Performance of IEEE 802.15.4-based wireless sensors in harsh environments

The performance of IEEE 802.15.4-based wireless sensors for applications in electromagnetically and physically harsh environments, such as those of typical industrial floors, is addressed in this paper. The results are based on a series of experiments carried out in indoor and industrial environments in the presence of different types of electromagnetic interference (EMI) on the 2.4 GHz ISM band. The performance of the wireless sensors is assessed using the packet loss and packet received rates. The results show that IEEE 802.15.4-based wireless sensors operating on low transmission power levels perform well in the presence of high levels of EMI. However, performance is sensitive to the nature and the peak power of the interference. The results reported herein provide a useful performance guidance when deploying ad hoc wireless sensor networks in industrial floors.