Information Content-Based Sensor Selection and Transmission Power Adjustment for Collaborative Target Tracking

For target tracking applications, wireless sensor nodes provide accurate information since they can be deployed and operated near the phenomenon. These sensing devices have the opportunity of collaboration among themselves to improve the target localization and tracking accuracies. An energy-efficient collaborative target tracking paradigm is developed for wireless sensor networks (WSNs). A mutual-information-based sensor selection (MISS) algorithm is adopted for participation in the fusion process. MISS allows the sensor nodes with the highest mutual information about the target state to transmit data so that the energy consumption is reduced while the desired target position estimation accuracy is met. In addition, a novel approach to energy savings in WSNs is devised in the information-controlled transmission power (ICTP) adjustment, where nodes with more information use higher transmission powers than those that are less informative to share their target state information with the neighboring nodes. Simulations demonstrate the performance gains offered by MISS and ICTP in terms of power consumption and target localization accuracy.     

Localization systems for wireless sensor networks

Monitoring applications define an important class of applications used in wireless sensor networks. In these applications the network perceives the environment and searches for event occurrences (phenomena) by sensing different physical properties, such as temperature, humidity, pressure, ambient light, movement, and presence (for target tracking). In such cases the location information of both phenomena and nodes is usually required for tracking and correlation purposes. In this work we summarize most of the concepts related to localization systems for WSNs as well as how to localize the nodes in these networks (which allows the localization of phenomena). By dividing the localization systems into three distinct components -distance/angle estimation, position computation, and localization algorithm - besides providing a didactic viewpoint, we show that these components can be seen as subareas of the localization problem that need to be analyzed and studied separately.     

Dynamic sensor collaboration via sequential Monte Carlo

We consider the application of sequential Monte Carlo (SMC) methods for Bayesian inference to the problem of information-driven dynamic sensor collaboration in clutter environments for sensor networks. The dynamics of the system under consideration are described by nonlinear sensing models within randomly deployed sensor nodes. The exact solution to this problem is prohibitively complex due to the nonlinear nature of the system. The SMC methods are, therefore, employed to track the probabilistic dynamics of the system and to make the corresponding Bayesian estimates and predictions. To meet the specific requirements inherent in sensor network, such as low-power consumption and collaborative information processing, we propose a novel SMC solution that makes use of the auxiliary particle filter technique for data fusion at densely deployed sensor nodes, and the collapsed kernel representation of the a posteriori distribution for information exchange between sensor nodes. Furthermore, an efficient numerical method is proposed for approximating the entropy-based information utility in sensor selection. It is seen that under the SMC framework, the optimal sensor selection and collaboration can be implemented naturally, and significant improvement is achieved over existing methods in terms of localizing and tracking accuracies.     

Purposeful mobility for relaying and surveillance in mobile ad hoc sensor networks

We consider a mobile ad hoc sensor network. The mobility of the sensor nodes is designed with the cost of communication and mobility in mind along with consideration of the possible scanning tasks of the nodes. Our mobility algorithm is developed in the context of a distributed system where, for any single mobile node, only local information about associated energy costs is known. We use a distributed simulated annealing framework to govern the motion of the nodes and prove that, in a limiting sense, a global objective function comprising mobility and communication energy costs are minimized. This paper concludes with a simulation study focusing on mobile sensors with dual roles of scanning and relaying higher priority tracking traffic from tracking nodes.     

Trade-Off Analysis of Energy Consumption and Image Quality for Multihop Wireless Sensor Networks

It has become necessary in recent years to observe and monitor some physical phenomena. This was made possible by the emergence of wireless sensor networks. The main characteristic of such networks is nodes with scarce resources. Given the stringent resource constraints, nodes are limited in energy, memory and computational power. These resource constraints pose serious difficulties for image processing and transmission to the destination. Therefore, image transfer in wireless sensor networks presents major challenge which raises issues related to its representation, its storage and its transmission. Based on wavelet transform an Adaptive Energy Efficient Wavelet Image Compression Algorithm is proposed in order to be suitable for wireless sensor network. In addition, an identification of the wavelet image compression parameters is investigated to analyze the trade-offs between the energy saving, and the image quality. Performance studies indicate that the proposed scheme enabling significant reductions in computation as well as communication energy needed, with minimal degradation in image quality.     

多簇无线传感网的优化生存时间近邻功率控制算法

针对非均匀分布的无线传感网的生存时间问题,提出多簇无线传感网的优化生存时间近邻功率控制(NPCAOL_MC)算法。该算法采用K-means算法确定网络的簇个数和对应每个簇的节点,利用近邻算法评估每个簇的节点密度,确定簇的最优通信距离。结合Friss自由空间模型计算当前簇的最优发送功率。Sink节点广播通知其他节点,如果是同一簇内的节点相互通信,则采用簇最优功率发送数据,否则采用默认最大发送功率发送数据。仿真结果表明,利用NPCAOL_MC算法可以分析整个网络节点的位置信息,采用簇最优发送功率发送数据,从而提高生存时间,并使能耗经济有效。在密度分布不均的无线传感网中,NPCAOL_MC比采用固定发送功率的Ratio_w算法更优。     

一种基于异步传感器网络的空间目标分布式跟踪方法

为解决传感器网络在空间目标分布式跟踪过程中的异步采样及通信延迟问题,该文提出一种异步分布式信息滤波算法(ADIF)。首先,局部传感器与相邻节点之间以一定的拓扑结构传递带采样时标的局部状态信息和量测信息,然后将收到的异步信息按时间排序,使用ADIF算法进行计算,分别对目标状态进行估计。该方法实现简单,传感器间通信的次数少,支持网络拓扑的实时变化,适用于空间目标监测中的多目标跟踪问题。该文分别对空间单目标、多目标跟踪进行了仿真,结果表明算法可以有效解决异步传感器滤波问题,分布式滤波精度一致逼近于集中式结果。     

基于格拉布斯准则和改进粒子滤波算法的水下传感网目标跟踪

水下无线传感网络(UWSN)执行目标跟踪时,因为各个传感器节点测量值对目标状态估计的贡献不一样以及节点能量有限,所以探索一种好的节点融合权重方法和节点规划机制能够获得更好的跟踪性能。针对上述问题,该文提出一种基于Grubbs准则和互信息熵加权融合的分布式粒子滤波(PF)目标跟踪算法(GMIEW)。首先利用Grubbs准则对传感器节点所获得的信息进行分析检验,去除干扰信息和错误信息。其次,在粒子滤波的重要性权值计算的过程中,引入动态加权因子,采用传感器节点的测量值与目标状态之间的互信息熵,来反映传感器节点提供的目标信息量,从而获得各个节点相应的加权因子。最后,采用3维场景下的簇-树型网络拓扑结构,跟踪监测区域内的目标。实验结果显示,该算法可有效提高水下传感器网络测量数据对目标跟踪预测的准确度,降低跟踪误差。     

A Novel Energy-Aware Target Tracking Method by Reducing Active Nodes in Wireless Sensor Networks

Energy consumption is one of the main challenges in wireless sensor networks. Additionally, in target tracking algorithms, it is expected to have a longer lifetime for the network, when a better prediction algorithm is employed, since it activates fewer sensors in the network. Most target tracking methods activate a large number of nodes in sensor networks. This paper proposes a new tracking algorithm reducing the number of active nodes in both positioning and tracking by predicting the target deployment area in the next time interval according to some factors including the previous location of the target, the current speed and acceleration of the target without reducing the tracking performance. The proposed algorithm activates the sensor nodes available in the target area by predicting the target position in the next time interval. The problem of target loss is also considered and solved in the proposed tracking algorithm. In the numerical analysis, the number of nodes involved in target tracking, energy consumption and the network lifetime are compared with other tracking algorithms to show superiority of the proposed algorithm.     

Distributed Energy Efficient Tracking in Hybrid wireless sensor network (DEETH)

In wireless sensor network (WSN), it is a complex task to track the target when it is moving randomly in an unknown environment. It also becomes difficult to cover a complete searching area because of the limited searching range and energy of sensor nodes as they are few in number. The author proposes a distributed energy efficient tracking in a hybrid WSN (DEETH) to track a randomly moving target in an unknown searching. Hybrid WSN that is proposed has both static sensor nodes (SSNs) and mobile sensor nodes (MSNs), which are deployed in the searching area. The MSNs move collectively using particle swarm techniques to search a target. The SSNs are deployed for tracking the presence of a target and giving this information to the base station. As per the information given by SSN, MSNs travel to the target and track it. Simulation results prove that proposed technique successfully tracks the target using less number of nodes and also less amount of energy.     

Distributed multi-target tracking using joint probabilistic data association and average consensus filter

In this paper, a distributed multi-target tracking (MTT) algorithm suitable for implementation in wireless sensor networks is proposed. For this purpose, the Monte Carlo (MC) implementation of joint probabilistic data-association filter (JPDAF) is applied to the well-known problem of multi-target tracking in a cluttered area. Also, to make the tracking algorithm scalable and usable for sensor networks of many nodes, the distributed expectation maximization algorithm is exploited via the average consensus filter, in order to diffuse the nodes’ information over the whole network. The proposed tracking system is robust and capable of modeling any state space with nonlinear and non-Gaussian models for target dynamics and measurement likelihood, since it uses the particle-filtering methods to extract samples from the desired distributions. To encounter the data-association problem that arises due to the unlabeled measurements in the presence of clutter, the well-known JPDAF algorithm is used. Furthermore, some simplifications and modifications are made to MC–JPDAF algorithm in order to reduce the computation complexity of the tracking system and make it suitable for low-energy sensor networks. Finally, the simulations of tracking tasks for a sample network are given.     

Mobile target tracking algorithm for wireless camera sensor networks with adjustable monitoring direction of nodes

Wireless camera sensor networks (WCSNs) possess a powerful physical environment monitoring capability. Camera nodes with adjustable monitoring directions further improve their flexibility. This study focuses on tracking multiple mobile targets to investigate the node scheduling and target location evaluation strategy of WCSNs on the basis of rotating nodes. By referring to existing research, this study improves the camera node monitoring and rotation model and proposes three network performance evaluation indicators. The proposed algorithm schedules nodes and their monitoring directions by using the unutilized energy of the nodes and the number of monitored targets. It also predicts the moving trends of the targets and selects active nodes by using the locations and linear speeds of the targets. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm has a high target tracking accuracy. Compared with traditional target tracking algorithms, the proposed algorithm can effectively reduce the number of active nodes, balance the energy consumption between nodes, and prolong network lifetime.     

Information-driven dynamic sensor collaboration

This article overviews the information-driven approach to sensor collaboration in ad hoc sensor networks. The main idea is for a network to determine participants in a "sensor collaboration" by dynamically optimizing the information utility of data for a given cost of communication and computation. A definition of information utility is introduced, and several approximate measures of the information utility are developed for reasons of computational tractability. We illustrate the use of this approach using examples drawn from tracking applications     

Adaptive Low Power Listening for Wireless Sensor Networks

Most sensor networks require application-specific network-wide performance guarantees, suggesting the need for global and flexible network optimization. The dynamic and nonuniform local states of individual nodes in sensor networks complicate global optimization. Here, we present a cross-layer framework for optimizing global power consumption and balancing the load in sensor networks through greedy local decisions. Our framework enables each node to use its local and neighborhood state information to adapt its routing and MAC layer behavior. The framework employs a flexible cost function at the routing layer and adaptive duty cycles at the MAC layer in order to adapt a node's behavior to its local state. We identify three state aspects that impact energy consumption: 1) number of descendants in the routing tree, 2) radio duty cycle, and 3) role. We conduct experiments on a test-bed of 14 mica2 sensor nodes to compare the state representations and to evaluate the framework's energy benefits. The experiments show that the degree of load balancing increases for expanded state representations. The experiments also reveal that all state representations in our framework reduce global power consumption in the range of one-third for a time-driven monitoring network and in the range of one-fifth for an event-driven target tracking network.     

Group key management scheme for large-scale sensor networks

Wireless sensor networks are inherently collaborative environments in which sensor nodes self-organize and operate in groups that typically are dynamic and mission-driven. Secure communications in wireless sensor networks under this collaborative model calls for efficient group key management. However, providing key management services in wireless sensor networks is complicated by their ad-hoc nature, intermittent connectivity, large scale, and resource limitations. To address these issues, this paper proposes a new energy-efficient key management scheme for networks consisting of a large number of commodity sensor nodes that are randomly deployed. All sensor nodes in the network are anonymous and are preloaded with identical state information. The proposed scheme leverages a location-based virtual network infrastructure and is built upon a combinatorial formulation of the group key management problem. Secure and efficient group key initialization is achieved in the proposed scheme by nodes autonomously computing, without any communications, their respective initial group keys. The key server, in turn, uses a simple location-based hash function to autonomously deduce the mapping of the nodes to their group keys. The scheme enables dynamic setup and management of arbitrary secure group structures with dynamic group membership.     

Hardware-Software Implementation of a Sensor Network for City Traffic Monitoring Using the FPGA- and ASIC-Based Sensor Nodes

This paper presents a prototype sensor network for monitoring urban traffic. The sensor network node, equipped with a low-resolution camera, observes the street and detects moving objects. Object detection is based on the custom video segmentation algorithm, using dual background subtraction, edge detection and shadow detection, running on dedicated multi-processor SoC hardware. The number and the speed of the detected objects are transmitted using a low-power license-free radio transceiver to another neighboring node. All the nodes create a self-organized network, data are aggregated at the nodes and passed further to the nodes closer to data sinks. Finally, information about the traffic flow is collected from the sinks and visualized on a PC. The prototype sensor network node has been realized in two versions: FPGA and ASIC. The ASIC version consumes approximately 500 mW and it can be powered from a photovoltaic solar panel combined with a single cell Li-Po battery. The comparison of power consumption of both versions has also been made. Apart from collecting traffic data, the proposed sensor network can gather environmental data, such as the temperature, the acoustic noise or the intensity of the sunlight. The set of 26 prototype sensors has been mounted on street lamp-poles on streets and tested in real conditions.     

Optimal trajectory determination of a single moving beacon for efficient localization in a mobile ad-hoc network

An ad hoc network of small robots (sensor nodes) adjusting their positions to establish network connectivity would be able to provide a communication infrastructure in an urban battlefield environment. A sensor node would be capable of moving to a particular position to establish network connectivity, provided it knows its current position, positions of other sensor nodes and the radio propagation characteristics of the sensor area.In this paper, we present a pseudo formation control based trajectory algorithm to determine the optimal trajectory of a moving beacon used in localization of the sensor nodes in real-time. The trajectory and the frequency of transmission of the GPS based position information of the moving beacon influences the accuracy of localization and the power consumed by the beacon to localize. Localization accuracy and reduction in the number of position information messages can be achieved, in real-time, by determining the optimal position from where the beacon should transmit its next position information. This will decrease the time required to localize, and power consumed by the beacon in comparison to random or predetermined trajectories.We first show that optimal position determination is a pseudo formation control problem. Next, we show the pseudo formation control problem formulated as an unconstrained optimization problem under the free space propagation model. We further present the modeling of the beacon incorporating the trajectory algorithm based on the pseudo formation control in a discrete event simulator. Simulation results, comparing the performance of localization with pseudo formation control based trajectory against random waypoint and predetermined trajectories for the beacon are presented. The simulation results show that the localization accuracy is significantly improved along with reduction in the number of position information messages transmitted when the beacon traverses along the pseudo formation control based trajectory.     

Energy-efficient collaborative target tracking algorithm using cost-reference particle filtering in wireless acoustic sensor networks

Target tracking is one of the most important applications of wireless sensor networks. Optimized computation and energy dissipation are critical requirements to save the limited resource of sensor nodes. A new robust and energy-efficient collaborative target tracking framework is proposed in this article. After a target is detected, only one active cluster is responsible for the tracking task at each time step. The tracking algorithm is distributed by passing the sensing and computation operations from one cluster to another. An event-driven cluster reforming scheme is also proposed for balancing energy consumption among nodes. Observations from three cluster members are chosen and a new class of particle filter termed cost-reference particle filter (CRPF) is introduced to estimate the target motion at the cluster head. This CRPF method is quite robust for wireless sensor network tracking applications because it drops the strong assumptions of knowing the probability distributions of the system process and observation noises. In simulation experiments, the performance of the proposed collaborative target tracking algorithm is evaluated by the metrics of tracking precision and network energy consumption.     

Compromise-resilient anti-jamming communication in wireless sensor networks

Jamming is a kind of Denial-of-Service attack in which an adversary purposefully emits radio frequency signals to corrupt the wireless transmissions among normal nodes. Although some research has been conducted on countering jamming attacks, few works consider jamming attacks launched by insiders, where an attacker first compromises some legitimate sensor nodes to acquire the common cryptographic information of the sensor network and then jams the network through those compromised nodes. In this paper, we address the insider jamming problem in wireless sensor networks. In our proposed solutions, the physical communication channel of a sensor network is determined by the group key shared by all the sensor nodes. When insider jamming happens, the network will generate a new group key to be shared only by the non-compromised nodes. After that, the insider jammers are revoked and will not be able to predict the future communication channels used by the non-compromised nodes. Specifically, we propose two compromise-resilient anti-jamming schemes: the split-pairing scheme which deals with a single insider jammer, and the key-tree-based scheme which copes with multiple colluding insider jammers. We implement and evaluate the proposed solutions using Mica2 Motes. Experimental results show that our solutions have low recovery latency and low communication overhead, and hence they are suitable for resource constrained sensor networks.     

STAM: a system of tracking and mapping in real environments

We have implemented a system of tracking mobile robots and mapping an unstructured environment, using up to 25 wireless sensor nodes in an indoor setting. These sensor nodes form an ad hoc network of beacons, self-localize with respect to three anchor nodes, and then track the locations of mobile robots in the field. The system described here was motivated by search and rescue applications, and has been demonstrated in real physical environments.