Networked infomechanical systems: a mobile embedded networked sensor platform

Networked infomechanical systems (NIMS) introduces a new actuation capability for embedded networked sensing. By exploiting a constrained actuation method based on rapidly deployable infrastructure, NIMS suspends a network of wireless mobile and fixed sensor nodes in three-dimensional space. This permits run-time adaptation with variable sensing location, perspective, and even sensor type. Discoveries in NIMS environmental investigations have raised requirements for 1) new embedded platforms integrating many diverse sensors with actuators, and 2) advances for in-network sensor data processing. This is addressed with a new and generally applicable processor-preprocessor architecture described in this paper. Also this paper describes the successful integration of R, a powerful statistical computing environment, into the embedded NIMS node platform.