Mobile sensor deployment based on distributed flocking algorithm

In this paper, we propose a distributed deployment algorithm for mobile sensor networks. The algorithm imitates the flocking behavior to drive sensors to suitable positions around the target of interest (TOI), such that the distance between each pair of neighboring sensors approaches a desired value, which could be determined by practical communication model. The movement of each sensor is governed by a second-order dynamics. The stimulus to this system is controlled by a potential function constraining the inter-sensor distance, a velocity consensus term reflecting the group behavior of neighboring sensors, and a navigational feedback used to keep tracking the movement of the TOI. Simulation results demonstrate that, compared to the traditional flocking algorithm, the proposed algorithm can attain a more uniform deployment of sensors, whether or not the TOI is static.