Ad Hoc and Sensor Networks (HS 2007)

Thousands of mini computers (in size comparable to a chewing gum), equipped with sensors, are deployed in some terrain. After activation the sensors form a self-organized network and provide data, for example about a forthcoming earthquake. The trend towards wireless communication affects more and more electronic devices in almost every sphere of life. Conventional networks rely on base stations, and the mobile devices exchange the data in a star-like fashion. In contrast, current research is mainly focused on networks that are completely unstructured, but are nevertheless able to communicate (via several hops), despite the low coverage of their antennas. Such systems are called sensor, ad hoc, or mesh networks, depending on the point of view and the application. For a few years now, these networks have been the focus of the research of the networking community. The goal of the lecture is to elaborate the relevant aspects of the field, from theory to practice.

Topics: Applications, Wireless Basics, Modeling, Media Access, Topology Control, Clustering, Time Synchronization, Localization & Positioning, Routing & Data Gathering.

Course pre-requisites: Basic networking knowledge.

Course language: English written, German or English spoken (depending on audience).

Exam preparation: This and this are two old exams of the lecture Mobile Computing which was the predecessor of this course. Please note that the two courses cover different material. Not all topics discussed in Mobile Computing were taught in this course and vice versa! Thus, these examples may only serve as a preview of what the actual exam questions may look like.

Question Time: One week before the exam on Friday, January 25, at 2pm in the room ETZ F78.1 we will try to answer open questions related to the material discussed in this course and its exercises. If you have any open question please send them to Nicolas and Pascal by Wednesday, January 23. Thanks