The paper proposes an environmental monitoring framework based on a wireless sensor network technology characterized by energy harvesting, robustness with respect to a large class of perturbations and real-time adaptation to the network topology. The fully designed and developed ad hoc system, based on clusters relying on a star topology, encompasses a sensing activity, a one-step local transmission from sensor nodes to the gateway, a remote data transmission from the gateway to the control center, data storage in a DB and real-time visualization. Hw and Sw modules have been either carefully selected or designed to guarantee a high quality of service, optimal solar energy harvesting, storage and energy awareness. A monitoring system integrating the outlined framework has been deployed in Queensland, Australia, for monitoring the underwater luminosity and temperature, information necessary to derive the health status of the coralline barrier. At the same time, acquired data can be used to provide quantitative indications related to cyclone formations in tropical areas.Index Terms-Adaptive communication protocol, distributed environmental monitoring systems, energy harvesting, wireless sensor networks (WSNs).

A declarative SQL-like language and a middleware infrastructure are presented for collecting data from different nodes of a pervasive system. Data management is performed by hiding the complexity due to the large underlying heterogeneity of devices, which can span from passive RFID(s) to ad hoc sensor boards to portable computers. An important feature of the presented middleware is to make the integration of new device types in the system easy through the use of device self-description. Two case studies are described for PerLa usage, and a survey is made for comparing our approach with other projects in the area

Abstract-Distributed environmental monitoring with wireless sensor networks (WSNs) is one of the most challenging research activities faced by the embedded system community in the last decade. Here, the need for pervasive, reliable and accurate monitoring systems has pushed the research towards the realization of credible deployments able to survive in harsh environments for long time. Design an effective WSN requires a good piece of engineer work, not to mention the research contribution needed to provide a credible deployment. As a matter of fact, to solve our application, we are looking for a monitoring framework scalable, adaptive with respect to topological changes in the network, power-aware in its middleware components and endowed with energy harvesting mechanisms to grant a long lifetime for the network. The paper addresses all main aspects related to the design of a WSN ranging from the -possible-need of an ad-hoc embedded system, to sensing, local and remote transmission, data storage and visualization; particular attention will be devoted to energy harvesting and management aspects at the unit and network level. Two applications, namely monitoring the marine environment and forecasting the collapse of rock faces in mountaineering areas will be the experimental leitmotiv of the presentation.

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