A survey on mobility in Wireless Sensor Networks

Abstract As Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) and Internet of Things (IoTs) applications evolve, the need for robust protocols, capable to guarantee extended lifetime and high throughput, increases. Mobility of devices either in terms of mobile nodes or mobile sinks is a promising solution that can assist, for example, topology control and congestion mitigation. Such factors significantly contribute to the extension of the lifetime and the throughput of wireless ad-hoc networks. In this work we review and classify algorithms that introduce the characteristic of mobility in WSNs. We consider WSNs to be both a subset and a predecessor to IoT, and thus, consider that existing mobility solutions can be adapted for use in IoT. Finally, open problems and future directions are discussed that include wireless power transfer, network fault detection, and real-world/testbed evaluation of algorithms.