OSIAN
Encyclopedia
OSIAN, or Open Source IPv6 Automation Network, is a free
and open-source
implementation of IPv6
networking for wireless sensor network
s (WSNs). OSIAN extends TinyOS
, which started as a collaboration between the University of California, Berkeley
in co-operation with Intel
Research and Crossbow Technology
, and has since grown to be an international consortium, the TinyOS Alliance. OSIAN brings direct Internet-connectivity to smartdust
technology.
as the underlying operating system providing hardware drivers, while OSIAN itself adds Internet networking capabilities. Users are able to download and install OSIAN-enabled firmware to their embedded hardware, form a PPP
connection with their computer, and communicate raw IPv6 UDP
to other wireless sensors from their favorite programming language
on their computer.
OSIAN is developed using a style very much like the development of Linux, which requires peer review
s and unit testing before any code moves into core repositories.
s with very small amounts of memory. One primary platform contains a TI MSP430
-based CC430 system-on-a-chip, which contains 32 kB ROM
and 4 kB RAM
.
Free software
Free software, software libre or libre software is software that can be used, studied, and modified without restriction, and which can be copied and redistributed in modified or unmodified form either without restriction, or with restrictions that only ensure that further recipients can also do...
and open-source
Open-source software
Open-source software is computer software that is available in source code form: the source code and certain other rights normally reserved for copyright holders are provided under a software license that permits users to study, change, improve and at times also to distribute the software.Open...
implementation of IPv6
IPv6
Internet Protocol version 6 is a version of the Internet Protocol . It is designed to succeed the Internet Protocol version 4...
networking for wireless sensor network
Wireless sensor network
A wireless sensor network consists of spatially distributed autonomous sensors to monitor physical or environmental conditions, such as temperature, sound, vibration, pressure, motion or pollutants and to cooperatively pass their data through the network to a main location. The more modern...
s (WSNs). OSIAN extends TinyOS
TinyOS
TinyOS is a free and open source component-based operating system and platform targeting wireless sensor networks . TinyOS is an embedded operating system written in the nesC programming language as a set of cooperating tasks and processes. It is intended to be incorporated into smartdust...
, which started as a collaboration between the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
in co-operation with Intel
Intel Corporation
Intel Corporation is an American multinational semiconductor chip maker corporation headquartered in Santa Clara, California, United States and the world's largest semiconductor chip maker, based on revenue. It is the inventor of the x86 series of microprocessors, the processors found in most...
Research and Crossbow Technology
Crossbow Technology
Crossbow Technology, Inc. is a California-based company with two distinct product lines. One is based on MEMS and Fibre optic gyroscope inertial sensor systems. This includes inertial measurement units, AHRS systems, Digital Inclinometers and INS/GPS GN&C units. The other is based on GPS and...
, and has since grown to be an international consortium, the TinyOS Alliance. OSIAN brings direct Internet-connectivity to smartdust
Smartdust
Smartdust is a hypothetical system of many tiny microelectromechanical systems such as sensors, robots, or other devices, that can detect, for example, light, temperature, vibration, magnetism or chemicals; are usually networked wirelessly; and are distributed over some area to perform tasks,...
technology.
Design
Architecturally, OSIAN treats TinyOSTinyOS
TinyOS is a free and open source component-based operating system and platform targeting wireless sensor networks . TinyOS is an embedded operating system written in the nesC programming language as a set of cooperating tasks and processes. It is intended to be incorporated into smartdust...
as the underlying operating system providing hardware drivers, while OSIAN itself adds Internet networking capabilities. Users are able to download and install OSIAN-enabled firmware to their embedded hardware, form a PPP
Point-to-Point Protocol
In networking, the Point-to-Point Protocol is a data link protocol commonly used in establishing a direct connection between two networking nodes...
connection with their computer, and communicate raw IPv6 UDP
User Datagram Protocol
The User Datagram Protocol is one of the core members of the Internet Protocol Suite, the set of network protocols used for the Internet. With UDP, computer applications can send messages, in this case referred to as datagrams, to other hosts on an Internet Protocol network without requiring...
to other wireless sensors from their favorite programming language
Programming language
A programming language is an artificial language designed to communicate instructions to a machine, particularly a computer. Programming languages can be used to create programs that control the behavior of a machine and/or to express algorithms precisely....
on their computer.
OSIAN is developed using a style very much like the development of Linux, which requires peer review
Peer review
Peer review is a process of self-regulation by a profession or a process of evaluation involving qualified individuals within the relevant field. Peer review methods are employed to maintain standards, improve performance and provide credibility...
s and unit testing before any code moves into core repositories.
Platforms
OSIAN is designed for deeply embedded systemEmbedded system
An embedded system is a computer system designed for specific control functions within a larger system. often with real-time computing constraints. It is embedded as part of a complete device often including hardware and mechanical parts. By contrast, a general-purpose computer, such as a personal...
s with very small amounts of memory. One primary platform contains a TI MSP430
TI MSP430
The MSP430 is a mixed-signal microcontroller family from Texas Instruments. Built around a 16-bit CPU, the MSP430 is designed for low cost, and specifically, low power consumption embedded applications. The architecture dates from the 1990s and is reminiscent of the DEC PDP-11.-Applications:The...
-based CC430 system-on-a-chip, which contains 32 kB ROM
Read-only memory
Read-only memory is a class of storage medium used in computers and other electronic devices. Data stored in ROM cannot be modified, or can be modified only slowly or with difficulty, so it is mainly used to distribute firmware .In its strictest sense, ROM refers only...
and 4 kB RAM
Ram
-Animals:*Ram, an uncastrated male sheep*Ram cichlid, a species of freshwater fish endemic to Colombia and Venezuela-Military:*Battering ram*Ramming, a military tactic in which one vehicle runs into another...
.
External links
- OSIAN Wiki
- SuRF Developer Kit supporting OSIAN