UWB wireless sensor networks: UWEN - a practical example

The research topic of sensor networks has been around for some time. With improvements in device size, power consumption, communications, and computing technology, sensor networks are becoming more popular for an ever increasing range of applications. Since 2002, there has been an increased in the popularity of commercial applications based on ultra wideband. This, in turn, has ignited interest in the use of this technology for sensor networks and fuelled research in the area. Impulse-radio-based UWB technology has a number of inherent properties that are well suited to sensor network applications. In particular, UWB systems have potentially low complexity and low cost, have noise-like signal, are resistant to severe multipath and jamming, and have very good time domain resolution allowing for location and tracking applications. This article examines one example of a UWB sensor network for outdoor sport and lifestyle applications.