Measurements in harsh RF propagation environments to support performance evaluation of wireless sensor networks

Abstract

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to describe common methods for evaluating the performance of wireless devices such as wireless sensors in harsh radio environments. Design/methodology/approach - The paper describes how measurements of real-world propagation environments can be used to support the evaluation process, then presents representative measurement data from multipath environments where sensor networks are likely to be deployed: a fixed-infrastructure, process-control environment (here an oil refinery), and a heavy industrial environment (here an automotive assembly plant). Findings - Results on the characterization of multipath in the propagation channel are summarized and how these results may be used in the performance evaluation of sensor networks is discussed. Originality/value - The paper describes measurement results from environments where little open-literature data exists on point-to-point propagation, specifically high-multipath environments. These highly reflective scenarios can present difficulties for deployment of sensor networks. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.