A Wireless Sensor Networks Software Framework for Research Scientists

Research scientists are focused on their area of expertise, which makes them subject matter
experts. Some researchers have experience with developing software, but a majority of research
scientists do not have the experience with software development. One thing researchers have in
common is collecting data. Data collection is done in many different ways using various tools,
both hardware and software. While collection methods vary, certain subjects have a common
environment in which data is collected. Agriculture and weather monitoring have a common
environment. The events that need to be monitored and observed occur outdoors. For instance, soil
moisture and dust events both occur outdoors and both can leverage a common framework to
transport their data. In addition, the same or different sensors can be utilized to for these
different applications. A common environment of data collection makes a good case
for using a software framework to combine different data collection streams into a common
framework. We have developed the framework to carry out the various tasks all while providing a
common underlying framework. In order to put this network to the test, we have deployed the
network to monitor dust events at a test site on the New Mexico State University Campus.
In addition, we deployed a small site along I-10 corridor in Lordsburg NM, a site currently of
interest for the New Mexico State Climate Center and the New Mexico State Dept of Transportation.
We've deployed low-cost over-the-counter nodes, like the Arduino's and Raspberry Pi's, along with
low-cost sensors, like the Shinyei PPD42NS.