Advances in distributed embedded computing and wireless networking have enabled the first generation of wireless sensor networks for applications including national security, healthcare, and environmental monitoring. Many applications require nodes with continuous vigilance and unattended operations for periods of months to years with only compact energy sources. In this research we are developing the new Smart Object architecture that is based on modular, reconfigurable, hardware components with intelligent interfaces for local power and performance scheduling and for rapid composabilty. It is focused on the development of architectures and modules along with the corresponding standard object oriented software library interfaces, and the implementation of complete open source wireless sensor solutions.