Deployment of mobile nodes in a region of interest is a critical issue in building a mobile sensor network because it affects cost and detection capabilities of the system. The deployment of mobile sensors in essence is the movement of sensors from an initial position to a final optimal location. Considerable attention has recently been given to this deployment issue. Many of the distributed deployment schemes use the potential field method. In most cases, the negative gradient of the potential function becomes the feedback control input to a node. This assumes that the potential function is differentiable over the entire region. This assumption is valid primarily when the topology of the network is fixed. In this research, we analyze the stability of a network that uses piecewise smooth potential functions. A gravitation-like force is proposed to deploy a group of agents and to form a certain configuration. We use a nonsmooth version of the Lyapunov stability theory and LaSalle’s invariance principle to show asymptotic stability of the network which is governed by discontinuous dynamics. We propose a hierarchical structure using potential fields for mobile sensor network deployment. A group of mobile nodes first form a cluster using a potential field method and then cluster heads are used to establish a hexagonal structure that employs a higher level potential field. We consider specifically the problem of deploying a mobile sensor network so that a certain area coverage is realized and maintained. And we propose an algorithm for main taining the desired coverage that assumes the availability of a stochastic sensor model. The model reflects the decline of the sensor accuracy as the distance increases from the sensor. It is further assumed that each node’s sensor has a different sensing range to represent sensor performance deterioration due to power decay. The network deployment scheme combines artificial forces with individual sensor ranges. The validity and the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm are compared to the conventional methods in simulations. Simulation results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms with respect to a defined performance metric.

This thesis explores the role mobile sensor's mobility model and how it affects surveillance system performance in term of area coverage and detection effectiveness. Several algorithms which are categorized into three types, namely, fully coordinated mobility, fully random mobility and emergent mobility models are discussed with their advantages and limitations. A multi-agent platform to organize mobile sensor nodes, control nodes and actor nodes was implemented. It demonstrated great flexibility and was favourable for its distributed, autonomous and cooperative problem-solving characters. Realistic scenarios which are based on three KheperaIII mobile robots and a model which mimics Waterloo regional airport were used to examine the implementation platform and evaluate performance of different mobility algorithms. Several practical issues related to software configurations and interface library were addressed as by-products. The experimental results from both simulation and real platform show that the area coverage and the detection effectiveness vary with applying different mobility models. Fully coordinated model's super efficiency comes with carefully task planning and high requirements of sensor navigational accuracy. Fully random model is the least efficient in area coverage and detection because of the repetitive searching of each sensor and among sensors. A self-organizing algorithm named anti-flocking which mimics solitary animal's social behaviour was first proposed. It works based on quite simple rules for achieving purposeful coordinated group action without explicit global control. Experimental results demonstrate its attractive target detection efficiency in term of both detection rate and detection time while providing desirable features such as scalability, robustness and adaptivity. From the simulation results, the detection rate of the anti-flocking model increases by 36.5% and average detection time decreases by 46.2% comparing with the fully random motion model. The real platform results also reflect the superior performance improvement.

This thesis explores the role mobile sensor's mobility model and how it affects surveillance system performance in term of area coverage and detection effectiveness. Several algorithms which are categorized into three types, namely, fully coordinated mobility, fully random mobility and emergent mobility models are discussed with their advantages and limitations. A multi-agent platform to organize mobile sensor nodes, control nodes and actor nodes was implemented. It demonstrated great flexibility and was favourable for its distributed, autonomous and cooperative problem-solving characters. Realistic scenarios which are based on three KheperaIII mobile robots and a model which mimics Waterloo regional airport were used to examine the implementation platform and evaluate performance of different mobility algorithms. Several practical issues related to software configurations and interface library were addressed as by-products. The experimental results from both simulation and real platform show that the area coverage and the detection effectiveness vary with applying different mobility models. Fully coordinated model's super efficiency comes with carefully task planning and high requirements of sensor navigational accuracy. Fully random model is the least efficient in area coverage and detection because of the repetitive searching of each sensor and among sensors. A self-organizing algorithm named anti-flocking which mimics solitary animal's social behaviour was first proposed. It works based on quite simple rules for achieving purposeful coordinated group action without explicit global control. Experimental results demonstrate its attractive target detection efficiency in term of both detection rate and detection time while providing desirable features such as scalability, robustness and adaptivity. From the simulation results, the detection rate of the anti-flocking model increases by 36.5% and average detection time decreases by 46.2% comparing with the fully random motion model. The real platform results also reflect the superior performance improvement.

La surveillance étroite d’un grand équipement physique mobile sur une trajectoire unique connue est susceptible d’avoir des applications concrètes importantes pour la sécurité des utilisateurs et de l’équipement lui-même, pour sa maintenance et pour l’optimisation du service rendu. Cette surveillance nécessite d’instrumenter l’équipement. Cette instrumentation à l’aide d’un réseau de capteurs pris sur étagère constitue l’application de l’étude menée dans cette thèse. Les problématiques de recherche concernent trois domaines : la topologie des réseaux de capteurs mobiles, le routage et la localisation. Elles sont situées par rapport à l’état de l’art. Puis une étude approfondie de l’architecture du réseau pour sur un système physique parcourant une trajectoire circulaire a été menée. La grande roue de Singapour (Singapore Flyer) est utilisée comme système type. Deux sortes de topologie ont été étudiées : une dans laquelle la liaison système mobile – partie fixe au sol est située au niveau du ou des capteurs, l’autre pour laquelle la liaison système mobile - partie fixe au sol est située au niveau du puits. Les meilleurs placements des relais ont été proposés ainsi que des algorithmes de routage géographique adaptés à chaque cas. Les performances du réseau sont mesurées par simulation. Elles montrent un bon fonctionnement pour des phénomènes dynamiques assez rapides et permettent de comparer les architectures entre-elles. Enfin une expérimentation de localisation des nœuds à base de RSSI a été menée sur un site industriel / The close supervision of a large physical equipment moving on a single known trajectory is likely to have important practical applications for the safety of users and the equipment itself, for maintenance and optimization of the provided service. This requires deploying monitoring instruments on equipment. This instrumentation using a sensor network taken off the shelf is the application of the study conducted in this thesis. The research problems address three areas: the topology of mobile sensor networks, routing and localization. They are situated in relation to the state of the art. Then a detailed study of the network architecture for a physical system moving on a circular path was conducted. Giant observation wheel of Singapore (Singapore Flyer) is used as a type system. Two kinds of topology were considered: one in which the connection mobile system - fixed part at the ground is located at sensor interface, one for which the link mobile system - fixed part at the ground is located at sink interface. The best placements of the relays have been proposed as well as geographic routing algorithms adapted to each case. The network performance is measured by simulation. The results show a correct working for fairly rapid dynamic phenomena and allow to compare architectures with each other. Finally an experiment of node localization based on RSSI was conducted on an industrial site