Team enabling architectures for very large sensor networks

This paper considers the problems involved in the design of 'dream applications' of networked intelligent sensors. These applications propose global scale networks of millions of sensors, requiring new paradigms of system design. One requirement of any suitable design methodology is that it supports the complete, multidisciplinary team that will be needed for this scale and type of application. The problems preventing effective working of such teams are discussed. It is argued that the adoption of suitable design principles and architectures can provide the well defined functions and interfaces which help a design team to define their several goals and responsibilities and therefore allow more effective development. Some established distributed design principles are put forward as being a suitable starting point, and the outline of an architecture is proposed.