Multipath Routing Algorithm Based on Ant Colony Optimization and Energy Awareness

To reduce energy consumption and prolong the lifecycle of a network, we propose a multipath routing algorithm based on ant colony optimization and energy awareness. The modified ant colony optimization algorithm is used to conduct a multipath search in which the angle factor between nodes is considered. Based on the remaining energy of nodes along multiple paths, a path decision model is established to determine the optimal network routing. In the process of communication, a repair ant is sent along random paths to identify nodes whose energy level is below a certain threshold. The transmission path is then strengthened according to the remaining energy of the nodes. We conduct a series of simulations under two different scenarios, and compare the performance of the proposed method with that of existing routing algorithms. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm can consume less energy and retain more live nodes, helping to balance the energy consumption of the network.