Wireless Sensor Network Energy Use While Tracking Secure Area Intrusions

Understanding energy use in a wireless sensor network is the most important aspect of these cheaply deployed sensor nets. This paper models and calculates the energy consumption of a network, as an intrusion into a secured area is tracked. The network is composed of a randomly distributed array of wireless sensors, which can simulate multiple protocols for relaying detection information. Increasing the number of cluster heads within the sensor distribution area as well as increasing the transmission range of individual nodes, directly reduces energy consumed while tracking an intrusion. However, increasing sensor fidelity increases the energy consumed while tracking an intrusion. The models created to simulate a network, its protocols and data transfers, and a penetrating agent, proved to be an effective toolset to test network conditions and determine energy costs.