Real-Time Collaborative Routing Algorithm for Wireless Sensor Network Longevity

Wireless sensor networks are being used in different scenarios including safety critical applications that require real-time communication framework such that the events detected by sensor nodes reach the base station within a limited timeframe. The ad-hoc nature of the sensor network makes it impossible to develop a static communication scheme that works well throughout the network lifetime. The network needs to be capable of adapting to the changes due to node failures and traffic congestions. This paper proposes an ant inspired dynamic routing algorithm in which individual sensor nodes collaborate with each other to discover a route that optimizes the network longevity while maintaining network delays to an acceptable level. Fuzzy logic is used to develop ant-like ability in sensor nodes to determine the suitability of the node to act as the cluster head. Using this algorithm, the nodes that are in the energy-rich region and have low end-to-end delay are more likely to be the cluster heads and thus the overall route offers lower communication delays and longer network life in terms of effective performance. As the algorithm relies on local collaboration for the route formation, the algorithm is highly scalable. Better end-to-end delay is achieved in simulation using this algorithm.