Advancing IoT-driven WSNs with context-aware routing: A comprehensive review

With the increasing complexity of dynamic and heterogeneous IoT-driven Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs), context-aware routing has emerged as a promising approach to optimize network performance. These protocols improve Quality of Service (QoS), increase network lifespan, and improve energy efficiency by utilizing contextual data. However, they remain underexplored compared to traditional routing schemes. This survey presents the first comprehensive review in this area, addressing key research gaps by examining their evolution, methodologies, and performance over the past two decades. A novel classification framework is introduced, categorizing the protocols based on operational context and network characteristics, providing a structured view of their design. Moreover, diverse context-aware strategies are assessed, highlighting their benefits and limitations. It also outlines open challenges, emerging application areas, and future research opportunities. Key findings reveal that the context-aware proactive methods are the main focus of the majority of current research on both static and dynamic environments, and are commonly assessed using metrics including packet delivery, delay, and energy usage. In contrast, reactive and hybrid methods have received less attention, especially in terms of packet delivery, delay, and throughput. The Context-Aware Clustering Hierarchy (CACH) is found to reduce the energy consumption by 58.8% compared to the conventional Low-Energy Adaptive Clustering Hierarchy (LEACH) based models. CACH retains energy in 50% of nodes, while LEACH depletes 70%. Similarly, the Context-Aware RPL Routing (CA-RPL) adapts to node mobility with 50% less power consumption, achieving a packet delivery ratio of 85%–90% under low mobility and over 80% under high speed and density, enhancing both network lifespan and QoS. By providing critical insights and comparative evaluations, this study serves as a valuable resource for researchers and practitioners, guiding future innovations in this field.