Modified Beacon-Enabled IEEE 802.15.4 MAC for Lower Latency

Industrial sensing, monitoring and automation offer a lucrative application domain for networking and communications. Wired sensor networks have traditionally been used for these applications because such networks adequately meet two vital requirements, i.e., low latency and high reliability, needed for an industrial deployment. Wired sensor networks, however, are not very cost effective due to higher components' cost. These networks also lack the flexibility needed for subsequent topological changes. Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN), on the other hand, are less expensive and offer high degree of flexibility.