A Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) is a self-configuring, infrastructure-less network consisting of sensor nodes that communicate through wireless connectivity to collect, process, and transmit data. These sensor nodes are small in size, low-cost, and equipped with computational, sensing, and wireless communication capabilities.
In a WSN, the sensor nodes are strategically deployed in a specific area to monitor various physical conditions, such as temperature, humidity, pressure, vibration, noise, and many others. The nodes work collaboratively to form a network and communicate with each other, enabling the aggregation, analysis, and dissemination of collected data.
WSNs find applications in diverse domains, including environmental monitoring, healthcare, agriculture, smart cities, and industrial automation, among others. They provide extensive coverage, flexibility, and scalability, making them suitable for both small-scale deployments and large-scale implementations.
WSNs employ different wireless communication protocols, such as ZigBee, Bluetooth, WiFi, or cellular networks, to transmit data to a central base station or a sink node. Advanced techniques are often used to optimize energy consumption, as the limited battery life of the sensor nodes is a critical concern.
Overall, Wireless Sensor Networks enable real-time data acquisition, analysis, and decision-making by offering a cost-effective and efficient solution for gathering information from remote or inaccessible areas, leading to improved monitoring, management, and control of various systems.
