Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) Topologies

Wireless Sensor Network (WSN)

• Consists of end nodes, routers, and coordinators
• End nodes have sensors attached and pass data to a coordinator with the help of routers
• Coordinator acts as the gateway that connects WSN to the internet

WSN Topologies

• Star Topology: each node connects directly to a gateway
• Tree Topology (Cascaded Star Topology): each node connects to a node higher in the tree, then to the gateway
• Mesh Topology: allows transmission of data from one node to another within radio transmission range

Types of WSN

• Terrestrial WSN: efficient communication with base stations, hundreds to thousands of wireless sensor nodes deployed in unstructured (ad hoc) or structured (Pre-planned) manner
• Underground WSN: sensor nodes hidden in the ground to monitor underground conditions
• Underwater WSN: sensor nodes and vehicles deployed underwater
• Multimedia WSN: enables tracking and monitoring of events in the form of multimedia
• Mobile WSN: collection of sensor nodes that can move and interact with the physical environment

Cloud Computing

• Next step of IoT-enabling technologies after data is sent to the cloud
• Includes database schema, server configurations, data analysis, big data, and various sets of tools

Types of Cloud Computing

• Public Cloud: owned and operated by third-party cloud service providers, delivering computing resources over the internet
• Private Cloud: cloud computing service deployed over the internet or via private internal network
• Hybrid Cloud: combines public and private clouds, allowing data and applications to move between them

Types of Cloud Computing Service Models

• Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): comprehensive online infrastructure for developing software
• Platform as a Service (PaaS): remotely build, run, and manage applications without developing and maintaining infrastructure
• Software as a Service (SaaS): software accessed from anywhere, rather than on an organization's premises

Big Data Analytics

• Process of collecting, examining, and analyzing large amounts of data to discover market trends, insights, and patterns
• 5 V's of Data:
  • Volume: enormous size of data generated from various sources
  • Velocity: speed of data creation in real-time
  • Variety: structured, unstructured, and semi-structured data from different sources
  • Veracity: reliability of data
  • Value: valuable and reliable data that is processed, stored, and analyzed

Network Protocols and Infrastructure

• Backbone of IoT systems, enabling network connectivity and linking to applications
• Communication protocols allow devices to exchange data over the network

Wireless Communication Technologies

• Wi-Fi: wireless networking technology providing wireless high-speed internet access
• Zigbee: low-power wireless local area network (WLAN) facilitating IoT and machine-to-machine (M2M) networks
• LoRaWAN: low-power, wide area networking protocol for wirelessly connecting devices to the internet
• Radio Frequency Identification (RFID): uses radio waves to identify people or objects
• Bluetooth: allows devices to communicate without cables or wires, using short-range radio frequency

Embedded Systems

• Combination of hardware and software to perform special tasks
• Includes microcontroller and microprocessor memory, networking units, input-output units, and storage devices
• Collects data and sends it to the internet
• Used in digital cameras, DVD players, industrial robots, wireless routers, etc.

Learn about the different topologies used in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN), including Star, Tree, and Mesh, and how they enable data transmission.