A multipurpose node for low cost wireless sensor network

In recent years Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) have attracted an increasing attention because of the large number of potential applications. They are used for collecting, storing and sharing data, for monitoring application, surveillance purposes and much more. Taking into account such multipurpose applications, a new experimental electronic board has been designed to be used specifically as a multipurpose WSN node. The board has been completely designed as an open system in order to be configured by only varying the firmware on the microcontroller to be connected with different types of sensors, such as, for example, solid state tri-axial accelerometer, analog temperature sensors, GNSS receivers, etc... The board allow different interfaces and is equipped with a recovery system via a watchdog chip which continuously monitor the onboard microcontroller. A free open source operative system has been ported on the microcontroller in order to give greater flexibility to the node, and to perform multi tasking operations. Low power consumptions together with its compact size, and its multiple functionalities made the board perfectly suited as a multipurpose WSN node. The boards have been already employed in two installed WSN: a GPS monitoring network and an WSN designed as anti-theft alarm system for photovoltaic panels.