Q21Internet of Things
Question
What is WSN? Explain the node architecture of WSN and discuss the routing protocols used in WSN with respect to IoT.
Answer
WSN nodes collaborate to sense environments and route data using specialized protocols.
A Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) consists of spatially distributed autonomous sensors. Node Architecture: A typical WSN node comprises a sensing unit (sensors and ADCs), a processing unit (microcontroller and memory), a communication unit (transceiver), and a power unit (battery/solar). Routing Protocols: Due to power constraints, standard IP routing is inefficient. WSNs use specialized routing: - Flat Routing (e.g., SPIN, Directed Diffusion): All nodes have equal roles; data is queried and forwarded. - Hierarchical Routing (e.g., LEACH): Nodes are grouped into clusters. Cluster Heads aggregate data and send it to the sink, conserving overall network energy. - Location-based Routing (e.g., GAF): Uses geographical information to route data efficiently. In IoT, WSNs act as the foundational data gathering layer, interfacing with the internet via an edge gateway.
