Ad Hoc and Sensor Networks (HS 2008)

Thousands of mini computers (in size comparable to a chewing gum), equipped with sensors, are deployed in some terrain. After activation the sensors form a self-organized network and provide data, for example about a forthcoming earthquake. The trend towards wireless communication affects more and more electronic devices in almost every sphere of life. Conventional networks rely on base stations, and the mobile devices exchange the data in a star-like fashion. In contrast, current research is mainly focused on networks that are completely unstructured, but are nevertheless able to communicate (via several hops), despite the low coverage of their antennas. Such systems are called sensor, ad hoc, or mesh networks, depending on the point of view and the application. For a few years now, these networks have been the focus of the research of the networking community. The goal of the lecture is to elaborate the relevant aspects of the field, from theory to practice.

Topics: Applications, Wireless Basics, Modeling, Media Access, Topology Control, Clustering, Clock Synchronization, Localization & Positioning, Routing & Data Gathering.

Course pre-requisites: Basic networking knowledge.

Course language: English.