More than half a billion RF nodes will ship for wireless sensor applications in 2010 for an end user market worth more than $7 billion, according to a recently released report by ON World, an emerging wireless research firm.
Moreover, we are not far from automated grocery lists, controlled heating/lighting, personal health diagnostics and alerts that let you know when your baby strays too far, according ON World. The technology behind these emerging conveniences are "Wireless sensor networks".
Although wireless sensor networking has been around for decades, it is has stayed in an infancy stage until recently due to expensive, primitive radios and bulky, complicated sensors. The wireless sensor market is poised to take off now that advanced radio frequency integrated circuits (RFICs) are now available for less than $3 in high volumes and smart sensor integrated circuits are now the norm.
The lack of standards has not only prevented the possibility for interoperability but also has limited innovation. Hatler says that "the upcoming ZigBee network protocol will provide a common platform upon which developers can create applications that will leverage the hardware advances with radios and sensors. The vision for the ZigBee specification is to enable developers to create solutions that will lower installation and maintenance costs for a variety of sensors used in industrial settings as well as to provide more control over heating, lighting and energy usage by factories, manufacturing, construction, mining, warehousing and commercial buildings.
Moreover, wireless sensor networking is quite timely with the emphasis today on energy conservation and reduced expensed. ON World reports that because wireless sensors can be more easily installed and in a wider range of areas, they will likely reduce wasted lighting and heating expenditures by as much as 50 percent, says Hatler. In 2001, total energy costs in the United States were 15 percent of its GDP, or $891.1 billion.
Over the next five years, consumers will get more control over their energy consumption and bills as well through two-way communications with their utilities companies. Wireless automated meter reading (AMR), a form of wireless sensor networking, is a low-cost solution for utilities to offer this to their customers.
Another killer app for wireless sensors is monitoring industrial processes and related equipment to alert staff of imminent failures which can save millions of dollars in potential lost productivity. Wireless sensors can also reach places where wires will not go and especially dangerous areas that might be filled with toxins or high temperatures. For example, opening a man hole can cost thousands of dollars per hour for the amount of effort that goes in to ensuring it is safe. Wireless sensors can reduce these costs and ensure safety much more easily.
Consumer usage of wireless sensors is perhaps one of the most interesting areas and one with the largest potential. According to ON World, residential wireless sensors will soon be used to control lighting as well as heating, venting and air conditioning (HVAC) and appliances. Pretty soon, consumers will be able to control aspects of remote parts of the house through their wireless sensor networks and user interfaces that they can access through either computers or remote controls. Not much longer after this, consumers will be able to self-diagnose themselves, keep track of their belongings and communicate with their cars with-you guessed it: wireless sensor network technologies.
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