A number of applications exist for sensor networks. In the commercial sector, transportation and agriculture are sectors that will benefit greatly from increased surveillance. Personal and institutional security can also apply this research directly to their sectors of activity. Other possible applications exist in radiology, medicine, and manufacturing.National defense relies on accurate Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconaissance (ISR). Using a large number of small inexpensive sensors increases the dependability of ISR systems at a reasonable cost. Large numbers of redundant sensors decrease the vulnerability of the system to failure. On the other hand, the ability to combine information becomes important. Otherwise, the network will not have sufficient bandwidth and human decision makers will not be able to make timely decisions.
Refer to Multi-Sensor Fusion: Fundamentals and Applications with Software by R. R. Brooks and S. S. Iyengar Prentice Hall PTR, Upper Saddle River, NJ, 1998.