A Routing Protocol Based on Ant Colony Algorithm for Wireless Sensor Networks

Energy of nodes is limited in wireless sensor networks, so it is necessary for routing protocol to make use of energy effectively. Aiming at the disadvantages of directed diffusion in energy utilization, a routing protocol based on ant colony algorithm for wireless sensor networks (Directed diffusion based ant colony algorithm, DDBA) is presented. This protocol, based on the principle of ant colony algorithm, considers both the residual energy of nodes and the transmission energy consumption between nodes when routing. Theoretical analysis and simulation results show that DDBA reduces the power consumption, enhances the energy utilization and balances the energy consumption of the whole network, which leads to extension of the lifetime of both nodes and networks.