Building Wireless Sensor Networks: with ZigBee, XBee, Arduino, and Processing

by Robert Faludi

Get ready to create distributed sensor systems and intelligent interactive devices using the ZigBee wireless networking protocol and Series 2 XBee radios. By the time you're halfway through this fast-paced, hands-on guide, you'll have built a series of useful projects, including a complete ZigBee wireless network that delivers remotely sensed data. Radio networking is creating revolutions in volcano monitoring, performance art, clean energy, and consumer electronics. As you follow the examples in each chapter, you'll learn how to tackle inspiring projects of your own. This practical guide is ideal for inventors, hackers, crafters, students, hobbyists, and scientists.

Genres: Technology, Programming, Reference

318 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Doug · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good but basic introduction to XBee

If you've never dealt with pull-up resistors, serial communications or wireless radios then this book is a good introduction. The material gets a little bit repetitive around the setup, configuration and troubleshooting of the radios but is otherwise clear and easy to understand.

Unfortunately the real power of XBee radios is only realized when using API mode, which the book mentions but does not cover to a useful level.

Consider this book as a good starting point for classrooms and hackerspaces where XBees will mainly be used for fun and education. If you're actually needing to build a wireless sensor network then this book comes up a bit short on depth and detail.

[Toby · Rating 3 out of 5]

The version of this book that I read didn't make it completely clear that this book is focused only on Zigbee protocol devices. Zigbee is a great protocol and is fascinating in that it has a built-in mesh networking protocol. However, the devices are pretty expensive, and so if you need simple sensor nodes for a project, you might want to try something else. There are a lot of commercial Zigbee based devices, so if you don't want to roll your own devices, Zigbee might be a good way to go. In that case, this book would be a good place to start for setting up your network so that you can add additional devices.

[Mike Huot · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is awesome! Some of it is overly simple, but there is enough information to keep anyone busy with projects and ideas.

[Shawn Bower · Rating 4 out of 5]

God intro book.