Context-Aware Environment Monitoring to Support LPWAN-based Battlefield Applications

TL;DR

This paper proposes a context-aware environmental monitoring system for battlefield IoT networks that enhances resilience and survivability by utilizing real-time battlefield data, validated through a proof-of-concept experiment showing improved communication under adverse weather conditions.

Contribution

It introduces a novel context-aware monitoring approach that leverages battlefield data to improve IoT network resilience and survivability in military environments.

Findings

System improves communication during adverse climatic conditions

Real-time battlefield data enhances network resilience

Proof-of-concept validates effectiveness of the approach

Abstract

The use of IoT-related technologies is growing in several areas. Applications of environmental monitoring, logistics, smart cities are examples of applications that benefit from advances in IoT. In the military context, IoT applications can support the decision-making process by delivering information collected directly from the battlefield to Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems. Taking the benefit of the installed IoT network in the battlefield, the use of the data collected by the IoT nodes is a way to improve resiliency and increase the survivability of networks, as well as to optimize the use of available resources. Towards improving the communication network present on the battlefield, this work presents a context-aware environmental monitoring system that uses real-time battlefield information to increase military networks' resilience and survivability. The proposed approach is validated by a proof-of-concept experiment. The obtained results show that the implementation of this system can improve the communication process even when the network is exposed to unfavorable climatic factors.