FlashTrack: A Fast, In-network Tracking System for Sensor Networks

We revisit the classic object tracking problem with a novel and effective, yet straightforward distributed solution for resource-lean devices. The difficulty of object tracking lies in the mismatch between the limited computational capacity of typical sensor nodes and the processing requirements of typical tracking algorithms. In this paper, we introduce an in-network system for tracking mobile objects using resource-lean sensors. The system is based on a distributed, dynamically-scoped tracking algorithm which alters the event detection region and reporting rate based on object speed. A leader node records the detected samples across the event region and estimates the object's location in situ. We study the performance of our tracking implementation on an 80-node test bed. The results show that it achieves high performance, even for very fast objects, and is readily implemented on resource-lean sensors. While the area is well-studied, the unique combination of algorithmic features represents a significant addition to the literature.

[1]  Samir R. Das,et al.  Tracking moving targets in a smart sensor network , 2003, 2003 IEEE 58th Vehicular Technology Conference. VTC 2003-Fall (IEEE Cat. No.03CH37484).

[2]  Boleslaw K. Szymanski,et al.  Distributed Target Tracking with Imperfect Binary Sensor Networks , 2008, IEEE GLOBECOM 2008 - 2008 IEEE Global Telecommunications Conference.

[3]  Hao Jiang,et al.  Fast, Accurate Event Classification on Resource-Lean Embedded Sensors , 2011, TAAS.

[4]  Parameswaran Ramanathan,et al.  Distributed target classification and tracking in sensor networks , 2003 .

[5]  Nancy A. Lynch,et al.  A Hierarchy-Based Fault-Local Stabilizing Algorithm for Tracking in Sensor Networks , 2004, OPODIS.

[6]  Nisheeth Shrivastava,et al.  Target tracking with binary proximity sensors: fundamental limits, minimal descriptions, and algorithms , 2006, SenSys '06.

[7]  Maurice Herlihy,et al.  Self-stabilizing distributed queuing , 2001, IEEE Transactions on Parallel and Distributed Systems.

[8]  Gang Zhou,et al.  Achieving Real-Time Target Tracking UsingWireless Sensor Networks , 2006, 12th IEEE Real-Time and Embedded Technology and Applications Symposium (RTAS'06).

[9]  Leonidas J. Guibas,et al.  Sensing, tracking and reasoning with relations , 2002, IEEE Signal Process. Mag..

[10]  Vinayak S. Naik,et al.  A line in the sand: a wireless sensor network for target detection, classification, and tracking , 2004, Comput. Networks.

[11]  Feng Zhao,et al.  Collaborative In-Network Processing for Target Tracking , 2003, EURASIP J. Adv. Signal Process..

[12]  Panganamala Ramana Kumar,et al.  Tracking Objects with Networked Scattered Directional Sensors , 2008, EURASIP J. Adv. Signal Process..

[13]  Zack J. Butler,et al.  Tracking a moving object with a binary sensor network , 2003, SenSys '03.

[14]  Jeung-Yoon Choi,et al.  On target tracking with binary proximity sensors , 2005, IPSN 2005. Fourth International Symposium on Information Processing in Sensor Networks, 2005..

[15]  Upamanyu Madhow,et al.  Tracking Multiple Targets Using Binary Proximity Sensors , 2007, 2007 6th International Symposium on Information Processing in Sensor Networks.