A store-carry-process-and-forward paradigm for intelligent sensor grids

Store-carry-and-forward DTN (Delay/Disruption Tolerant Networking) protocols offer new possibilities in scenarios where there is intermittent connectivity, asymmetric bandwidths, long and variable latency and ambiguous mobility patterns. In this article we propose a new paradigm – store-carry-process-and-forward – based on mobile code to improve the integration of wireless sensor networks and grid computing infrastructures. We describe the implementation of a delay tolerant grid service, the computer element, to give computing access to an intermittently connected wireless sensor network. The result is an intelligent system which adapts dynamically to intermittent disconnections and improves multi-application coexistence. Finally, we present as an example a real case application which provides general purpose grid access to a multi-application mobile robot node sensor network.