Testing the feasibility of wireless sensor networks and the use of radio signal strength indicator to track the movements of wild animals

2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (8) ◽  
pp. 659 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. R. Krull ◽  
L. F. McMillan ◽  
R. M. Fewster ◽  
R. van der Ree ◽  
R. Pech ◽  
...  

Context Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are revolutionising areas of animal behaviour research and are advantageous based on their ability to be deployed remotely and unobtrusively, for long time periods in inaccessible areas. Aims We aimed to determine the feasibility of using a WSN to track detailed movement paths of small animals, e.g. rats (Rattus spp.) 100–400g, too small for current GPS technology, by calibrating active Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags and loggers using Radio Frequency Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) as a proxy for distance. Active RFIDs are also called Wireless Identification (WID) tags. Methods Calibration tests were conducted using a grid of loggers (n=16) spaced at 45-m intervals in clear line-of-sight conditions. WID tags (n=16) were placed between the loggers at 45-m intervals. Eight ‘walks’ were also conducted through the grid using a single WID tag. This involved attaching the tag to a small bottle of water (to simulate the body of an animal), towed around the grid using a 1-m long tow line attached to a volunteer walker. The volunteer also held a GPS device that logged their track. Models were constructed to test the effects of distance, tag movement and individual differences in loggers and tags on the reliability of movement data. Key results Loggers were most successful at detecting tags at distances <50m. However, there was a significant difference in the detection probabilities of individual loggers and also the transmission performance of individual tags. Static tags were less likely to be detected than the mobile tag; and although RSSI was somewhat related to distance, the reliability of this parameter was highly variable. Implications We recommend caution in the future use of current radio frequency ID tags in wireless sensor networks to track the movement of small animals, and in the use of RSSI as an indicator of individual distance values, as extensive in situ calibration is required. ‘Off the shelf’ devices may vary in performance, rendering data unreliable. We emphasise the importance of calibrating all equipment in animal tracking studies to reduce data uncertainty and error.

Symmetry ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 865 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammed H. Alsharif ◽  
Sunghwan Kim ◽  
Nuri Kuruoğlu

In the near future, symmetry technologies for the Internet of Things (IoT), along with symmetry and asymmetry applications for IoT security and privacy, will re-design the socio-ecological human terrain morphology. The IoT ecosystem deploys diverse sensor platforms connecting billions of heterogeneous objects through the Internet. Most sensors are low-energy consuming devices which are designed to transmit sporadically or continuously. However, when we consider the billions/trillions of connected sensors powering various user applications, their energy efficiency (EE) becomes a critical issue. Therefore, the importance of EE in IoT technology cannot be overemphasised, specifically the development of EE solutions for sustainable IoT technology. Propelled by this need, EE proposals are expected to address IoT’s EE issues. Consequently, many developments have been displayed, and highlighting them to provide clear insights into eco-sustainable and green IoT technologies is becoming a crucial task. To pursue a clear vision of green IoT, this article aims to describe the current state-of-the art insights into energy-saving practices and strategies on green IoT. The major contribution of this study is the review and discussion of the substantial issues enabling hardware green IoT to focus on green wireless sensor networks and green radio-frequency identification. This review paper will contribute significantly to the future implementation of green and eco-sustainable IoT.


Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (9) ◽  
pp. 2417
Author(s):  
Andrzej Michalski ◽  
Zbigniew Watral

This article presents the problems of powering wireless sensor networks operating in the structures of the Internet of Things (IoT). This issue was discussed on the example of a universal end node in IoT technology containing RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags. The basic methods of signal transmission in these types of networks are discussed and their impact on the basic requirements such as range, transmission speed, low energy consumption, and the maximum number of devices that can simultaneously operate in the network. The issue of low power consumption of devices used in IoT solutions is one of the main research objects. The analysis of possible communication protocols has shown that there is a possibility of effective optimization in this area. The wide range of power sources available on the market, used in nodes of wireless sensor networks, was compared. The alternative possibilities of powering the network nodes from Energy Harvesting (EH) generators are presented.


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