1. A wireless sensor node configured to operate for a given lifetime, comprising: an onboard computer system; and a set of one or more associated sensors; wherein, the computer system is configured to: periodically sample data from each sensor of the set of associated sensors to obtain sampled data, store a multi-state model representing one or more phenomena described by the sampled data; calculate a transition value associated with a transition of the phenomena between the states of the multi-state model, the transition value defining a likelihood of the transition; and adjust a rate of sampling of one or more of the set of associated sensors depending on the transition value defining the likelihood of the transition.