Static vs. mobile sink: The influence of basic parameters on energy efficiency in wireless sensor networks

Area of Science:

• Computer Science
• Wireless Sensor Networks
• Energy Efficiency

Background:

• Energy efficiency is crucial for data-collecting wireless sensor networks (WSNs).
• Static sinks in WSNs present known energy dissipation drawbacks.
• Mobile sinks are proposed to improve energy efficiency over static ones, focusing on minimizing maximum (Emax) or average (Ebar) energy dissipation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a simulation-based analysis of WSN energy efficiency with static and mobile sinks.
• To holistically consider both maximum (Emax) and average (Ebar) energy dissipation.
• To analyze the influence and interrelationship of sink mobility path and node duty cycling on energy consumption.

Main Methods:

• Developed a simulation-based analysis framework for WSN energy efficiency.
• Incorporated a geometrical model validated by realistic simulations, particularly regarding duty cycling.
• Quantitatively analyzed the impact of duty cycling and sink mobility radius on energy consumption.

Main Results:

• Energy dissipation varied significantly (up to 9x for Emax, 17x for Ebar) based on duty cycle and mobility radius.
• Duty cycle value was generally more critical for energy efficiency than sink mobility radius.
• Static sinks were optimal for low duty cycles, while mobile sinks offered advantages at higher duty cycles, especially for Emax.

Conclusions:

• The choice of duty cycle significantly impacts WSN energy efficiency, often more than sink mobility.
• Optimal sink strategy (static vs. mobile) depends on the duty cycle value.
• Insights into the interplay between duty cycling and mobile sink radius are vital for energy-efficient WSN operation.