An improved energy-aware cluster heads selection method for wireless sensor networks based on k-means and binary particle swarm optimization

Abstract

The limited and non-replenishable energy supply is the main character of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). Hence, maximizing the lifetime of WSNs becomes a critical issue in sensor networks. Clustering is one of the most effective means to extend the lifetime of the whole network. In this paper, an energy-aware cluster heads selection method, based on binary particle swarm optimization (BPSO) and K-means, is presented to prolong the network lifetime. We apply the BPSO and make it suitable for this issue. The selection criteria of the objective cost function are based on minimizing the intra-cluster distance as well as the distance between cluster heads and base station, and optimizing the energy consumption of the whole network. In addition, the sensor nodes are divided into several clusters based on K-means algorithm at the beginning, which can reduce the complexity of the whole algorithm. The performance of our technique is compared with the well-known clusterbased sensor network protocols, LEACH-C and PSO-C respectively. The simulation results demonstrate that our proposed work can achieve better network lifetime over its comparatives.