Multicore-Based EWSNs - An Example of Parallel and Distributed Embedded Systems*

This chapter proposes a heterogeneous hierarchical multicore embedded wireless sensor networks (MCEWSN) and the associated multicore embedded sensor node architecture. The multicore embedded sensor node comprises a sensing unit, a processing unit, a storage unit, a communication unit, a power unit, an optional actuator unit, and an optional location finding unit. The chapter elaborates several computation-intensive tasks performed by sensor networks that would especially benefit from multicore embedded sensor nodes. These tasks include information fusion, encryption, network coding, and software-defined radio (SDR). The chapter outlines wireless sensor networking application domains, such as wireless video sensor networks (WVSNs), wireless multimedia sensor networks (WMSNs), satellite-based sensor networks, space shuttle sensor networks (3SNs), aerial-terrestrial hybrid sensor networks (ATHSNs), and fault-tolerant sensor networks, that benefit from MCEWSNs. It also discusses several state-of-the-art multicore embedded sensor node prototypes developed in academia and industry. Finally, the chapter describes research challenges and future research directions for MCEWSNs.