The fast growing field of Wireless Sensor Networks is mainly focused on software and how to use the right algorithms to reduce power usage and safe memory where possible. Our group is tackling these problems form not only the software side but also from the equally important hardware side. We are evaluating the existing sensor-node platforms, taking into account all the factors that would be needed in real Sensor Network deployment. We are also developing new ways to safe power and make sensor nodes more reliable by, for example, improving radio reception and making our batteries last longer on 1 charge. We look for alternative power sources for nodes and evaluate them in a real-life test bed to see if the theoretical assumptions match a practical implementation. We are developing our own sensor node by selecting the most power efficient processors for the specific computational task that is needed by the sensor on the node and building custom power supply circuitry for the energy harvesting generator to power the node. Since different data and sensor types need different kinds of data throughput we select a dedicated radio module best suited for a specific deployment.

Among many others these are a selection of our projects:

• IWT-SBO: IDEA - Intelligent Distributed Environmental Assessment (IDEA) The IDEA project focusses in particular on environmental stressors that have a very local character such as (ultra) fine particulate matter and noise. The spatial extend and temporal detail obtained by most measurement networks today is insufficient to meet these local demands and the price for further extension of "classical" measurement networks is high.
• Innoviris Prospective Research for Brussels: ISEM - Intelligent Sensor Web for Environmental Monitoring (ISEM) The ISEM project strives to deploy an intelligent measurement network for sound monitoring in Brussels based on an autonomous sensor network. The goal is to provide the technological tools to design and produce better and more accurate sound maps across Brussels. With these detailed maps, the city and its inhabitants will have a better weapon to tackle noise pollution.