AD-ZRP: Ant-based routing algorithm for dynamic wireless sensor networks

In this paper, we introduce Ant-based Dynamic Zone Routing Protocol (AD-ZRP), a self-configuring reactive routing protocol for Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). Our approach is based on HOPNET, a multi-hop and self-configuring hybrid routing protocol based on Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) and Zone Routing Protocol (ZRP) for Mobile Ad Hoc Networks (MANETs). There are many challenges in designing routing protocols for WSNs, and topology change is a factor that affects the network lifetime of WSNs. And with the robustness of routing protocols for MANETs, dealing with dynamic topologies becomes a less arduous task. However, WSNs tend to be more stringent than MANETs in respect to resource availability, then the AD-ZRP design must consider several restrictions including energy consumption, processing power, memory, and bandwidth. AD-ZRP also consists of ZRP, but it is based on dynamic zones which, acting together with ACO, allows us to deal with the restrictions of WSNs and yet improve the route discovery and the route maintenance through pheromone. We have evaluated and compared our algorithm to the original HOPNET and obtained better results in terms of data delivery ratio, routing overhead, and congestion avoidance for environments of dynamic topology.