A ZigBee-Based Wireless Sensor Network for Continuous Sound and Noise Level Monitoring on the ISS

The International Space Station (ISS) needs to keep quiet tomaintain a healthy and habitable environment in which crewmemberscan perform long-term and uninterrupted scientific researchunder microgravity conditions. Acoustic survey is now performedonce every two months using hand-held devices at 60 locationson the ISS. It takes a significant amount of precious crew timeand the sporadic monitoring program is not adequate. NASA hasdefined a need for an automated, continuous acoustic monitoringsystem that is efficient in power consumption (long battery life),accurate, highly integrated, wireless connected, scalable,small and lightweight. WeVoice Inc.\ proposed to develop aZigBee-based wireless sensor network for acoustic monitoringto meet the challenges. During Phase I of this projects, threeessential capabilities were developed, tested, and validated:* The design of a data collection subsystem that integratesmeasurement microphones and the feasibility of using thestate-of-the-art MEMS microphones.* The development of accurate and computationally efficientsignal processing algorithms for acoustic frequency(octave, 1/3-octave, and narrowband) analysis and soundlevel measurement.* The construction of a ZigBee network for data communication.In addition, the WeVoice SBIR research team has started workingon flight-like devices. Clear directions for improvement wereestablished for the Phase II efforts that may follow. The Phase IIprogram focuses on system integration and optimization,software implementation, and graphical user interface development.An in-situ calibration plan will be suggested and a demonstrablesystem will be delivered to NASA for testing in a ground facilityat the completion of the Phase II contract. So the expected TRLthen is expected to reach 6.