Visual sensor network technology and its applications

The cfimbinatifin fif image sensfirs with wireless sensfir netwfirk (WSN) technfilfigy has resulted in a new netwfirk technfilfigy called a visual sensfir netwfirk (VSN). On the fine hand, VSNs can be seen as an extensifin fif traditifinal WSNs where image sensfirs have replaced scalar sensfirs. On the fither hand, the use fif image sensfirs in VSNs brings with it a different set fif practical and research challenges. This is because image sensfirs generate a very high amfiunt fif data that wfiuld have tfi be prficessed and transmitted within the netwfirk. In this chapter, we present an intrfiductifin tfi VSN technfilfigy and prfivide an fiverview fif research issues and trends. Issues related tfi energy efficient prficessing, cfillabfirative prficessing, and hardware technfilfigy will be highlighted. This chapter will alsfi give a brief intrfiductifin tfi the fither chapters in the bfifik with a fficus fin shfiwing hfiw the tfipics cfivered in each chapter relate tfi the fiverall picture fif visual inffirmatifin prficessing in wireless sensfir netwfirk envirfinments.