# From Sensor Networks to Internet of Things. Bluetooth Low Energy, a Standard for This Evolution
## 2 Our Current Challenges  
From this previous experience, with the current project Ecosense II we want to implement a reliable heterogeneous network to manage smart spaces, to identify multiples data sources and to define multiple experiments in real environments (smart homes and Industry 4.0 mainly) in the context of the Internet of Things (IoT). IoT is a new paradigm that combines aspects and technologies coming from different approaches (ubiquitous and pervasive computing, Internet protocols, sensor networks, communication technologies, and embedded devices). The smart object is the core element of IoT. Smart objects are everyday objects able to collect environmental information and interact or control the physical world and, in addition, they can also be interconnected, to exchange data and information [15]. Furthermore, we are surrounding by different kinds of devices and applications gathering large amounts of data. Although smartphones remain leaders in the mobile industry, wearables and other innovative IoT devices are also having an unstoppable success. In this new reality, a problem arises; all these new devices do not use the same communication protocols so it is not possible to get all of them to work together. This fact has led us to face the challenge of improving the communications among different standards involved in the IoT revolution. Novel communication standards like Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), also known as Bluetooth Smart (BS) [16] open enormous possibilities to communicate sensors, wearables, smartphones and smart objects with final users, enabling the utilization of network infrastructure to introduce or improve a wide variety of emerging applications. Simultaneously, Industry 4.0 [17] or Industrial Internet is blooming and there is a long way to settle its standards. Industry 4.0 will allow the development and optimization of industrial infrastructure using new manufacturing practices which take advantage of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). However, the aim of this tendency is not only to introduce new technologies in industry but to connect and unify the different ICT components in a networked system. Figure 4: The 13 ASensorBed. The modifications implemented in smart factories eliminate shortcomings, saving costs, and allow us to automate processes [18]. Energy efficiency in wireless communication protocols is a main requirement for use in the IoT. The BLE standard will become an important technology for the IoT due to its low power, low cost and small devices [19]. In [20], we defined an architecture for heterogeneous networks for easy management of smart spaces. This architecture can be used as reference to deploy real and flexible monitoring platforms based on IoT scenarios, making a large number of tasks easier for a user. We are working with innovative protocols such as BLE and smart network organizations [21]. In this paper, we show our current research line, which is focused on IoT and the study of standards to manage smart objects. BLE is presented as a technology for IoT and the new Industry 4.0 but this tendency brings new challenges for communication protocols. Different initiatives propose a new BLE topology: the mesh network topology. However, we have discovered that these initiatives have some weaknesses, therefore it is necessary to continue improving them. For this reason, we have proposed a novel BLE mesh topology with two configurations, which can be used for different use cases. Our proposal improves the network packet loss rate, without a substantial increase in the network traffic, which makes possible the network scalability.