WISENET
www.wisenet.uu.se

APPLICATIONS

Today's dynamic society demands a rapidly increasing range of sensing and monitoring services in every aspect of life, from control and automation of industrial production, traffic safety, durable ecosystems, public and home security through to sustainable life and health care.

Wireless Sensor Networks have the potential to economically renew basic industries, such as process, transportation, forestry and agriculture industries, to create new industries in eco-system control and to ease the labor intensive health care monitoring. Individuals are also likely to benefit more directly from sensor networks, both at home as well at work simplifying day-to-day tasks.

Our Center will in the first phase work in the following application areas:

Transportation

Sensors are today frequently used in vehicles and aircrafts manufactured by Swedish industry. By using wireless and networks of sensors, heavy and complex wiring can be reduced, saving fuel and cost. Furthermore, wireless sensors in vehicles can easily interact with sensors outside the vehicle, e.g. at curbside for increased safety and more fuel-efficient driving.

Ecological sustainable society

Wireless sensor networks are very suitable for monitoring large areas for contamination, for studying local ecosystems and for controlling large biological recycling processes. Wireless sensor network can be used for monitoring sensitive aquatic environments such as the Baltic Sea - think of an array of submerged nodes equipped with sensors for physical, chemical, or biological parameters.

Public health

Public health care is seen as a huge potential user and beneficiary of sensor networks. For example, small wireless sensors could be carried around measuring vital body information. Furthermore, carrying monitoring equipment without wires would increase the mobility of patients without sacrificing flow of data.

Defence and peacekeeping

Sensor networks will be of vital importance for Swedish defense and military industry. Peace keeping forces could launch a massive amount of sensors over areas to detect troop movements, detect vehicle noise signatures, explosives, chemical warfare, radio listening, etc, and they could propagate that information back for tactical decisions.