Connecting Low-Power and Lossy Networks to the Internet

Many applications, ranging from wireless healthcare to energy metering on the smart grid, have emerged from a decade of research in wireless sensor networks. However, the lack of an IP-based network architecture precluded sensor networks from interoperating with the Internet, limiting their real-world impact. Given this disconnect, the IETF chartered the 6LoWPAN and RoLL working groups to specify standards at various layers of the protocol stack with the goal of connecting low-power and lossy networks to the Internet. We present the standards proposed by these working groups, and describe how the research community actively participates in this process by influencing their design and providing open source implementations.