Wireless Sensor Networks - A Market Research Report

Introduction:

Wireless sensor network (WSN) is a wireless network consisting of spatially distributed autonomous devices using sensors to cooperatively monitor physical or environmental conditions, such as temperature, sound, vibration, pressure, motion or pollutants, at different locations.

Unique characteristics of a WSN include:

•     Limited power they can harvest or store
•     Ability to withstand harsh environmental conditions
•     Ability to cope with node failures
•     Mobility of nodes
•     Dynamic network topology
•     Communication failures
•     Heterogeneity of nodes
•     Large scale of deployment
•     Unattended operation

Efficient power management

Several techniques are used for efficient power management

• Dynamic power management (DPM): Dynamic power management (DPM) is an effective tool in reducing system power consumption without significantly degrading performance. The basic idea is to shut down devices when not needed and wake them up when necessary.
• Data-Driven Power Management (DDPM): A new power management framework called Data-Driven Power Management (DDPM) is used as the infrastructure for integrating various energy efficient techniques, such as approximate querying and sleep scheduling.
• Efficient Sleep Scheduling based on Application Timing (ESSAT): Another technique Efficient Sleep Scheduling based on Application Timing (ESSAT), a novel power management scheme that aggressively exploits the timing semantics of wireless sensor network applications. ESSAT protocols have several distinguishing features. First, they can save significant energy with minimal delay penalties. Second, they do not maintain TDMA schedules or communication backbones; as such, they are highly efficient and suitable for resource constrained sensor platforms.

Low power operation on batteries :

Networks of sensors are widely used for monitoring and control applications. In a communication network, deployment of wires is expensive and causes hassles during normal operations and maintenance. This led to the development of wireless networks. Wireless sensor networks not only eliminate the need for wires, but also open many new application domains. Reliability and low-power consumption are the two important factors, which determine the performance of a WSN. Though messages are exchanged without any data cables in a WSN, power cables are required for powering sensor devices. Power is fed to the WSN via mains supply. But, this concept is now replaced by batteries and energy harvesting devices. If batteries are used, replacement and maintenance issues cause concern. Power management techniques (low-power/ultralow-power WSNs) seem to be the viable solutions in improving the lifetime of the batteries and various low-power technologies are being developed in this spectrum. Power/energy harvesting is an emerging technology, which eliminates the need for batteries.

Energy Harvesting technologies :

Energy harvesting technologies are required for autonomous sensor networks for which using a power source from a fixed utility or manual battery recharging is infeasible. An energy harvesting device (e.g., a solar cell) converts different forms of environmental energy into electricity to be supplied to a sensor node. However, since it can produce energy only at a limited rate, energy saving mechanisms play an important role to reduce energy consumption in a sensor node.
Energy harvesting technologies such as piezoelectric, thermoelectric and others will have potential applications in wireless sensor networks and low-power devices.

Products:

The Wireless sensor networks have Microcontroller kits which controls all motes in the network and especially for low power harvesting in the network we have different kind of batteries and energy harvesting and converting modules like thermal energy harvesters and solar energy harvesters

• NI WSN-3212(4-Channel, 24-Bit, Programmable Thermocouple Input Node)
• EnerChip EH CBC5300 Energy Harvesting Module
• Solar Energy Harvesting Wireless Demo Kit
• JenNet Protocol Stack
• JN5148 Wireless Microcontroller - ZigBee PRO Platform
• JN5139 Wireless Modules (IEEE802.15.4 and ZigBee)
• PhyNet Wireless Sensor Networking Platform
• Arch Rock Energy Optimizer
• GreenPeak Emerald GP500C Communications Controller chip
• Micropelt Thermogenerator
• SmartMesh
• Wireless Sensor Hub (Battery)
• Powercast Powerharvester module

Market research:

World Market projection:

*Wireless Sensors and Transmitters market is growing worldwide. The below figures indicates there is a drastic change in last few years and these number increases in future.

*Last 5 Years: Market growth is huge in the last 5 years increased from 180 million dollars in 2005 to 380 million dollars approximately (200 % growth).

*Future: Market forecasts reaches to 1800 million dollars by 2012 approximately (45% growth)

Global Market projection:

*The below graph shows wireless sensors and Transmitters market in different regions North America, Europe, Asia pacific, and other countries of world.

*Major market growth in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific.

*Last 5 Years: In North America the market increased from 20 million dollars to 160 million dollars approximately, in Europe the market increased from 15 million dollars to 130 million dollars approximately, in Asia-Pacific the market increased from 8 million dollars to 120 million dollars approximately.

*Future: Market forecast reaches to 600 million dollars in North America, 500 million dollars in Europe and 400 million dollars in Asia pacific approximately.