Comparative study of Cross Layer Frameworks for wireless sensor networks

The totally new communication paradigms introduced by the collaborative sensing notion of wireless sensor networks, materialized by the networked deployment of sensor nodes, has in the recent years forced researchers to re-consider the protocol design process. The traditional layered approach is coming under scrutiny. In its place a new, cross-layer approach has emerged that promises to meet much better the specific needs of versatile applications and severely limited resources characteristic for wireless sensor networks. Lately, the idea of cross-layer frameworks has emerged and the research community is faced with the difficult task to investigate this new platform and its suitability, to weigh its pros and cons in light of its possible future evolution. In this paper we first try to present a brief survey of the suggested so far cross-layer frameworks by investigating the ongoing work in the area of cross-layer frameworks, putting that work in perspective, and consolidating the existing results and insights. Our second aim is to classify the cross-layer frameworks by defining some major criteria and identify their advantages and disadvantages in a unified manner. The work is supported by the evaluation of these frameworks against applications from large international projects.