Connecting things to the web using programmable low-power WiFi modules

Abstract

We present first experiences of using programmable low-power WiFi modules for connecting things directly to the Web. Instead of relying on dedicated low-power radio technology and specialized protocols, we leverage the ubiquity of IEEE 802.11 access points and the interoperability of the HTTP protocol. Using a loosely coupled approach, we enable seamless association of sensors, actuators, and everyday objects with each other and with the Web. Our experimental results show that low-power WiFi modules can achieve long battery lifetime despite the fact that we are using HTTP over TCP/IP for communication.