Building Wireless Sensor Networks

Book excerpt: Get ready to create distributed sensor systems and intelligent interactive devices using the ZigBee wireless networking protocol and Series 2 XBee radios. By the time you're halfway through this fast-paced, hands-on guide, you'll have built a series of useful projects, including a complete ZigBee wireless network that delivers remotely sensed data. Radio networking is creating revolutions in volcano monitoring, performance art, clean energy, and consumer electronics. As you follow the examples in each chapter, you'll learn how to tackle inspiring projects of your own. This practical guide is ideal for inventors, hackers, crafters, students, hobbyists, and scientists. Investigate an assortment of practical and intriguing project ideas Prep your ZigBee toolbox with an extensive shopping list of parts and programs Create a simple, working ZigBee network with XBee radios in less than two hours -- for under $100 Use the Arduino open source electronics prototyping platform to build a series of increasingly complex projects Get familiar with XBee's API mode for creating sensor networks Build fully scalable sensing and actuation systems with inexpensive components Learn about power management, source routing, and other XBee technical nuances Make gateways that connect with neighboring networks, including the Internet