This document provides an overview of the NODUS MODULARIS project. It discusses wireless sensor networks and motes, commonly used mote platforms like Berkeley Mica2 and Telos, the concept of a modular node with interchangeable boards for sensing, processing, transmission and power, and examples of modular node applications.

1. NODUS MODULARIS project
An Overview
Fabrizio Stefani
Fernando Pianegiani
nome.cognome@arslogica.it

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SUMMARY
Wireless Sensor Networks and Motes
WSN Topology
Berkeley Mote Mica2
Mote Platform Evolution
802.15.4 Platforms: Telos and MicaZ
802.15.4 and ZigBee, why?
MoteBoard for development: ALmote
The Concept of Modular Node
The Modular Node Prototype
Modular Node Applications (ex.)

3. Wireless Sensor Networks and Motes
Wireless sensor network (WSN): a wireless network consisting of spatially
distributed autonomous devices using sensors to cooperatively monitor physical or
environmental conditions (e.g. temperature, sound, vibration, pressure, motion or
pollutants) at different locations.
A Mote is “a small piece of something”, such as a dust particle. Mote is the name
usually given to WSN boards (mote boards, MB).
Memory
Exp Connector
MCU
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Mote components:
Microcontroller (MCU)
Radio Chip
Antenna
Power source (e.g. battery)
External Memory
Sensors (S)
Expansion Connector
Mote
Radio
Chip
S
S
Power
(battery)

4. WSN topology (general)
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Base station
Gateway
Cluster-head
Information
system
Motes
Internet
Cluster

5. Implementation problems:
fixed-point implementation
limited memory
low clock frequency
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Berkeley mote Mica2
Main characteristics:
Size
58 x 32 x 7 (mm), 18 gr (+ batt.)
Processor
microcontroller Atmel ATmega128L
10 bit ADC
8 mA (ACTIVE MODE), < 15 μA (SLEEP MODE)
Memory
4 Kbytes di SRAM
4 Kbytes di EEPROM
128 Kbytes di PROGRAM MEMORY
512 Kbytes di FLASH (SPI)
Radio (ChipCon CC1000)
> 25 mA TX, 8 mA RX, < 1 μA SLEEP
433 MHz (FSK), 19.2 Kbit/s, 330 m
3 LEDs
• 51 pin expansion connector
2 batteries AA 1.5 V
TinyOS
Sensor board MPR410CB

6. Mote platforms evolution
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7. 802.15.4 platforms: Telos and MicaZ
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Focused on low power
Sleep - Most of the time
Telos: 2.4mA
MicaZ: 30mA
Wakeup
As quickly as possible to
process and return to sleep
Telos: 290ns typical, 6ms max
MicaZ: 60ms max internal
oscillator, 4ms external
Process
Get your work done and get
back to sleep
Telos: 4MHz 16-bit
MicaZ: 8MHz 8-bit
TI MSP430
Ultra low power
1.6mA sleep
460mA active
1.8V operation
Standards Based
IEEE 802.15.4, USB (Telos)
IEEE 802.15.4
CC2420 radio
250 kb/s
2.4GHz ISM band
TinyOS support
New suite of radio stacks
Pushing hardware abstraction
Must conform to std link
Ease of development and Test
Program over USB (Telos) or
simple programmer board
(MicaZ)
Std connector header
Interoperability
Telos / MicaZ / ChipCon dev
UCB Telos
Xbow MicaZ

8. MoteBoard for development: ALMote
Key Features
• 250 kb/s 2.4 GHz IEEE 802.15.4 Chipcon Wireless Transceiver
• Interoperability with other IEEE 802.15.4 devices (Telos, MicaZ)
• 8MHz Texas Instruments MSP430 microcontroller (10k RAM, 48k Flash)
• Integrated ADC, DAC, Supply Voltage Supervisor, and DMA Controller
• Integrated onboard antenna with 50 m range indoor / 125 m range outdoor
• Ultra low current consumption
• Fast wakeup from sleep (< 6 μs )
• Hardware link-layer encryption and authentication
• JTAG and 24-pin expansion connector, optional SMA antenna connector
• TinyOS support : mesh networking and communication implementation
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ALMote = ArsLogica mote
(Telos compatible)

9. Why 802.15.4 – ZigBee ?
Certified
Reliable and self healing (interference)
Supports large number of nodes (up to 65535)
Easy to deploy
Very long battery life (days/months, depending on
appl.)
Secure
Low cost
Can be used globally (ISM band)
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10. The Concept of Modular Node
Gateway Board (GB)
Progr./Acquisition
Board (PAB)
Processing Board (EB)
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Mote Board (MB)
Transmission Board
(TB)
Controlling Board (CB)
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Sensing Board (SB)
• WiFi
• GSM/GPRS
• Bluetooth
• ...
• FPGA/DSP/GPP
• Memory
• OS (if needed)
• MCU
• Memory
• OS + appl. SW
• RS-232/422
• USB
• Ethernet
• JTAG
• RF transceiver
• Antenna (printed /
external)
Acceleration, Temperature
Humidity, Light, Images
...
Power Board (SB)
Energy scavenging:
• Solar panel
• Vibration
• Radiation, ...

11. Modular Node Applications (examples)
ALMote
ALMote
PAB UART1 SPI
UART1 UART
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GB
(GPRS/WiFi)
CB
(MSP430)
TB
(CC2420)
UART1 SPI
(UART0)
ALMote
(SPI) PAB
GB
(GPRS/WiFi)
(UART0)
CB
(MSP430)
TB
(CC2420)
ALMote – Gateway
ALMote – PAB
ALMote – Gateway – PAB