PCS928 Sensor Networks

Contents and structure

This course covers technologies and methods used in wireless and wired communication system supporting a wide range of applications such as healthcare, environmental monitoring, industrial applications, smart grid and smart cities. These technologies require efficient, reliable, and predictive communication solutions. The focus is on industrial applications and challenges related to Industry 4.0. Following an introduction of network operations, advanced network solutions, requirements, and issues will be discussed. Specifically, the course covers topics such as media access and routing, addressing solutions related to reliability, latency, energy consumption, and so forth.

The course covers performance analysis of wireless sensor networks. In this regard, the students will use appropriate simulation environment for planning, simulating, and analyzing of wireless sensor networks. The analysis is to be summoned in an essay.

Learning Outcome

Knowledge

The student…

• knows the strength and weaknesses of key communication protocols.
• is able to explain the fundamental methods to meet delay requirements, reliability requirements, energy limitations, and scalability requirements.
• is able to identify and discuss challenges and solutions for industrial networks.
• can identify solutions that are applicable for various use cases.
• can discuss and compare design alternatives for communication protocols.

Skills

The student…

• can construct simulation models of protocol solutions for sensor networks.
• can assess the applicability and limitations of simulation-based performance analysis of sensor networks.
• can build and implement wired sensor networks.
• can build and implement wireless sensor networks.
• can describe the ethical design of network solutions.
• can formulate and implement methods to meet the performance requirements of sensor network applications.

General competency

The student…

• has competence to assess various protocols/ network architectures.
• can discuss and analyse different network solutions according to requirements.
• can assess the applicability and limitations of simulation-based performance analysis of wireless sensor networks.
• can discuss and relate recent developments and research trends within wireless sensor networks in general, and its applicability to industrial monitoring and control.
• understand ethics related to security and privacy in view of storing and transmission of data.

Entry requirements

General admission criteria for the PhD programme with emphasis on communication systems.

Teaching methods

Lectures and laboratory work.

Student-oriented learning methods will be used in the course.

As part of the mandatory course-work a sensor network scenario must be simulated using a simulator, and the simulation findings must be assessed.

Compulsory learning activities

2 project/ laboratory experiments.

Essay: present and discuss the simulations.

In order to take the examinations, the assignments must be approved.

Assessment

Written digital exam, duration: 4 hours

Exam graded pass/fail, pass corresponds to "C" in the graded scale

Examination support material

All written materials and content on local computer. No network communication, except WiseFlow.

More about examination support material