Deployment of 802.15.4 Sensor Networks for C4ISR Operations

The applications of wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have risen in recent years both in the civilian and military sectors. While a number of WSN-based systems have been proposed and developed, vast majority of them focus on capability demonstration rather than the issues of deployment. As a result, even though the systems can serve useful purposes, they are very hard to deploy. The objective of this thesis is to focus on the deployment issues of WSNs. In addition, this thesis assesses the optimal configurations and environment that enables the sensor networks to thrive in a C4ISR environment. This thesis presents a technology review of the ZigBee and the IEEE 802.15.4 standards which form the core technology in WSNs. The thesis also discusses the IEEE 802.15.4 Physical and Media Access Control Layers that comprise the bottom two layers of WSNs. This thesis also provides a brief introduction to the hardware and software that deal with WSN technology. Lastly, this thesis evaluates the military applications of WSNs. It is hoped that the military can employ wireless sensors to increase situational awareness, attain information superiority, and improve decision-making.