Energy Saving in Wireless Sensor Networks via LEACH-based Energy Efficient Routing Protocols

Wireless Sensor Networks are at the center of scientific interest thanks to the ever growing range of their applications. The main weakness of Wireless Sensor Networks is the restricted lifetime of their sensor nodes due to limited energy capacity. The extension of the lifespan of sensor nodes is pursued in various ways. One of them, is the usage of protocols that achieve energy efficient routing. LEACH is one of the pioneering protocols of this type and has numerous descendants. This research article focuses on energy efficient routing protocols that are based on LEACH. Specifically, a study of LEACH along with many of its successors is provided. In addition, a novel protocol of this kind, named T-LEACHSAS is proposed. This protocol is actually an extension of T-LEACH, which is one of the most well-known descending protocols of LEACH. The performance of T-LEACHSAS is compared against that of T-LEACH via simulation tests that validate the protocols' strengths and weaknesses in various scenarios. Finally, concluding remarks are indicated.