From June 25th to 27th, the first International Conference on Sensor Network Standardization was held at the beautiful Shanghai West Suburbs Hotel. Nearly one hundred internationally renowned experts in the field of wireless sensor networks from China, the United States, South Korea, the United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, Japan, Norway, and other countries gathered to discuss the international standardization plan for sensor networks. "The Chinese delegation made thorough preparations for this conference, submitting eight technical reports, including a framework for sensor network standards and system architecture," said Feng Songlin, director of the Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences—the secretariat unit of the National Information Technology Standardization Technical Committee's Sensor Network Working Group—with great excitement. "This signifies that my country's technology in this emerging information field is at the forefront internationally, and that we enjoy significant influence in international standardization." Wireless sensor networks are an emerging interdisciplinary field integrating multiple disciplines such as computers, communications, networks, intelligent computing, sensors, embedded systems, and microelectronics. They form an autonomous network of numerous multi-type sensor nodes (integrating sensing, acquisition, processing, transmission, and networking) to achieve dynamic, intelligent, and collaborative perception of the physical world. If mobile communication connects people, sensor networks connect things. It is projected that the interconnection of things will far surpass the current human-to-human interconnection services offered by mobile communication. Experts describe wireless sensor networks as a historic opportunity for information technology. In 1999, at the International Conference on Mobile Computing and Networking in the United States, it was proposed that "wireless sensor networks are another development opportunity facing humanity in the next century." In 2002, Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the United States asserted that the IT era was shifting from "Computer is the network" to "Sensor is the network." In 2003, the American magazine *Technology Review* listed wireless sensor network technology as the top technology to change people's lives in the future. That same year, *BusinessWeek* rated wireless sensor networks as one of the four major high-tech industries of the future. The renowned *Forbes* magazine commented that "the sensor network of the future will be much larger than the current Internet." Wireless sensor networks will change the nature of future warfare. In 2000, the U.S. Department of Defense identified sensor networks as one of its five cutting-edge defense areas, and subsequently, the U.S. military formulated a series of sensor network research programs. U.S. Navy Vice Commander Arthor Cebroski stated, "We are paying close attention to the emerging field of sensor network-based warfare." The U.S. magazine *Defense Today* further argues that the application and development of wireless sensor networks will trigger a revolutionary military technology revolution and transform future warfare. The *National Medium- and Long-Term Science and Technology Development Plan Outline (2006-2020)* includes sensor networks in major projects, priority development themes, and cutting-edge fields, with the major project "Next-Generation Broadband Mobile Wireless Communication Network" listed as one of its important directions. "Wireless sensor networks are a cutting-edge and interdisciplinary field of information technology, currently in its initial stage with nascent applications, and will become a commanding height in the next round of competition in the information industry after computers, the Internet, and mobile communication networks," Feng Songlin repeatedly emphasized this point. my country's research on wireless sensor networks has the same development advantages and level as the international community, and is basically in sync with international advanced levels in research, application, and standardization. Sensor networks have become one of the few areas in my country's information field that ranks among the world's best. Research on modern wireless sensor networks and their applications in my country started almost simultaneously with developed countries. In 2001, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) seized the opportunity to establish the Center for Microsystems Research and Development, affiliated with the Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology (SIMIT). Its members included more than ten research institutes and universities, such as the Institute of Acoustics, the Institute of Microelectronics, and the Graduate School, aiming to integrate relevant units within CAS to jointly promote research on sensor networks. The Shanghai Science and Technology Commission deployed numerous sensor network projects early on, laying a crucial foundation for Shanghai to be at the forefront of the field. Under its leadership, SIMIT also spearheaded the establishment of the Shanghai Alliance for Industry-University-Research Cooperation in Sensor Networks. Furthermore, universities such as Harbin Institute of Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Tianjin University, and National University of Defense Technology were among the first in China to conduct research on sensor networks. Currently, most engineering universities have begun research on wireless sensor networks, and large high-tech enterprises such as China Mobile, Huawei, ZTE, Nokia, and Alcatel have also joined the research effort. Building upon previous key technology breakthroughs and applied research, researchers at the Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology proposed a three-layer architecture for wireless sensor networks and conducted research along this framework, gaining recognition from numerous users, relevant national top-level plans, and standardization efforts. Since 2002, the institute has actively promoted research on collaborative sensing sensor networks, creatively proposing a task-oriented collaborative processing algorithm and establishing a collaborative processing architecture for sensor networks. They proposed an evolutionary roadmap for sensor networks in three stages: information aggregation, collaborative sensing, and ubiquitous networks, which was recognized by relevant national top-level plans. Through long-term communication with industry and public users, they proposed a standardized reference model for sensor networks, including a basic platform and application subsets, which was recognized and adopted by relevant national top-level plans. They also jointly proposed a three-step integration scheme for sensor networks and mobile communication networks with China Mobile. "my country's sensor network research has not blindly followed foreign development paths, but has formed a research characteristic driven by applications," said Feng Songlin in an interview. Research on sensor networks in my country, represented by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), has focused on major national strategies and application needs, conducting research in areas such as the fundamental frontiers, key technologies, application development, system integration, and testing and evaluation techniques of wireless sensor networks. After nearly a decade of effort, the Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology (SIMIT) of CAS has made significant progress in wireless intelligent sensor network communication technology, micro-sensors, sensor terminals, mobile base stations, and application systems. Following the Wenchuan earthquake on May 12th, the local communication system was almost completely paralyzed. SIMIT utilized some wireless sensor network technologies, operating independently without fixed or mobile networks, enabling the command center to monitor the disaster situation and rescue efforts in real time. This greatly improved the efficiency of overall communication, the speed of information acquisition, and the effectiveness of external liaison and publicity for frontline rescue units. Subsequently, 14 video monitoring points were deployed along the Tangjiashan Dam and its surrounding landslide dam for 24/7 real-time monitoring of hydrological data and dam changes. The provided video surveillance footage was not only transmitted in real-time to the command center in Mianyang, but also provided more than 50 remote monitoring video feeds to national and relevant ministerial and provincial leaders, providing them with first-hand real-time data to understand the situation on-site and scientifically guide disaster relief. The bidirectional TDD-OFDM multi-user high-speed mobile mid-range multimedia sensor network, developed by the Jiaxing branch of the Institute of Microsystems and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, has been widely applied in Shanghai, completely changing the traditional one-way, single-user mobile video transmission based on COFDM. Eighteen base stations have been deployed in Shanghai, achieving high-speed mobile network transmission of high-resolution images, voice, and sensor data, becoming an important platform for emergency command by the Shanghai Municipal Public Security Bureau. During the Six-Nation Summit and the Special Olympics, it was successfully used for the full-process tracking and protection of the motorcades of Party and state leaders such as Hu Jintao, receiving high praise from leaders of the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of State Security, the Armed Police Headquarters, and the Central Security Bureau. Recently, it was successfully applied in the Shanghai leg of the Olympic torch relay, solving the problem of seamless real-time image transmission via satellite "mobile communication" in the complex urban areas of Shanghai. The Pudong Airport sensor network intrusion prevention system provides 24/7 intrusion alarms, meeting the requirements of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) and withstanding the comprehensive test of the southern snowstorm earlier this year. Since its completion, there have been no missed or false alarms, earning high praise from users. Due to historical reasons, my country has lost the opportunity to influence international standards in most traditional information technology fields. The rise of the wireless sensor network industry provides my country with an opportunity to participate in the international reshuffling. Currently, my country's information industry faces the problem of relatively insufficient core patents held by domestic enterprises, leaving it reliant on foreign technology. At the end of 2007, the ISO/IEC JTC1 committee established a wireless sensor network standardization working group. With the approval of the National Standardization Management Committee (BSMC), a sensor network working group was established under the National Information Technology Standardization Management Committee (ITSM), with its secretariat located at the Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Dozens of member units across the country cooperate closely, not only jointly participating in the formulation of national sensor network standards but also representing my country in the ISO/IEC joint sensor network standardization working group. "Before international standards are established, the government should provide active support in terms of industrial policies and science and technology projects so that this new technology can develop and thrive in our country," Feng Songlin urged.