Micronetworks

Micronetworks are small-scale communication networks designed to operate over a restricted geographic area or a limited set of devices. They are distinguished from wider area networks by their locality, shorter lifecycles, and often tighter resource constraints. Micronetworks may be deployed inside a single building, across a campus, or within an industrial facility, and can function as standalone networks or as subnets of larger Internet of Things or enterprise networks.

Technologies and topology: They commonly use wireless technologies such as Zigbee, Bluetooth Low Energy, Thread, Wi‑Fi, or wired Ethernet for intra-network links. Topologies frequently include mesh or star configurations to improve reliability and coverage. Edge computing elements and gateways frequently connect micronetworks to the internet or to higher-level management systems.

Applications: Smart buildings for lighting and climate control, industrial automation and process monitoring, environmental sensing, healthcare devices in clinical settings, and robotics fleets. Micronetworks enable low-latency control and data collection, energy efficiency, and resilience through redundancy.

Challenges and research: Limited power and processing resources demand energy-efficient protocols and lightweight security. Managing dynamic topologies, interference, and maintenance at scale remains difficult. Security and privacy concerns are heightened by proximity and potential physical access. Ongoing work includes routing for low-power and lossy networks, self-organization, firmware updates over mesh networks, and standardized interfaces for interoperability.