Performance assessment of an IEEE 802.11-based protocol for real-time communication in agriculture

This paper investigates an original system for wireless control and monitoring of an agricultural machine. The system is implemented by means of an IEEE 802.11-based soft real-time communication architecture which enables the connection of the machine with off-the-shelf mobile devices, like widespread tablet PCs, that could hence replace traditional ad-hoc developed operator panels. The harsh surrounding environment, however, introduces severe requirements. Hence, focusing on the wireless communication behavior, the paper yields a thorough performance analysis derived by extensive experimental campaigns. By investigating the outcomes of these measurement sessions, the paper assesses some causes of performance degradation, and provides viable and easy to implement solutions to improve the overall system behavior.