Wireless sensor node mobility and its effect on transmission reliability

Abstract: Deploying a Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) poses certain challenges such as data reliability due to Electromagnetic Interference (EMI), multipath fading as well as faster energy depletion of nodes located near the base station creating communication holes in the network. Several energy efficient algorithms have been developed to improve the energy consumption of static nodes however the issue of battery depletion of nodes near the base station remains present. In this paper we attempt to model the relationship between the node mobility and the reliability of data transmission. Mobile nodes could move near static nodes experiencing high traffic in order to reduce the number of packets sent through the saturated nodes. This paper will investigate, using a real environment, the effect of speed and packet size on the reliability of the wireless link. This is a required prerequisite, prior to a detailed design of a Mobile relay node