Wireless sensor networks as part of a web-based building environmental monitoring system

The presented research shows how advanced wireless sensor technology can be used by engineers to monitor conditions in and around buildings. The objective is split into three different tasks. First, wireless sensor hardware is programmed to process signals from sensors and transmit the data in a suitable format. This task was accomplished through an open-source operating system and a programming language designed specifically for wireless sensor hardware. The second task involved the processing of signals sent by the wireless sensor nodes. In this application, a Java program was written that deciphered messages transmitted from a wireless receiver over a computer's serial port and then placed the data in a database. The structure of that database is discussed to help identify the key pieces of information that are needed to make use of the data. The third piece of the proposed monitoring system is an interface to review the data. A Web-based system was developed that allows a user to mine the database using parameters such as the type of data, location of sensor, and the time of data acquisition. It is anticipated that this research will demonstrate the potential of using wireless sensor networks for monitoring buildings. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.