Challenges in Developing and Deploying a PIR Sensor-Based Intrusion Classification System for an Outdoor Environment

The aim of the current paper is to describe the challenges faced during the development and deployment of a PIR sensor-based intrusion classification system in an outdoor environment. Some potential solutions to overcome these challenges are also presented. The challenges are of three types: (a) challenges in designing a sensor tower platform that is physically aligned to the accuracies demanded by the application, (b) challenges involved in implementing high-accuracy algorithms on a mote and, finally and perhaps most importantly, (c) challenges faced in attempting to operate a PIR-based sensor tower platform at temperatures close to that of the human body. A test deployment over a 15-week period, beginning Feb 6, 2016, was carried out within the campus of the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru. This period of deployment coincided with the peak summer season at which time the ambient temperature in Bengaluru ranged from 15 degree C to 38 degree C. This made it possible to study the behavior of the PIR-based sensor tower platform in settings where the ambient temperature is close to that of the human body.