Flexi-WVSNP-DASH: a wireless video sensor network platform for the Internet of Things

Video capture, storage, and distribution in wireless video sensor networks

(WVSNs) critically depends on the resources of the nodes forming the sensor

networks. In the era of big data, Internet of Things (IoT), and distributed

demand and solutions, there is a need for multi-dimensional data to be part of

the Sensor Network data that is easily accessible and consumable by humanity as

well as machinery. Images and video are expected to become as ubiquitous as is

the scalar data in traditional sensor networks. The inception of video-streaming

over the Internet, heralded a relentless research for effective ways of

distributing video in a scalable and cost effective way. There has been novel

implementation attempts across several network layers. Due to the inherent

complications of backward compatibility and need for standardization across

network layers, there has been a refocused attention to address most of the

video distribution over the application layer. As a result, a few video

streaming solutions over the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) have been

proposed. Most notable are Apple’s HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) and the Motion

Picture Experts Groups Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP (MPEG-DASH). These

frameworks, do not address the typical and future WVSN use cases. A highly

flexible Wireless Video Sensor Network Platform and compatible DASH (WVSNP-DASH)

are introduced. The platform's goal is to usher video as a data element that

can be integrated into traditional and non-Internet networks. A low cost,

scalable node is built from the ground up to be fully compatible with the

Internet of Things Machine to Machine (M2M) concept, as well as the ability to

be easily re-targeted to new applications in a short time. Flexi-WVSNP design

includes a multi-radio node, a middle-ware for sensor operation and

communication, a cross platform client facing data retriever/player framework,

scalable security as well as a cohesive but decoupled hardware and software

design.