Collaborative Research: NeTS-NECO: Energy Replenishment for Wireless Sensor Networks

能量约束一直是传感器网络中的一个基本问题，特别是当网络需要长时间运行时。虽然提出了许多解决办法来解决这个问题，但它们的局限性是突出的：资源节约计划可以减缓能源消耗，但不能补偿能源耗竭；由于环境条件的不可控和技术的限制，目前的环境资源收集方案效率低且不稳定；增量部署可能会造成环境污染，而且成本可能过高。该项目利用新兴的无线充电技术，从一个全新的角度来解决这个问题。具体而言，首先提出了一种分层结构，包括一个能量供应站作为稳定的能量来源，几个自主移动能量充电器和大量的传感器节点。在此基础上，开发了解决资源补充中独特的三层、长期、多时间和在线调度问题的方案。通过原型设计和广泛的实验对体系结构和方案进行了评估。该项目将有可能改变当前传感器网络能源管理的研究现状，从实践和理论两个方面提高传感器网络的性能，从而推动传感器网络在结构健康监测、智能工厂、园林/兰花监测、道路/交通监测等方面的更广泛应用。它还将为网络研究和应用培养一支由年轻科学家、学生和专业人员组成的多元化骨干队伍。

Abstract for proposal #0831874 Energy constraint has persisted as a fundamental problem in sensor networks, especially when the networks are required to operate for a long time. Although many solutions have been proposed to address the problem, their limitations are salient: resource-conservation schemes can slow down energy consumption but cannot compensate energy depletion; current environmental resource harvesting schemes have low, unstable efficiency due to uncontrollable environmental conditions and technological limitations; incremental deployment may cause environment pollution and may be too costly. This project leverages the emerging wireless energy charging technology to address the problem from a brand new perspective. Specifically, a hierarchical architecture is first proposed to include an energy provision station as the stable source of energy, a few autonomous mobile energy chargers, and a large number of sensor nodes. On top of the architecture, schemes are developed to solve a unique three-tier, long-term, multiple-time and on-line scheduling problem present in resource replenishment. The architecture and schemes are evaluated through prototyping and extensive experiments. The project will potentially transform the current research on energy management in sensor networks, improve the sensor network performance from both practical and theoretical aspects, and thus promote the wider application of sensor networks in structural health monitoring, smart factories, garden/orchid monitoring, road/traffic monitoring and so on. It will also train a diverse cadre of young scientists, students and professionals for network research and applications.