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ABSTRACT

Predictive environmental sensor networks provide complex engineering and systems challenges. These systems must withstand the event of interest, remain functional over long time periods when no events occur, cover large geographical regions of interest to the event, and support the variety of sensor types needed to detect the phenomenon. Prediction of the phenomenon on the network complicates the system further, requiring additional computation on themicrocontrollers and utilizing prediction models that are not typically designed for sensor networks. This paper describes a system architecture and deployment to meet the design requirements and to allow model-driven control, thereby optimizing the prediction capability of the system. We explore the application of river flood prediction using this architecture, describing our work on a centralized form of the prediction model, network implementation, component testing and infrastructure development in Honduras, deployment on a river in Massachusetts, and results of the field experiments. Our system uses only a small number of nodes to cover basins of 1000-10000 square km² using an unique heterogeneous communication structure to provide real-time sensed data, incorporating self-monitoring for failure, and adapting measurement schedules to capture events of interest.

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  C. Computer Systems Organization
  C.2 COMPUTER-COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
      C.2.1 Network Architecture and Design
          Subjects: Wireless communication

Additional Classification:
  C. Computer Systems Organization
  C.3 SPECIAL-PURPOSE AND APPLICATION-BASED SYSTEMS
      Subjects: Real-time and embedded systems

  I. Computing Methodologies
  I.6 SIMULATION AND MODELING
      I.6.5 Model Development

  J. Computer Applications
  J.2 PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND ENGINEERING
      Subjects: Earth and atmospheric sciences

General Terms:
Design, Experimentation, Measurement

Keywords:
early warning system, flood prediction, heterogeneous communication, regression model, wireless sensor network