A Bio-Inspired Distributed Clustering Algorithm for Wireless Sensor Networks

Abstract

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have emerged in strategic applications such as target detection, localization, and tracking in battlefields, where the large-scale nature renders centralized control prohibitive. In addition, the finite batteries in sensor nodes demand energy-aware network control. In this paper, we propose an energy-efficient topology management model that allows clustered nodes to act upon imminent targets in a purely distributed and autonomous fashion, which is inspired by the biological inter-cell lateral induction models. In particular, nodes in the target vicinity collaborate to form clusters based on their relative observation quality values. The energy efficiency of the proposed approach is examined against reference protocols.

A biologically inspired networking model for wireless sensor networks

“…It remains as a challenging problem how to autonomously form energy-efficient clusters around targets in a large-scale sensor network. Given the unsuccessful history in achieving the above goal, we have to challenge the way that traditional techniques tackle these issues and look for new alternatives [24]. An attractive approach stems from biological research, where researchers point out that living organisms consist of billions of networked cells interacting with each other in a remarkably harmonic way.…”

Energy‐balancing node scheduling inspired by gene regulatory networks for wireless sensor networks

“…Recently, many researchers have been engaged in developing biologically-inspired design paradigms to address the scalability and adaptability issues for WSNs while guaranteeing system robustness with individual simplicity [10][11][12][13]. Concepts and principles derived from biological systems, such as immune system [14], insect colonies [15], activator-inhibitor systems [16,17], cellular signalling systems [18,19], and pheromone termite model and ant-colony systems [20,21], have been applied to WSN system design. Among these biological systems, gene regulatory networks (GRNs), a representation of genes/proteins and the interactions between them, have been proposed for robust network design [22].…”

A Biologically-inspired Algorithm for Mission-critical Applications in Wireless SensorNetworks

“…One existing coordination protocol is based on the cellular signaling scheme of biological multicellular systems [26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38]. Delta-Notch signaling is a well-defined signaling scheme for which both Delta and Notch are transmembrane proteins [30].…”

“…The cells within a functional patch formed via lateral induction usually differentiate further, to a stage where some cells remain active while the rest become inactive. Theoretical biologists and mathematicians have successfully modeled the Delta-Notch signaling process by sets of coupled, ordinary differential equations (ODEs) [26][27][28][29][30].…”