China's national research project on wireless sensor networks

China is experiencing rapid economic growth, but is also facing serious social and environmental problems, such as safety threats in the mining industry, environmental pollution, and transportation congestion. The advance of wireless sensor networks (WSNs) has made it possible to deploy low-cost networked sensors to address many huge challenges. A national research project, supported by the prestigious National 973 Program of China, was launched in September 2006. The project adopts an application-driven methodology and aims to address the real-world critical problems facing Chinese society. This project will follow a systematic approach, integrating technologies as a system solution to critical problems. Although this is a basic research project, the project has an ambitious goal of solving practical problems with the potential of commercialization. The success of this project will bring significant benefits to China's sustainable economic and social development.