Mote Runner

Aiming to make networks of wireless sensors less difficult in programming and use, IBM created a set of development tools of the software called Mote Runner which provides the platform, open and friendly to the programmer, for connection of touch and transceiving "spendthrifts" (motes) on the wireless sensor network (Wireless Sensor Network, WSN). The spendthrifts famous also as nodes of a wireless sensor network, collect information from sensors, for example, data on temperature, the movement or lighting, and transfer these data on network of wireless sensors.

As the cost of transistors (0.00001 dollars for everyone) falls in process of growth of density of installation, the companies and the governments actively work on using advantages of the wireless sensor networks saturated with transistors and analytical technologies for:

1. достижения profound understanding of internal and external systems which support and influence their businesses;
2. улучшения characteristics and increase in efficiency of business systems and social systems;

adoptions of more informed solutions in real time thanks to data analysis arriving from sensors;

1. максимально fast identification of the events and situations arising in business systems and the social systems.

At the same time, many wireless sensor networks applied to monitoring and rapid response to physical and ecological conditions and events are the closed proprietary solutions difficult for programming and therefore, limiting capability of the companies, governments and universities fully to use their advantages. The software of Mote Runner solves these problems.

So, for example, Mote Runner can help management company with deployment of sensors in high rise buildings. This technology will allow the company:

1. разрабатывать applications for sensors which will provide a possibility of monitoring of the equipment, temperatures in premises, water supply systems and many other;
2. моделировать optimal placement of sensors on all building and to test their interaction;
3. удаленно to reprogram sensors how they are placed in the building.

IBM Research created by scientists, Mote Runner technology represents the high-performance compact performed platform postponed for a broad spectrum of devices spendthrifts and programmed on standard object-oriented languages in combination with tool kit of development and integration for the facilitated creation and management of applications for wireless sensor networks.

The Mote Runner platform was created for the purpose of the solution of several separate tasks:

1. Использование programming languages it is similar to Java in combination with the highly effective virtual machine which is specially developed "from scratch" for application on the sensor networks provides multisystemacity of applications and allows developers to avoid difficulties with the basic hardware without damage of performance.
2. Среда simulation modeling, the Web-centric control panel and integrated development environment based on Eclipse provide the comfortable platform for testing, debugging and service of software applications for sensors. This platform allows to model networks of sensors before deployment of spendthrifts directly in an object or in the territory, eliminating the majority of errors of programming before installation of a sensor network.
3. Поскольку most of touch spendthrifts are developed far off, consumption of energy resources of rechargeable batteries becomes a key problem. The Mote Runner platform is designed for work with very limited computing resources: the 8-bit processor, 8 CBs of RAM and 64 CBs a flash memory that is approximately comparable with system requirements of the computer of the 1970th years. Besides, the Mote Runner environment can use alternative energy sources, for example, solar batteries.
4. Физический access to far off to the set touch spendthrifts for updating of the wired programs and expansion of functionality is impossible for many scenarios of deployment of sensor networks, in particular, at installation in multi-storey buildings, in large agricultural territories or in regions with unique climatic conditions like the tropical jungle or glaciers. Mote Runner considers this requirement, including capability of remote update through a wireless channel with the minimum interruption of functioning of the unrolled sensor network.