Localization Techniques in Wireless Sensor Networks

Abstract

The important function of a sensor network is to collect and forward data to destination. It is very important to know about the location of collected data. This kind of information can be obtained using localization technique in wireless sensor networks (WSNs). Localization is a way to determine the location of sensor nodes. Localization of sensor nodes is an interesting research area, and many works have been done so far. It is highly desirable to design low-cost, scalable, and efficient localization mechanisms for WSNs. In this paper, we discuss sensor node architecture and its applications, different localization techniques, and few possible future research directions.

Gradient Descent Localization in Wireless Sensor Networks

“…More specifically, trilateration is the estimation of node location through distance measurements from three reference nodes such that the intersection of three circles is computed, thereby locating the node as shown in Figure 1. Multilateration is concerned with localization in a 3D space in which more than three reference nodes are used [2].…”

Multi-Antenna Localization Method

“…The five most commonly used methods are Lateration, Angulation, Trilateration, Multilateration and Triangulation [1]. Each of these methods is well described in the review article [1].…”

“…The five most commonly used methods are Lateration, Angulation, Trilateration, Multilateration and Triangulation [1]. Each of these methods is well described in the review article [1]. Lateration is based on distance measurements from the inverse square law for EMR signal intensity as are likewise Trilateration and Multilateration.…”

“…Other more complex designs for directional antennas using electronic switching rather than moving parts have been considered [3,4,5,7] and these require additional circuitry and node battery power consumption. While a wide variety of antenna types exist that may be used in WSNs [3,6] few of the standard types of antenna are simple, small, low cost and low power consumptive enough to be suitable [1]. A simpler approach for determining the location of radio sources in the 2D plane using only omnidirectional antennas and low battery power consumption is presented in this work.…”

Source Signal Strength Independent Localization

“…The problem of determining the position of radio sources relative to a given detector location with small low cost antennas is a continuing problem for useful data collection in mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) and WSNs [1,2,3,4]. If the distances between all nodes in the network can be measured by one of these techniques then a distance matrix can be formed and using the Map Maker algorithm [6] the coordinates of all the nodes are known up to a system translation, rotation or inversion.…”