Networked sensing is an area of enormous research interest, as evidenced
by the explosive growth of technical workshops, conferences, and journals
related to topics in sensor networks as well as by the increasing number of related
book publications. Research in sensor networks is influenced to varying
degrees by ideas from traditional parallel and distributed computing, wireless
ad hoc networking, signal processing, information theory, and so on. The
semantics of spatial computing applications in sensor networks necessitate
enhancements and extensions to traditional ideas in some cases and require
the development of entirely new paradigms in others. The next generation of
context-aware applications for these systems will require novel phenomenoncentric
programming models, methodologies, and design tools to translate
high-level intentions of the programmer into executable specifications for the
underlying deployment. Indeed, such tools are critical for further development
of the field; and once they become available, dramatic growth in this
field can be expected.