Dense, low-power sensor network for three-dimensional thermal characterization of large-scale atria spaces

• Main Authors: Gong, Nan-Wei (Contributor), Ray, Steve (Contributor), Ware, Gary (Author), Leida, Brett (Author), Ren, Tim (Author), London, Phil (Author), Paradiso, Joseph A. (Contributor), Ware, Laura M. (Contributor), Turza, Ashley K. (Contributor), Way, David H. (Contributor), Glicksman, Leon R. (Contributor)
• Other Authors: Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Architecture (Contributor), Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (Contributor), Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering (Contributor), Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Media Laboratory (Contributor), Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Research Laboratory of Electronics (Contributor)
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), 2013-09-16T20:30:21Z.
• Subjects: Article
• Online Access: Get fulltext

 We describe the design and implementation of a dense, low-power wireless sensor network for fine-grained three-dimensional thermal characterization of a large open indoor space. To better understand the airflow dynamics and ensuing energy efficiency potential of this type of modern architectural design, we developed a sustainable wireless mesh network consisting of 50 sensors hung on an array of thin cables in a 210 m[superscript 2], 14.2 m tall atrium for real-time temperature and humidity monitoring. The goal is to create compact wireless measurement sensor blocks for dense coverage in the building. We demonstrate the implementation through a preliminary analysis, which includes the evaluation of temperature distribution discrepancies with computer-simulated results and data taken during natural ventilation to illustrate the nontrivial, well-mixed temperatures observed during the studies.