Wireless sensor networks and sensor fusion for early warning in engineering geology

Abstract

Due to the large complexity, interactions and feedback effects of geo-processes directly influencing our live, there is an increasing need for information and monitoring of our environment. For this tasks wireless sensor networks (WSN) are expected to provide future solutions for observation tasks, which can not be covered by current monitoring systems. Especially their ability to establish ad hoc networks, real-time skills, cable-less communication, low energy consumption and self-healing are of special interest. Besides this the option to observe processes with networks of sensors allows to enhance information retrieval in geo-monitoring applying multi data sensor fusion. Especially the JDL sensor fusion concept provides a framework in which the whole chain of a monitoring and early warning system can be realized, considering also internal feedbacks and interaction with external operators. The major advantage is that this allows overcoming static safety concepts or threshold definitions and replaces them by a dynamic safety assessment including predictions of future states. .