An Analysis of Localization Problems and Solutions in Wireless Sensor Networks

Lina M. Pestana Leão de Brito, Laura M. Rodríguez Peralta^[1]

lmrodrig@uma.pt

(recebido em 4 de Abril de 2008; aceite em 8 de Maio de 2008)

 

 

Resumo: Numa Rede de Sensores sem Fios, a localização consiste em determinar a posição de um nó sensor. Determinar a localização é uma tarefa de grande importância, pois é necessária para muitas outras funções da rede: comunicação, encaminhamento, criação de clusters, cobertura da rede, etc. Além disso, é essencial que este processo seja desempenhado pelos próprios nós, ou seja, sem qualquer intervenção humana (auto-localização), o que requer colaboração entre os nós. Neste artigo, começamos por abordar algumas das problemáticas que podem influenciar quer a criação quer a escolha de um algoritmo de localização. Apresentamos um resumo das várias técnicas utilizadas para localizar sensores sem fios, assim como uma comparação dos algoritmos de localização que consideramos mais relevantes. Esta comparação tem em vista a selecção de uma solução de localização que seja adequada ao caso específico da monitorização ambiental de florestas, no âmbito do projecto europeu Foresmac.

Palavras-chave: Algoritmos de localização, Auto-localização, Colaboração, Nós sensores, Redes de Sensores sem Fios.

 

 

Abstract: Determining the localization of nodes in a Wireless Sensor Network is a very important task, which involves collaboration between sensor nodes. Localization is a fundamental service since it is relevant to many applications and to the network main functions, such as: routing, communication, cluster creation, network coverage, etc. Collaboration is essential to self-localization, so that localization can be accomplished by the nodes themselves, without any human intervention. In this paper, we first analyze the key aspects that have to be considered when designing or choosing a solution for the localization problem. Then, we present the types of current localization algorithms, making a broad comparison among the most relevant algorithms. With this comparative analysis, we aim at identifying a localization algorithm suitable to the specific problem of forests environmental monitoring, to be applied in the context of the Foresmac European project.

Keywords: Collaboration, Localization algorithms, Self-localization, Sensor nodes, Wireless sensor networks.

 

 

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Full text only available in PDF format.

 

 

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^[1] Laboratory for Usage-centered Software Engineering (LabUse), Centro de Ciências Matemáticas (CCM), Mathematics and Engineering Department (DME), University of Madeira (UMa), Campus da Penteada, 9000-390 Funchal, Madeira, Portugal