Racemote: A Mobile Node for Wireless Sensor Networks

This paper introduces Racemote, an enhanced node that enables mobility in wireless sensor networks. Racemote provides a novel robotic platform for experimental research in mobile sensor networks or other distributed measurement and control systems. The tiny mobile node is inexpensive and easy to assemble. Each mobile node consists of a processor/radio board, a Motor Board and a robotic base, most of which are built from off-the-shelf components. A testbed including the static nodes as well as the mobile node has also been created for validating the basic mobility functions of Racemote. Results of the demonstration project show that Racemote can greatly enhance the functionality of the conventional static sensor networks and it is an ideal platform for research in large-scale mobile sensor networks and distributed robotics.