What is WirelessHART and what are its key features?

WirelessHART (IEC 62591) is a wireless extension of HART protocol using IEEE 802.15.4 radio at 2.4 GHz. Key features: self-organizing mesh network (devices act as routers for other devices), time-synchronized communication (TDMA with channel hopping), security (AES-128 encryption, authentication), backwards compatibility (uses same HART commands), and typical update rate 1-60 seconds. Components: field devices (wireless transmitters, adapters for wired HART devices), gateway (connects to control system), and network manager (manages mesh topology). Applications: monitoring, asset management, and non-critical measurements where wiring is difficult or expensive.