Realizing an agent-oriented middleware for heterogeneous sensor networks

Classic computing systems are characterised by heterogeneity, with its inherent advantages and disadvantages. This raises a number of difficulties for software engineers. The vision offered by a mix-and-match approach is an attractive one, though its practical realisation comes at a cost, as the process of integration is rarely smooth. This scenario will be repeated as Wireless Sensor Networks are increasingly incorporated into mainstream computing. One potential paradigm for managing this heterogeneity is that of intelligent agents. This paper considers the viability and potential of lightweight agents as a paradigm for harnessing the potential of heterogeneous wireless sensor networks.