A sensor device for use in a sensor network, said sensor device comprising: a) a sensor, b) a plurality of autonomous streaming modules each having a component or subsystem encapsulated in a shell, wherein the sensor device is characterized in that said shell provides an interface between the encapsulated component or subsystem and a control and status bus and streaming channels, the components or subsystems are peripherals, a central processing unit for managing device operation, and a digital signal processor for handling computing intensive tasks, wherein the peripherals comprise an analog-to-digital converter, a system packet interface, a timer, an input/output interface and a radio unit, the peripherals, the CPU and the DSP are connected via the streaming channels for data exchange and are configured to be controlled via the control and status bus, and the shell comprises i) at least one control unit (201, 204; 301, 304) for detecting predetermined internal events of said autonomous streaming module or predetermined external events from streaming data at an interface to said shell and for controlling an operational mode of said component or subsystem in response to detected events, ii) a stream communication port adapted to generate said external events based on a stream content, and iii) a local manager adapted to interpret said generated external events, wherein said at least one control unit (201, 204; 301, 304) is adapted to select said operation mode from an active mode, a standby mode, and a sleep mode. a) a sensor, b) a plurality of autonomous streaming modules each having a component or subsystem encapsulated in a shell, said shell provides an interface between the encapsulated component or subsystem and a control and status bus and streaming channels, the components or subsystems are peripherals, a central processing unit for managing device operation, and a digital signal processor for handling computing intensive tasks, wherein the peripherals comprise an analog-to-digital converter, a system packet interface, a timer, an input/output interface and a radio unit, the peripherals, the CPU and the DSP are connected via the streaming channels for data exchange and are configured to be controlled via the control and status bus, and the shell comprises i) at least one control unit (201, 204; 301, 304) for detecting predetermined internal events of said autonomous streaming module or predetermined external events from streaming data at an interface to said shell and for controlling an operational mode of said component or subsystem in response to detected events, ii) a stream communication port adapted to generate said external events based on a stream content, and iii) a local manager adapted to interpret said generated external events, wherein said at least one control unit (201, 204; 301, 304) is adapted to select said operation mode from an active mode, a standby mode, and a sleep mode. i) at least one control unit (201, 204; 301, 304) for detecting predetermined internal events of said autonomous streaming module or predetermined external events from streaming data at an interface to said shell and for controlling an operational mode of said component or subsystem in response to detected events, ii) a stream communication port adapted to generate said external events based on a stream content, and iii) a local manager adapted to interpret said generated external events, wherein said at least one control unit (201, 204; 301, 304) is adapted to select said operation mode from an active mode, a standby mode, and a sleep mode.