A Virtual Channel-Based Framework for the Integration of Wireless Sensor Networks in the Cloud

Abstract

Currently, Cloud Computing is a cutting edge technology as it is changing how people produce, consume and share information. Nevertheless, a bigger evolution of the Cloud is yet to come by means of new applications and improvements but also with the combination of other arising technologies, resulting in a huge advance as part of the Future Internet. The next step of the Future Internet in the next few years is to get every single device connected at any-time and in any-place with any other device. Moreover, Wireless Sensor Networks offer a technology for monitoring and networking that is low power and low cost which is the basic layer in a world of things interconnected. The combination of Wireless Sensor Networks and Cloud Computing will enable unprecedented opportunities in the Future Internet that will include physical devices. This paper presents a new framework that simplifies the integration of Wireless Sensor Networks in the Cloud. The approach is highly reconfigurable, self-managed and takes into account real-time requirements. The basic idea of the framework is the concept of Virtual Channels, which exchange messages between every single device and the Cloud. The framework then publishes a "virtual sensor" service representing one or more physical sensors.