Design and deployment tool for in-building wireless sensor networks: A performance discussion

The design and deployment of a wireless sensor network (WSN) for building automation applications is a complex operation that requires expert knowledge and experience. This paper presents an evaluation of a WSN deployment support framework for in-building wireless infrastructures. A case study consisting of a sample network deployment for environmental monitoring is used to investigate the need for such support tools. The network infrastructure design suggested by the deployment support tool is compared against designs done using basic planning guidelines and a design based on an extensive site survey and experience. It will be shown how the deployment support tools provide a WSN with a reduced infrastructure cost and improved sensing packet delivery ratio when compared to the designs using traditional approaches.