Low Power Wireless Communications and

the Internet of Things

Dimitris Mitrakos

Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece

Abstract: The IEEE 802.15.4 standard offers the basis upon which a number of wireless data communications

technologies are built. Characterised by key features such as high energy efficiency, low latency,

high accuracy and low cost, these technologies play a significant role in the rapid development of

new technological ecosystems that help shaping the emerging Internet of Things. The standard sets

specifications for the RF, PHY and MAC layers. Augmented with higher layer ad hoc protocols

and applications these specifications allow single chip complete radio controllers to create cost

effective self-healing mesh networks of both sensors and actuators. Under the umbrella of Internet

of Things, these devices allow people and objects in the physical world as well as data and virtual

environments to interact with each other, thus enabling smart digital environments in important

domains of human activity such as home, transport, health or energy. Mathematical modeling and

performance assessment of the basic IEEE 802.15.4 technologies has been the focus of many

studies in order to help understanding better the fundamental factors affecting their efficiency.

Despite its complexity, the joint evaluation of communications mechanisms at both PHY and MAC

layers is expected to lead to more realistic results and to help developing more efficient systems.

At the MAC layer, efficiency is mainly determined by the foreseen multiple access mechanism

CSMA/CA and its ability to resolve collisions of packets that originate from various network

nodes. However, this efficiency is further affected by the path loss, multi path fading, shadowing,

noise and interference exhibited in the underlying wireless channel. The presentation will review

a number of approaches developed in the past for joint modeling of PHY and MAC layers in IEEE

802.15.4 wireless networks and present an analytical model based on the M/M/1 and M/G/1

queuing systems with service interruptions or vacations in an attempt to capture the stochastic

behavior of signal propagation particularly in low power wireless networks. Simulation as well as

experimental results will be discussed in the light of real life implementations for urban traffic

management and public transport optimisation currently under development in a framework of

smart cities applications.

Brief Bio: Dimitris Mitrakos is an Associate Professor at the Department of Electrical Engineering, School

of Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. His research interests include internet

computing, multimedia communications, sensor and digital telemetry networks and distributed

control and teleoperations systems. Dimitris has a Diploma in Electrical Engineering from Aristotle

University of Thessaloniki, an MSc in Communications Engineering from University of

Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, a DIC in Signal Processing and a PhD in

Electrical Engineering from University of London Imperial College of Science and Technology.

In the recent past, he has been Vice-Chairman of the Electrical Engineering Department and

Director of the Electronics and Computer Section of the Electrical Engineering Department of

Mitrakos D.

Low Power Wireless Communications and the Internet of Things.

DOI: 10.5220/0005888600030004

In Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Telecommunications and Remote Sensing (ICTRS 2015), pages 3-4

ISBN: 978-989-758-152-6

Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Today he is member of the Managing Board and Director of

Postgraduate Studies of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Interdisciplinary Postgraduate

Program in “Language and Communications Sciences”. Since early 90s Dimitris has been member

of Workprogramme Preparation Committees, Proposal Technical Evaluation Committees,

Evaluation Process Assessment Committees and Project Technical Review Committees for the

European Commission Advanced Informatics in Medicine, Telematics for Education, Trans-

European Networks, COPERNICUS, ERDF Article 10, MEDIA Plus and Information Society

Technologies Programs. He has also been member of the Greek Steering Committee for the

European Commission Inter-Regional Information Society Initiative.

Fourth International Conference on Telecommunications and Remote Sensing