Shape and size estimation using stochastically deployed networked sensors

This paper discusses networked sensors that are randomly distributed to monitor and detect a target object moving on a trajectory. On the basis of analysis results, we propose a method for estimating the shape and size of a target object by using sensors whose locations are unknown. It is surprising that sensors that individually are incapable of monitoring the target object´s shape can be used to estimate it without sensor location information. An example shows that a combination of sensors with different sensing areas can increase the shape estimation performance. This estimation method can work for any trajectory and with sensor areas of arbitrary shape and size.