Energy-aware clustering for wireless sensor networks using particle swarm optimization

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are mainly characterized by their limited and non-replenishable energy supply. Hence, the need for energy efficient infrastructure is becoming increasingly more important since it impacts upon the network operational lifetime. Sensor node clustering is one of the techniques that can expand the lifespan of the whole network through data aggregation at the cluster head. In this paper, we present an energy-aware clustering for wireless sensor networks using Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm which is implemented at the base station. We define a new cost function, with the objective of simultaneously minimizing the intra-cluster distance and optimizing the energy consumption of the network. The performance of our protocol is compared with the well known cluster-based protocol developed for WSNs, LEACH (Low-Energy Adaptive Clustering Hierarchy) and LEACH-C, the later being an improved version of LEACH. Simulation results demonstrate that our proposed protocol can achieve better network lifetime and data delivery at the base station over its comparatives.