IP Connected Low Power Wireless Personal Area Networks in the Future Internet

Abstract

The Internet of Things is a key concept of the Future Internet. The Internet of Things potentially interconnects billions of small devices in a large ubiquitous infrastructure based on the Internet Protocol (IP). Typically, these devices will be limited in computational capacity, memory, and available energy and will suffer a high data loss rate when integrated into a network infrastructure. This poses significant challenges in the network design. This chapter describes the assumptions, technologies, and challenges for transmitting IPv6 over low power wireless personal area networks (LoWPANs). The authors address the key mechanisms from network aspects down to device design aspects and discuss how technologies interplay to make real application deployment practical for the Internet of Things.