Deployment-ready multimode micropower wireless sensor networks for intrusion detection, classification, and tracking

Accurate personnel and vehicle tracking has been achieved using networks of small, unobtrusive, low-cost wireless sensors. The wireless MSTAR sensors developed in this work are based on previous pioneering MEMS sensing and TinyOS communications software work completed at UC Berkeley. The works has been funded under the DARPA SensIT, SensorWebs, and on-going DARPA NEST programs. These MSTAR sensors deliver around the clock all-weather surveillance and perimeter protection for field environments, including buildings, camp and tent locations, streets, mountainous regions, and other geographies. These capabilities satisfy many on-going intelligence and warfighter safety requirements. The MSTAR sensors are quickly deployed by hand emplacement or air-drop from a UAV or other airborne platform. The combination of multimode sensing on each wireless MSTAR sensor and multiple MSTAR sensors in the environment yields low false detections within the network perimeter. A low-power spread spectrum wireless link is used for communication across the MSTAR sensor network. Satellite exfiltration of data provides real-time access to the data on a worldwide basis. Future work includes additional field trials and the incorporation of acoustic capture, video capture, and biosensors into the MSTAR wireless sensor platform.