<p>Wireless sensors nodes are made up of small electronic devices which are capable of sensing, computing and transmitting data from harsh physical environments like a surveillance field. These sensor nodes majorly depend on batteries for energy, which get depleted at a faster rate because of the computation and communication operations they have to perform. Communication protocols can be designed to make efficient utilization of energy resources of a sensor node and to obtain real time functionality. A set of previously reported routing and MAC (Medium Access Control) layer protocols has abilities to achieve energy efficiency and supports real-time functionality. A detailed study of these protocols has been carried out and comparison tables give an overview of the protocol’s performance on some factors like latency, scalability and energy awareness. Conclusions have been drawn using the comparison table parameters of how the protocol performs when utilized for a surveillance application and what kind of tradeoff they show. </p><p>The conclusions and tabular information drawn here are from our theoretical analysis of protocols referred from journals; there is no simulation work done in this thesis.</p>

Wireless sensors nodes are made up of small electronic devices which are capable of sensing, computing and transmitting data from harsh physical environments like a surveillance field. These sensor nodes majorly depend on batteries for energy, which get depleted at a faster rate because of the computation and communication operations they have to perform. Communication protocols can be designed to make efficient utilization of energy resources of a sensor node and to obtain real time functionality. A set of previously reported routing and MAC (Medium Access Control) layer protocols has abilities to achieve energy efficiency and supports real-time functionality. A detailed study of these protocols has been carried out and comparison tables give an overview of the protocol’s performance on some factors like latency, scalability and energy awareness. Conclusions have been drawn using the comparison table parameters of how the protocol performs when utilized for a surveillance application and what kind of tradeoff they show. The conclusions and tabular information drawn here are from our theoretical analysis of protocols referred from journals; there is no simulation work done in this thesis.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have become a popular research area that is widely gaining the attraction from both the research and the practitioner communities due to their wide area of applications. These applications include real-time sensing for audio delivery, imaging, video streaming, and remote monitoring with positive impact in many fields such as precision agriculture, ubiquitous healthcare, environment protection, smart cities and many other fields. While WSNs are aimed to constantly handle more intricate functions such as intelligent computation, automatic transmissions, and in-network processing, such capabilities are constrained by their limited processing capability and memory footprint as well as the need for the sensor batteries to be cautiously consumed in order to extend their lifetime. This thesis revisits the issue of the energy efficiency in sensor networks by proposing a novel clustering approach for routing the sensor readings in wireless sensor networks. The main contribution of this dissertation is to 1) propose corrective measures to the traditional energy model adopted in current sensor networks simulations that erroneously discount both the role played by each node, the sensor node capability and fabric and 2) apply these measures to a novel hierarchical routing architecture aiming at maximizing sensor networks lifetime. We propose three energy models for sensor network: a) a service-aware model that account for the specific role played by each node in a sensor network b) a sensor-aware model and c) load-balancing energy model that accounts for the sensor node fabric and its energy footprint. These two models are complemented by a load balancing model structured to balance energy consumption on the network of cluster heads that forms the backbone for any cluster-based hierarchical sensor network. We present two novel approaches for clustering the nodes of a hierarchical sensor network: a) a distanceaware clustering where nodes are clustered based on their distance and the residual energy and b) a service-aware clustering where the nodes of a sensor network are clustered according to their service offered to the network and their residual energy. These approaches are implemented into a family of routing protocols referred to as EOCIT (Energy Optimization using Clustering Techniques) which combines sensor node energy location and service awareness to achieve good network performance. Finally, building upon the Ant Colony Optimization System (ACS), Multipath Routing protocol based on Ant Colony Optimization approach for Wireless Sensor Networks (MRACO) is proposed as a novel multipath routing protocol that finds energy efficient routing paths for sensor readings dissemination from the cluster heads to the sink/base station of a hierarchical sensor network. Our simulation results reveal the relative efficiency of the newly proposed approaches compared to selected related routing protocols in terms of sensor network lifetime maximization.

The work described in this thesis is concerned with self-localisation (automated estimation of sensor locations) and source-localisation (location of a target) using Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). The motivation for the research in this thesis is the on-line localisation of marmots from their alarm calls. The application requires accurate 3D self-localisation (within a small percentage of sensor spacing) as well as timely operation. Further challenges are added by the high data-rate involved: sensor nodes acquire data at a rate that is greater than the available network bandwidth. This data cannot be streamed over a multi-hop network, implying a need for data reduction through in-network event detection and local data compression or filtering techniques. The research approach adopted in this thesis combined simulation, emulation and real-life experimentation. Real-life deployment and experimentation highlighted problems that could not be predicted in controlled experiments or simulation. Emulation used data gathered from controlled, real-life experimentation to simulate proposed system refinements; this was sufficient to provide a proof-of-concept validation for some of the concepts developed. Simulation allowed the understanding of underlying theoretical behaviour without involving the complex environmental effects caused by real-life experimentation. This thesis details contributions in two distinct aspects of localisation: acoustic ranging and end-toend deployable acoustic source localisation systems. With regard to acoustic ranging and 3D localisation, two WSN platforms were evaluated: one commercially available, but heavily constrained (Mica2) and one custom-built for accurate localisation (Embedded Networked Sensing Box (ENSBox)). A new proof of concept platform for acoustic sensing (based on the Gumstix single-board computer) was developed by the author (including the implementation of a ranging mechanism), based on experiences with the platforms above. Furthermore, the literature was found to lack a specific procedure for evaluation and comparison of self-localisation algorithms from theoretical conception to real-life testing. Therefore, an evaluation cycle for self-localisation algorithms that encompassed simulation, emulation and real-life deployment was developed. With respect to source localisation, a hardware and software platform named VoxNet was designed and implemented.

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) overcome the difficulties of other monitoring systems, as they require no human attendance on site, provide real-time interaction with events, and maintain cost and power efficient operations. However, further efficiencies are required especially in the case of Outdoor Environment Monitoring (OEM) applications due to their harsh operational conditions, huge targeted areas, limited energy budget, and required Three-Dimensional (3D) setups. A fundamental issue in defeating these practical challenges is the deployment planning of the WSNs. The deployment plan is a key factor of many intrinsic properties of OEM networks, summarized in connectivity, lifetime, fault-tolerance, and cost-effectiveness. In this thesis, we investigate the problem of WSNs deployments that address these properties in order to overcome the unique challenges and circumstances in OEM applications. A natural solution to this problem is to have multiple relay nodes that reserve more energy for sensing, and provide vast coverage area. Furthermore, assuming a subset of these relay nodes are mobile can contribute in repairing the network connectivity problems and recovering faulty nodes, in addition to granting balanced load distributions, and hence prolonging the network lifetime. We investigate this promising research direction by proposing a 3D grid-based deployment planning for heterogeneous WSNs in which Sensor Nodes (SNs) and Relay Nodes (RNs) are efficiently deployed on grid vertices. Towards this efficiency, we analyze and characterize the grid connectivity property in the 3D space. Afterward, we design optimization schemes for the placement of SNs and RNs on the 3D grid models. Based on theoretical analysis and extensive simulations, the proposed schemes show a significant enhancement in terms of network connectivity and lifetime in OEM applications. / Thesis (Ph.D, Computing) -- Queen's University, 2011-05-02 10:29:01.785

A sensor network is comprised of a large number of sensor nodes with limited power, which collect and process data from a target domain and transmit information back to specific sites, such as, headquarters and disaster control centers. Since the wireless communication channel shared by sensor nodes is broadcast in nature, a Medium Access Control (MAC) protocol is needed to specify how nodes share the channel, which plays a central role in the performance of a sensor network. In this thesis, we investigate the performance of randomized and time hopping Aloha MAC protocols by theoretical analysis and simulations. The first part of our research formulates the multiple access collision problem raised from the ARGOS satellite telemetry system. We analyze the factors that affect the performance of the system and derive the mathematical model. We simulate the system and generate valuable performance results for design purpose. In the second part of the thesis, we extend our research to sensor networks with Impulse Radio Ultra WideBand (IR- UWB) physical layer defined in IEEE802.15.4a. We analyze and model the time hopping Aloha MAC protocol and verify the results with simulations using NS-2 network simulator.

Η παρούσα διπλωματική εργασία πραγματεύεται την παρουσίαση των ασύρματων δικτύων αισθητήρων και ελεγκτών στην βιομηχανία. Η εργασία αυτή εκπονήθηκε στο Εργαστήριο Γενικής Ηλεκτροτεχνίας του Τμήματος Ηλεκτρολόγων Μηχανικών και Τεχνολογίας Υπολογιστών της Πολυτεχνικής Σχολής του Πανεπιστημίου Πατρών. Σκοπός είναι η δημιουργία μίας ολοκληρωμένης παρουσίασης για την τεχνολογία ασύρματης δικτύωσης σε βιομηχανικό περιβάλλον, ώστε να μπορεί ο αναγνώστης να κατανοήσει εις βάθος τα πλεονεκτήματα αλλά και τους κινδύνους από την εφαρμογή της, να ενημερωθεί σε ποιο επίπεδο εφαρμογής βρίσκεται σήμερα, καθώς και να κατανοήσει το τεχνικό μέρος της τεχνολογίας αυτής. Αρχικά έγινε μία εισαγωγή στο πώς δουλεύει η ασύρματη τεχνολογία και των βασικών χαρακτηριστικών της, (κεραίες τοπολογίες κλπ), ενώ παρουσιάστηκαν και τα διάφορα πρωτόκολλα που χρησιμοποιούνται στα ασύρματα δίκτυα γενικά. Στη συνέχεια έγινε παρουσίαση των απαιτήσεων για βιομηχανική δικτύωση (π.χ. ασφάλεια, αξιοπιστία) ενώ μελετήθηκε πώς μπορεί να γίνει στην πράξη η εφαρμογή των ασυρμάτων δικτύων στον τομέα της βιομηχανίας, δηλαδή τα πρωτόκολλα που χρησιμοποιούνται, καθώς και ανάλυση του τομέα της ασφάλειας δεδομένων κατά την ασύρματη μετάδοση στο βιομηχανικό περιβάλλον. Το επόμενο βήμα έγινε παρουσίαση του λογισμικού Prosoft Wireless Designer της εταιρίας Prosoft για τον σχεδιασμό βιομηχανικών δικτύων σε περιβάλλον υπολογιστή. Τέλος παρουσιάστηκαν επιλεκτικά παραδείγματα υλοποιημένων εφαρμογών ασύρματης δικτύωσης από εταιρίες, καθώς και διάφορα προϊόντα που κυκλοφορούν στην αγορά και χρησιμοποιούνται αποκλειστικά για βιομηχανική ασύρματη δικτύωση. / -

The wireless sensor network (WSN) is increasingly used in many areas nowadays. It can be applied to provide the solutions to environmental problems, help increasing security and safety systems, and make the detection of the problems more efficient, e.g. the earthquake or tidal wave, which will harmful to humans. The WNS is durable and resistant to all types of terrain and climate, but while the WSN system is more and more widespread, one of the obstacles hindering the growth of this technology and the demand for WSN applications is the limited battery lifespan. Consequently, there is a significant requirement for techniques for prolonging the battery’s lifespan. Therefore, one potential solution is to use alternative energy sources combined with the sensor nodes in WSN, specifically energy harvesting from existing environmental sources. This research project reviews the characteristics of each kind of energy harvesting, understanding the various energy sources (solar energy, vibration energy and wind power), including wireless power transfer (WPT) by using electromagnetic (EM) radiation energy transfer or RF radio-frequency emission and magnetic coupled energy transfer. They are adopted for extending node’s life in the WSN, based on published information. Then it compares these diverse alternative energy methods and identifies for the most suitable energy harvesting method for application to wireless sensor nodes in order to prolong the lifespan of the battery. The major findings from the researcher include that wireless power transfer energy harvesting (WPT) using the magnetic field is the most appropriate tool for extending the lifespan of the WSN system. In addition, the author also designed an experiment to test this alternative energy, achieving by modelling the wireless power transfer with four coils. From the experimental results, it can be seen that the WPT technique using energy harvesting with magnetic inductive source can be applied to prolong the lifespan of the WSN system.

In most of critical infrastructures, Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are deployed due to their low-cost, flexibility and efficiency as well as their wide usage in several infrastructures. Regardless of these advantages, WSNs introduce various security vulnerabilities such as different types of attacks and intruders due to the open nature of sensor nodes and unreliable wireless links. Therefore, the implementation of an efficient Intrusion Detection System (IDS) that achieves an acceptable security level is a stimulating issue that gained vital importance. In this thesis, we investigate the problem of security provisioning in WSNs based critical monitoring infrastructures. We propose a trust based hierarchical model for malicious nodes detection specially for Black-hole attacks. We also present various Machine Learning (ML)-driven IDSs schemes for wirelessly connected sensors that track critical infrastructures. In this thesis, we present an in-depth analysis of the use of machine learning, deep learning, adaptive machine learning, and reinforcement learning solutions to recognize intrusive behaviours in the monitored network. We evaluate the proposed schemes by using KDD'99 as real attacks data-sets in our simulations. To this end, we present the performance metrics for four different IDSs schemes namely the Clustered Hierarchical Hybrid IDS (CHH-IDS), Adaptively Supervised and Clustered Hybrid IDS (ASCH-IDS), Restricted Boltzmann Machine-based Clustered IDS (RBC-IDS) and Q-learning based IDS (QL-IDS) to detect malicious behaviours in a sensor network. Through simulations, we analyzed all presented schemes in terms of Accuracy Rates (ARs), Detection Rates (DRs), False Negative Rates (FNRs), Precision-recall ratios, F_1 scores and, the area under curves (ROC curves) which are the key performance parameters for all IDSs. To this end, we show that QL-IDS performs with ~ 100% detection and accuracy rates.

A Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) is a network composed of a large number of nodes that sense, collect, transmit, and deliver data to where it is needed. Considering the variety of applications, the varied efficiency of WSNs in different environments, and their ability to interact with its surrounding, there are still many challenges to be met and problems to be solved. Overcoming these challenges requires a protocol that is tasked with providing and designing a system that is highly efficient, thus saving energy. In WSNs with Mobile-Actors, the task is first to find an effective way to decrease the length of the tour that the M-Actor follows for data gathering. Nonetheless, this short length should be with a guarantee to access all nodes in the networks to collect the sensory data. In this thesis, we propose a protocol that contributes to reducing energy consumption in WSNs by decreasing the M-Actor path and by using Rendezvous Points (RPs) that are distributed around the network. In addition, the proposed protocol increases the network lifetime by consuming less energy in comparison with a similar protocol and offers reasonable spending time for data collection. All of that with guarantee of offering an access for all nodes inside the network to exchange their data with the M-Actors by the suggested RP algorithm. One or more nodes can be represented by a single RP that provide connectivity to all nodes in it wireless range. In case where more M-Actors are used, less time is required for traversing the network for data gathering. It is shown in this research the tour time can be reduced significantly by using more than one M-Actors.