MEGA: An energy aware algorithm for self-powered wireless sensor networks in sustainable smart infrastructure

Smart infrastructure is attractive for many desirable features. Embedded sensors that collect information are critical for decision making. However, the lifetime of electronic sensors is a constraint to infrastructure lifetime if sensors are physically embedded in the infrastructure at construction time. In this paper, we studied a self-powered wireless sensor network that harvests energy from mechanical vibration in the environment. A dynamic, hierarchical algorithm called MEGA is proposed that constructs clusters and elects the cluster head based on residue energy and energy harvest rate. Taking a smart bridge as an application example, the simulation study has verified the effectiveness of the proposed protocol.