Design and Implementation of Energy-Efficient Protocols for Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks

Abstract

Underwater wireless sensor networks (UWSNs) have emerged as a potent solution for oceanographic data collection, underwater exploration, and monitoring of underwater ecosystems. However, the unique and harsh underwater environment, such as limited bandwidth, high propagation delay, and significant energy constraints, creates myriad challenges in designing energy-efficient communication protocols. This research explores developing and implementing innovative energy-efficient protocols tailored for UWSNs to enhance their longevity and reliability. The authors introduce a novel protocol that employs a hybrid of clustering and routing algorithms to minimize energy consumption and enhance network longevity. The protocol is designed to tackle energy consumption, data transmission reliability, and network scalability issues. The findings from the implementation in a simulated underwater environment demonstrate notable improvements in energy conservation and network lifespan, thereby affirming the potential applicability of the proposed protocols in real-world underwater applications.