Remote modification of sensor mote design for next-generation Wireless Sensor Networks

Many Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) applications are new and their requirements may not be fully anticipated during the sensor networks design and development stage. We are presenting a sensor network infrastructure that support motes´ with remote hardware and software modification to match the target applications need. Using the proposed infrastructure in next-generation WSNs will produce flexible infrastructures that will provide over-the-air remote design modification even after the deployment of WSNs on the sensing field. In this paper, we are presenting the design concept and challenges of such infrastructure. Also, we present the use of the infrastructure in one possible environmental monitoring application such as forest fire. The development of such infrastructure will have an impact on advances the research on the real-time remote sensing, heterogeneous WSN, and WSNs applications.