A zone-based clustering method for ubiquitous robots based on wireless sensor networks

In this paper, we propose a topology configuration method for wireless sensor networks with an objective of well balancing energy consumption over all sensor nodes without generating any isolated sensor nodes. Our scheme has some attractive features: First, a high density node having good many neighbor nodes can be selected as a clusterhead in a zone. Second, reconfiguration of cluster can be carried out in a single zone, not all over network field, to reduce the number of nodes that participate in changing clusterheads. Third, multiple-hop transmissions between nodes or between clusterheads are possible. Finally, the proposed method can be applicable to various ubiquitous computing services including the ubiquitous robot (UR) based on wireless sensor networks. Simulation results show that our method outperforms LEACH and PEGASIS in terms of the system lifetime.