Hardware and Software Platforms for Distributed Computing on Resource Constrained Devices

The basic idea of distributed computing is that it is possible to solve a large problem by using the resources of various computing devices connected in a network. Each device interacts with each other in order to process a part of a problem, contributing to the achievement of a global solution. Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are an example of distributed computing on low resources devices. WSNs encountered a considerable success in many application areas. Due to the constraints related to the small sensor nodes capabilities, distributed computing in WSNs allows to perform complex tasks in a collaborative way, reducing power consumption and increasing battery life. Many hardware platforms compose the ecosystem of WSNs and some lightweight operating systems have also been designed to ease application deployment, to ensure efficient resources management, and to decrease energy consumption. In this chapter we focus on distributed computing from several points of view emphasizing important aspects, ranging from hardware platforms to applications on resource constrained devices.