REnvDB, a RESTful Database for Pervasive Environmental Wireless Sensor Networks

Every application of a Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) requires the data collected from sensor nodes to be reachable from the outside, in order to allow its processing and to obtain information from the monitored phenomena. Environmental protection and agriculture are examples of areas most likely to benefit from the deployment of WSNs. Devices equipped with temperature, humidity and light sensors could play a role in preserving the environment by providing early alerts and useful status information in real-time. Since such networks usually provide a huge amount of raw data, an easy way to organize, store and retrieve useful information is also needed. In this work we present REnvDB (RESTful Environmental DataBase), a novel database for Wireless Sensor Networks specifically designed for pervasive monitoring applications. The data model of the database is flexible enough to fulfill the requirements of most of the typical environmental monitoring systems. We also provided the database a RESTful interface, which can be used to expose the data collected by heterogeneous WSNs using the standard protocols of the World Wide Web. Thanks to its modular design and the use of metadata, the behavior of our RESTful interface can also be easily extended or modified according to the requirements and constraints of a specific context. Finally, the entire system has been implemented and tested in a real environment as part of a bigger project for the monitoring of an intensive agricultural field.