Panoptes: scalable low-power video sensor networking technologies

Abstract

Video-based sensor networks can provide important visual information in a number of applications including: environmental monitoring, health care, emergency response, and video security. This article describes the Panoptes video-based sensor networking architecture, including its design, implementation, and performance. We describe two video sensor platforms that can deliver high-quality video over 802.11 networks with a power requirement less than 5 watts. In addition, we describe the streaming and prioritization mechanisms that we have designed to allow it to survive long-periods of disconnected operation. Finally, we describe a sample application and bitmapping algorithm that we have implemented to show the usefulness of our platform. Our experiments include an in-depth analysis of the bottlenecks within the system as well as power measurements for the various components of the system.