This chapter describes an architecture for slicing, virtualizing, and federating wireless sensor network (WSN) resources. The architecture, which we call KanseiGenie, allows users – be they sensing/networking researchers or application developers – to specify and acquire node and network resources as well as sensor data resources within one or more facilities for launching their programs. It also includes server-side measurement and management support for user programs, as well as client-side support for experiment composition and control. We illustrate KanseiGenie architectural concepts in terms of a current realization of KanseiGenie that serves WSN testbeds and application-centric fabrics at The Ohio State University and at Wayne State University.

Introduction

Deployed wireless sensor networks (WSN) have typically been both small-scale and focused on a particular application such as environmental monitoring or intrusion detection. However, recent advances in platform and protocol design now permit city-scale WSNs that can be deployed in such a way that new, unanticipated sensing applications can be accommodated by the network. This lets developers focus more on leveraging existing network resources and less on individual nodes.

Network abstractions for WSN development include APIs for scheduling tasks and monitoring system health as well as for in-the-field programming of applications, network components, and sensing components. As a result, WSN deployments have in several cases morphed from application-specific custom solutions to “WSN fabrics” that may be customized and reused in the field.