Improving accuracy of wireless sensor networks localisation based on communication ranging

Abstract

Localisation is one of the most important services in sensor networks. The impact of the used localisation technique used reflects on wireless sensor network services such as coverage or event detection. Accuracy is considered to be one of the factors that is related to successful network performance in most sensor network applications. Communication ranging is one of the practical applicable technique for localisation on short-range communication nodes with no additional components. This study proposes an enhanced communication ranging localisation technique with high accuracy. The authors evaluated and validated the proposed technique in a forest environment using 20 Waspmote Nodes and Meshlium router (Spanish product). The novelty of the proposed localisation technique is based on controlling communication range by manipulating the XBee transmitter power changing ability on four rounds to provide the best-predicted location. The results demonstrated the locations of nodes were found with error range between 0 and 22 m. The network location error decreased starting with 30 m in round 1 down to 8 m in round 4. The technique can be applied to different types of networks and technologies as long as the transmission power can be set to different values and the communication range is known or can be measured manually.