Java™ on the bare metal of wireless sensor devices: the squawk Java virtual machine

ABSTRACT

The Squawk virtual machine is a small Java™ virtual machine (VM) written mostly in Java that runs without an operating system on a wireless sensor platform. Squawk translates standard class file into an internal pre-linked, position independent format that is compact and allows for efficient execution of bytecodes that have been placed into a read-only memory. In addition, Squawk implements an application isolation mechanism whereby applications are represented as object and are therefore treated as first class objects (i.e., they can be reified). Application isolation also enables Squawk to run multiple applications at once with all immutable state being shared between the applications. Mutable state is not shared. The combination of these features reduce the memory footprint of the VM, making it ideal for deployment on small devices.Squawk provides a wireless API that allows developers to write applications for wireless sensor networks (WSNs), this API is an extension of the generic connection framework (GCF). Authentication of deployed files on the wireless device and migration of applications between devices is also performed by the VM.This paper describes the design and implementation of the Squawk VM as applied to the Sun™ Small Programmable Object Technology (SPOT) wireless device; a device developed at Sun Microsystems Laboratories for experimentation with wireless sensor and actuator applications.

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  D. Software
  D.3 PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES
      D.3.4 Processors
          Subjects: Interpreters

Additional Classification:
  D. Software
  D.2 SOFTWARE ENGINEERING
      D.2.5 Testing and Debugging
          Subjects: Debugging aids
  D.3 PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES
      D.3.3 Language Constructs and Features
          Subjects: Classes and objects
      D.3.4 Processors
          Subjects: Run-time environments
  D.4 OPERATING SYSTEMS
      D.4.6 Security and Protection
          Subjects: Authentication
      D.4.7 Organization and Design
          Subjects: Real-time systems and embedded systems

General Terms:
Experimentation, Languages, Security

Keywords:
IEEE 802.15.4, Java virtual machine, Sun SPOT, embedded systems, wireless sensor networks