Adaptive object tracking in a sensor network

We address multiple object tracking in a system that has feedback from the fusion center to a wireless sensor network, where nodes transmit to the fusion center using random access. The feedback is used to adapt the sensing rate and, assuming that the sensors can move, to modify their positions. The variation in the position and the sensing rate of the sensors has the goal of providing higher accuracy of tracking and lower energy consumption. Simulations results are presented to demonstrate the benefits of feedback, which are notable when the network suffers from congestion. When the number of nodes is high the variable-rate approach is shown to provide a reduction of 2 dB in the location error and 44% less power consumed by the sensors. With mobile sensors, the accuracy of tracking is improved as the network is able to zoom in on the objects of interest.