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Wireless Sensor Network Simulator

Wireless Sensor Network Simulator. Creating an Educational Tool for Computer Science Students Masters Project Defense Ben Stroud. Presentation Agenda. Project Goal Introduction Need Addressed Technologies Used Related Work Lessons Learned Challenges Mistakes

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Wireless Sensor Network Simulator

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  1. Wireless Sensor Network Simulator Creating an Educational Tool for Computer Science Students Masters Project Defense Ben Stroud Ben Stroud Masters Project Defense

  2. Presentation Agenda • Project Goal • Introduction • Need Addressed • Technologies Used • Related Work • Lessons Learned • Challenges • Mistakes • Demonstration of Application • Future Work • Deliverables • Summary • Questions Ben Stroud Masters Project Defense

  3. Project Goal • Create a tool to educate students about Wireless Sensor Networks • Intuitive and Approachable GUI • Interactive Scenarios • Easy to Install • Effective Demonstration of Wireless Sensor Network Deployment, Formation, and Execution • Quantifiable Results • Understand Effect of Software in Education Ben Stroud Masters Project Defense

  4. Introduction • Definition of a Wireless Sensor Network • Similar to Ad-hoc networks • Unique Challenges • Node “Death” • Conservation of Power • Project goal is to educate, not evaluate Ben Stroud Masters Project Defense

  5. Need Addressed • Educators Want to Impart Key Lessons from WSNs • How to Do This in an Interesting and Dynamic Way? • Software! • Interactive • Engaging • Existing Simulators Geared for Research/Development • Intimidating • Cumbersome • Difficult to Install/Interact With Ben Stroud Masters Project Defense

  6. Technologies Used • Silverlight • Multiplatform application framework • Allows for interactive multimedia and animations on the front end • Powerful traditional application or web oriented backend. • Designed primarily for web based applications; • Similar to Flash • Created by Microsoft • .NET Ben Stroud Masters Project Defense

  7. Silverlight • Silverlight • Backend: .NET (C#) – • Object Oriented. • Somewhere between C++ and Java – Makes creating applications for the web easy and increases the reusability of code. • Don’t have access to the complete C# codebase • Sliverlight limits the developer to a subset of libraries • Application is isolated from the OS • Debugging capability in Visual Studios 2010 is lacking • Front-End: Silverlight and WFC controls • Traditional web technologies (Javascript, XML, HTML) wrap new Silverlight controls – based on older WFC technology • Fast Execution, but comber-some development Ben Stroud Masters Project Defense

  8. Silverlight -Developing • IDEs • Silverlight 4 – Visual Studios 2010, Visual Web Developer 2008, MS Expression Blend • Coding • Languages – any .NET or Dynamic (Ruby, Python etc) language, HTML, JS and more • Deployment • Upload XAP (executable) Plus Support Files to Web Server. • Client Side Execution Ben Stroud Masters Project Defense

  9. Silverlight - Comparison to Flash • Performance • Back-End Computing • Calculating Prime Numbers (1000000) • Flash –1.259 seconds • Silverlight - 0.564 seconds • Front End Animation • Displaying 50 Rotating Images • Flash – 64 fps 60% CPU • Silverlight – 100 fps 45% CPU • Took 80 images to get to 64fps • For More Comparisons See Paper Ben Stroud Masters Project Defense

  10. Silverlight –Future Directions Development Community • Implementation on More Platforms (Linux, Android, Windows Mobile, ect) • Hardware Accelerated 3D Support • 64-bit support • More Advanced Networking Capability • Better use of Dynamic Objects • More Generic, Less Silverlight Targeted Code • Combine WPF and Silverlight Programming Models Ben Stroud Masters Project Defense

  11. Silverlight – Future DirectionsMy Findings • Better Integration with Visual Studios • Better Debugging Capabilities • Include all C# libraries • More intuitive links between controls and code • More access to the client operating system • Make Deployment Application Behavior Exactly Like Development Behavior Ben Stroud Masters Project Defense

  12. Related Work - Simulators • Comparative Study of Wireless Network Simulators • Lessmann J. et al., 2008. • Survey of Existing Wireless Network Simulators • Sensor Network Component Based Simulator • Chen, G., Szymanski B., 2007. • Compiled Research Oriented Simulator • JavaSim • Java Based Generic Network Simulator • Not tailored for WSNs • Current UCCS Wireless Network Simulator • Static – not Interactive Ben Stroud Masters Project Defense

  13. Related Work - Effectiveness of Software in Education • Mixed Findings • Meta Study by University of Michigan • Analyzed 254 studies • Shows that Computer Aided Learning usually Increases Test Scores • Increase from 50th to 62nd Percentile • Study by DoE • More Recent • Analyzed • Only Found One Ben Stroud Masters Project Defense

  14. Related Work - Bloom’s Taxonomy Ben Stroud Masters Project Defense

  15. Lessons Learned • Deeper WSN understanding • Limitations of Discovery Learning • Must be paired with instruction • Lack of Student Participation • Technology • Debugging • Creating Multi-Page Application • Linking Front End Code to Backend • Learning New Language • Lack of Full C# codebase Support Ben Stroud Masters Project Defense

  16. Lessons Learned – Limitations of Discovery Learning • Discovery Learning • Little to no instructor lead activities • Student explores independently • Advocates claim deeper understanding and higher level of engagement • Exclusive Discovery Learning has been shown in some studies to be less effective than traditional learning • Blending Discovery Learning with traditional learning has been shown to yield the best results. • This is the recommended approach when using this software as a teaching aid Ben Stroud Masters Project Defense

  17. Challenges • Learning new languages/technologies • Lots of research • Trial and error • Creating a reusable framework (Application Design) • Well thought out OO approach • Meaningful Objects and Lots of Documentation • Understanding relationship between education and software • Creating a meaningful assessment tool based on educational research • Research – Bloom’s Taxonomy • Unable to integrate into the Application Ben Stroud Masters Project Defense

  18. Mistakes Made • Assuming Creating Web Applications using Silverlight would be Similar to Creating Other Windows Applications • Not Enough Up-Front Focus on Educational Research • Assuming Classmates Would be More Responsive • Not Enough Focus on Early, Detailed Software Architectural Design Ben Stroud Masters Project Defense

  19. Demonstration of Application • URL Ben Stroud Masters Project Defense

  20. Future Work • More Algorithms • More realistic/complex simulations • 3d terrain • Obstacles/Objects (Weighted lines) • GPS capability • Lesson Plan to Include Application in Course • Integrate Survey with Application Ben Stroud Masters Project Defense

  21. Project Deliverables • Proposal • Document and Presentation • Software Requirements Specification • Design Documentation • User Documentation • Software • Source Code and Deployable Web Components • Survey • Defense Presentation • Final Project Document • Presentation Viewgraphs Ben Stroud Masters Project Defense

  22. Summary • Created an Educational Tool • Helps Students Learn about WSNs • Easy to Use • Current Technology • Extensible • Explored How to Evaluate Educational Techniques • Explored Effectiveness of Software in Education • Explored Best Practices for Utilizing Discovery Learning • Identified Additional Work to be Done Ben Stroud Masters Project Defense

  23. Questions? Ben Stroud Masters Project Defense

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