finalized and described briefly in writing by April 22nd, and a detailed plan and progress to date in writing turned in by May 6.  Final project reports are due on June 3, and projects will be presented in class on June 5.

 

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