A Concept for Information Extraction From Remote Wireless Sensor Networks

Recent advances in the development of microsensors, microprocessors, information fusion algorithms, and ad hoc networking have led to increasingly capable wireless sensor networks. These networks, when deployed to monitor an urban area, show great promise in enhancing warfighter situational awareness. However, delivering the sensor network's collected information back to the proper decision makers is one network capability that still requires improvement. To bridge this gap between the tactical operations center and multiple wireless sensor networks distributed across a city, engineers must create a system-of-systems architecture. This architecture must permit a warfighter to receive near-real-time sensor information from an out-of-theater operating post, whether a mile or an ocean away. Research accomplished in efforts such as the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's (DARPA) Information Exploitation Office sponsored Networked Embedded Systems Technology (NEST) program has provided information gathering algorithms for wireless sensor networks that are independent of the hardware platform on which they run. Nevertheless, these networks have no means for publishing the massive amounts of information to the Global Information Grid (GIG). To address this publication requirement, AFRL engineers have begun integrating NEST technologies with the Joint Battlespace Infosphere (JBI).1, 2 They recently developed a proof-of-concept demonstration of this idea for Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) review. In this demonstration, they integrated a tracking application developed for the NEST program with the AFRL developed JBI Reference Implementation and showcased the resultant capability to connect low-level information gatherers to high-level information distributors.