Topological measures for the analysis of wireless sensor networks

TL;DR

This paper evaluates the applicability of classical topological measures to wireless sensor networks (WSNs) and proposes alternative measures tailored to their unique dynamic and complex nature.

Contribution

It analyzes the limitations of traditional topological metrics in WSNs and introduces alternative measures suited for their dynamic and large-scale characteristics.

Findings

Classical topological measures often unsuitable for WSNs

Proposed alternative measures better capture WSN properties

Simulation results validate the new measures' effectiveness

Abstract

Concepts such as energy dependence, random deployment, dynamic topological update, self-organization, varying large number of nodes are among many factors that make WSNs a type of complex system. However, when analyzing WSNs properties using complex network tools, classical topological measures must be considered with care as they might not be applicable in their original form. In this work, we focus on the topological measures frequently used in the related field of Internet topological analysis. We illustrate their applicability to the WSNs domain through simulation experiments. In the cases when the classic metrics turn out to be incompatible, we propose some alternative measures and discuss them based on the WSNs characteristics.