RoCoMAR: robots' controllable mobility aided routing and relay architecture for mobile sensor networks

Area of Science:

• Computer Science
• Robotics
• Wireless Communication

Background:

• Mobile sensor networks (MSNs) experience performance degradation in practical deployments.
• Challenges include high node mobility, dynamic wireless channels, and physical obstructions.
• Existing ad hoc routing protocols struggle to maintain optimal performance in MSNs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a novel routing and relaying architecture for MSNs that leverages controllable robotic node mobility.
• To enhance network throughput and end-to-end data transfer quality in mobile sensor networks.
• To address the limitations of current routing protocols in dynamic MSN environments.

Main Methods:

• Introducing RoCoMAR (Robots' Controllable Mobility Aided Routing), an architecture utilizing robotic nodes for enhanced routing.
• Implementing a link reinforcement process to identify and replace low-quality links by strategically placing robotic relays.
• Employing adaptive link maintenance where robotic relays adjust positions based on regular node movements.

Main Results:

• RoCoMAR effectively improves network throughput by strategically reinforcing communication links.
• The proposed architecture significantly reduces end-to-end delay in mobile sensor networks.
• Simulation results demonstrate superior performance of RoCoMAR compared to existing ad hoc routing protocols for MSNs.

Conclusions:

• RoCoMAR offers a robust solution for improving performance in mobile sensor networks.
• The use of controllable robotic mobility is a key factor in achieving higher network throughput and lower delay.
• This architecture presents a promising advancement for practical MSN deployments facing mobility and environmental challenges.