Coverage properties of clustered wireless sensor networks

This article studies clustered wireless sensor networks (WSNs), a realistic topology resulting from common deployment methods. We study coverage in naturally clustered networks of wireless sensor nodes, as opposed to WSNs where clustering is facilitated by selection. We show that along with increasing the vacancy in random placement of nodes in a WSN, it also alters the connectivity properties in the network. We analyze varying levels of redundancy to determine the probability of coverage in the network. The phenomenon of clustering in networks of wireless sensor nodes raises interesting questions for future research and development. The article provides a foundation for the design to optimize network performance with the constraint of sensing coverage.