Task Switching in Mobile Wireless Sensor Networks

Mobile wireless sensor networks have the ability to monitor wide geographical areas. A suitable distribution of sensors can provide an optimal coverage (according to a predefined criterion) of the area of interest. On the other hand, mobile sensors can also move to the point of interest if necessary, thereby possibly leaving large regions vulnerable. In this paper we study how to balance optimal coverage with the need to quickly respond to an event. In particular, we show that by coordinating their actions, sensors can effectively estimate the location of a biochemical source while still providing a high level of coverage of the area of interest. We describe two switching control laws that achieve such a coordination and analyze their performance