Autonomic wireless sensor networks

This paper seeks to demonstrate that autonomic behaviour is not restricted to resource-rich system, as typified by large servers, but can be incorporated into distributed and computationally challenged devices. Methods regarding how wireless sensor networks can benefit from the use of autonomic techniques without being overburdened with additional computing costs will be discussed. This will be achieved through the use of multi-agent systems (MAS). The discussion is grounded in the development of an autonomic wireless sensor network aimed at environmental sensing, an environmental nervous system. Finally, we provide empirical evidence of self-management via the use of distributed agents. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.