Toward the sensor network macroscope

The Macroscope is a conceptual instrument for perceiving complex interactions, such as what occurs is ecosystems, social systems, and large-scale industrial settings. Sensor networks are a significant step toward such an instrument, because of the fidelity they offer in monitoring large regions of space and large collections of things. This talk describes our experiences in developing and deploying a large sensor network for microclimate monitoring of coastal redwood forests as a basis for studies in redwood ecophysiology. It summarizes the architecture, its implementation, and the many lessons and surprises encountered along the way. The effort produced unprecedented recordings of the microclimate dynamics indicating how these huge organisms interact with their environment.