October 14, 2008

Speaker: Megan Thomas

Title: Making Wireless Sensors Useful: The Relational Model Wins Again.  Sort of.

Abstract:
Over the past decade, wireless sensor technologies have reached an exciting new realm of applications.  In this talk I will survey the state of the field, with particular attention to the changes in hardware capabilities that have enabled an entirely new way to study the world around us.  I will discuss some of the difficulties that come up when we try to make wireless sensor networks function effectively, with particular attention to the problems of gathering data and getting it to the scientists using the sensors.

This talk will be aimed at a general undergraduate audience.  No prior knowledge of computing technologies will be expected.  Ample attention will be paid to why wireless sensors are cool and what nifty things we can do with them.