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Wireless ad hoc networks of sensor nodes are envisioned to be
deployed in the physical environment to monitor a wide variety of
real-world phenomena. Almost any sensor network application requires
some form of selfconfiguration, where sensor nodes take on specific
functions or roles in the network without manual intervention. These
roles may be based on varying sensor node properties (e.g.,
available sensors, location, network neighbors) and may be used to
support applications requiring heterogeneous node functionality
(e.g., clustering, data aggregation). In this paper we argue that
the assignment of user-defined roles is a fundamental part of a wide
range of sensor network applications. Consequently, a framework for
assignment of roles to sensor nodes in an application-specific
manner could significantly ease sensor network programming. We
outline the general structure of such a framework and present a
first approach to its realization. We demonstrate its utility and
feasibility using a number of concrete examples.
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