Three-Dimensional Wireless Sensor Networks: Geometric Approaches for Topology and Routing Design

Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D) wireless sensor networks have attracted a lot of attention due to their great potential usages in both commercial and civilian applications, such as environmental data collection, pollution monitoring, space exploration, disaster prevention, and tactical surveillance. Unfortunately, the design of 3D networks is surprisingly more difficult than the design in two-dimensional (2D) networks. Many properties of the network require additional computational complexity, and many problems cannot be solved by extensions or generalizations of 2D methods. In addressing these challenges, there have been new network protocols and algorithms designed for 3D wireless sensor networks using geometric approaches. In this chapter, we review the most recent advances in 3D topology control and 3D geographic routing for 3D wireless sensor networks.