Thoreau: A subterranean wireless sensing network for agriculture and the environment

Abstract

This paper presents the deployment of a working Wireless Underground Sensor Network (WUSN) on a university campus using existing wireless networking technology at 902 MHz. This is the first full system of its kind that is operational over a long time, with the data being gathered available in real time on an open website. Design details of the WUSN are described, including the network architecture, sensor nodes, user interface and power management techniques. Initial results obtained from the sensor network are provided and analyzed, showing information regarding soil properties and their influence on the performance of the wireless transmission.