Energy-Efficient Packet Forwarding Scheme Based on Fuzzy Decision-Making in Underwater Sensor Networks

Area of Science:

• Marine engineering
• Computer science
• Network protocols

Background:

• Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks (UWSNs) face significant challenges, particularly in energy consumption and efficient data routing.
• Existing protocols often suffer from node battery drainage, packet loss, and suboptimal node selection for data forwarding, impacting system performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose an energy-efficient packet forwarding scheme for UWSNs using fuzzy logic.
• To address critical issues of energy loss and inefficient routing in underwater sensor networks.

Main Methods:

• A novel fuzzy logic-based protocol is developed, utilizing metrics such as hop count, neighbor count, and Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) in a 3D architecture.
• The protocol's performance is evaluated under varying transmission ranges (adaptive and non-adaptive) and scalable numbers of nodes.

Main Results:

• The proposed fuzzy logic protocol demonstrates superior performance compared to existing techniques in terms of energy consumption and hop count.
• Simulation results validate the effectiveness of the energy-efficient packet forwarding scheme.

Conclusions:

• The fuzzy logic-based approach offers a significant improvement in energy efficiency for UWSNs.
• This protocol effectively mitigates common issues like node shutdown and packet loss, enhancing overall network performance and reliability.