FPGA based wireless sensor node for distributed process monitoring

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate FPGA based wireless sensor node for distributed process monitoring. The research uses Collaborative Clusters of wireless sensor nodes concept to achieve distributed monitoring. To demonstrate the concept, a virtual chemical process unit in a typical chemical plant is used as an example application. The paper also presents the implementation of wireless sensor node with FPGA as the secondary processor. The sensor nodes will measure and pre-process raw data from sensor source before sending them to a higher order node in the network in order to achieve real-time monitoring. To enable the sensor nodes for rapid creation of wireless sensing applications, an improved system setup is proposed and the results of the implementation will be discussed.