An Event-Detection Estimation Model for Hybrid Adaptive Routing in WSNs

A fundamental goal of a wireless sensor network (WSN) is to collect and deliver data to external applications. Due to the strong constraints of these networks, routing algorithms usually consider application-specific characteristics and, consequently, there is no self-contained algorithm appropriate for every case. In particular, many WSN applications are event- driven. In such scenarios, the behavior of the network may vary a lot, which favors different algorithms at different instants. In these cases, hybrid adaptive solutions are more suitable by allowing the adoption of a better routing strategy in response to the variation of the network conditions. In this work, we evolve this approach by considering the temporal characteristic of event occurrence and detection through an estimation model. The proposed solution, called multi, predicts the need of routing infrastructure creation and maintenance for the adaptation between a reactive and a proactive strategy. To show the advantages of the proposed approach, an instance of multi is evaluated through simulations. Comparisons with its independent reactive and proactive components and other proposed solutions show improvements on energy consumption.