Energy-Efficient Radio Platforms for Implementation of Nodes of Sensor Networks

The problem of monitoring of the state of complex technical structures poses a challenge for the design of an efficient monitoring system. Technical structures such as transport systems, office spaces, manufacturing facilities usually do not provide resources for powering and wire connecting network nodes. The nodes of the system, equipped with sensors, must function autonomously. The study identifies the bottlenecks and design tradeoffs of using radio platforms such as WiFi, Bluetooth LE and sub 1GHz that have a significant impact on the sensor network’s performance and energy efficiency. The proper pairing of processor and radio is crucial for taking the full advantage of the energy efficiency. A set of guidelines for designing and implementing energy efficient nodes of sensor networks is presented.