A Cluster Leader Selection Algorithm to Enhance the Lifetime of Scalable Wireless Sensor Networks

Abstract

Wireless sensor networks have fascinating applications that help mankind to get connected with the physical world. Since the last decade, wireless sensor networks are been researched as physical infrastructure of Internet of things technology. For such accomplishment, wireless sensor networks need to be scalable and self-organizing. As sensor nodes are battery driven, limited lifetime is the prime constraint. Clustering methods are popularly used to prolong the network lifetime, but cluster leader selection algorithms majorly affect total energy consumption of the network. This is because cluster leaders utilize more energy than other nodes. For scalable networks, selecting appropriate cluster leaders is a great challenge. In this research work, a distributed cluster leader selection algorithm is proposed to prolong the network lifetime. Real-time network parameters are used instead of random variables or constants in the formulation of cluster leader selection criteria. Due to this, minimal but sufficient number of cluster leaders are selected. This reduces number of transmissions toward the sink and significantly minimizes overall energy consumption. The simulation results indicate that the proposed algorithm enhances network lifetime efficaciously for varying node density and coverage area. Thus, the proposed algorithm can be suitably used for Internet of things applications.