Coverage, Connectivity, Clustering in Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks

[3] S. K. Singh, A. Roy, R. Kumar, "Residual Energy-Aware Fuzzy-Based Clustering Algorithm for Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks", Journal of Universal Computer Science, Vol. 31, 2025. (ISSN 0948-695X, SCI Journal, Scopus indexed)

Abstract: In the field of underwater exploration and research, Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks (UWSNs) play a vital role in understanding the marine environment, oceanography, and marine biology. A key strategy used in UWSNs to aggregate sensor nodes and improve network performance while extending battery life through lower energy usage is clustering. However, available clustering algorithms do not specifically address all the underwater problems, viz., communication is constrained by the limited bandwidth and high latency of acoustic signals, while energy consumption is critical due to the difficulty of recharging or replacing underwater batteries. The harsh underwater environment, with varying pressure, salinity, and movement, affects sensor performance and durability. Accurate localization is difficult without GPS and relies on less precise acoustic methods. So, this paper proposes a Residual Energy-Aware Fuzzy-Based Clustering Algorithm (REAFCA) for UWSNs which presents a novel framework intended to improve network performance and address issues with energy usage. For effective data routing, the REAFCA dynamically arranges clusters based on important factors such as node rank, radius, threshold, angular velocity, and residual energy. To maximize leadership inside the clusters, the adaptive threshold method makes sure that only superior cluster heads are chosen. The algorithm also incorporates dynamic range changes for communication to adapt to changing network circumstances. This algorithm mainly focuses on clustering in an underwater environment while improving the energy efficiency and network life of the nodes. Simulation results demonstrate the superiority of the proposed algorithm over K-means, K-meansA, LEACH, PEGASIS, HEED, DB-SCAN and HEER algorithms in terms of energy efficiency and throughput while achieving comparable average delay. 

[2] S. K. Singh, A. Roy, A. Bhowmik, R. Raushan, A. Ganguly and D. Roy, ”Clustering Algorithms in Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks: A Survey”, In: S. Mitra, A. K. Saha,  S. Majumdar (eds), New Horizons in Higher Education and Research: Multidisciplinary Interfaces, Akansha Publishing House, New Delhi, pp. 253-270, 2024. ISBN 978-93-48001-65-

Abstract: In the field of underwater exploration and research to advance the understanding of marine environment, oceanography and marine biology Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks (UWSNs) is very essential. UWSNs is designed to facilitate various tasks such as environmental monitoring, underwater exploration, and data collection. A key strategy used in UWSNs to aggregate sensor nodes and improve network performance while extending battery life through lower energy usage is clustering. As a core UWSNs technology, clustering is crucial for boosting network effectiveness, extending the life of sensor nodes, and optimizing data transmission reliability. This survey paper gives a thorough overview of UWSNs clustering approaches, emphasizing their importance and historical development. This survey provides a comprehensive overview of clustering algorithms in UWSNs, categorizing them based on their objectives, clustering criteria and optimization techniques. Through a comparative analysis, this paper aims to show the strengths, limitations, and recent advancement of the algorithms, offering insights for researchers to select the most suitable clustering approach for their specific UWSNs deployment. In summary, this survey paper serves as a comprehensive UHIHUHQFH IRU UHVHDUFKHUV HQJLQHHUV DQG VWDNHKROGHUV LQ WKH ÀHOG RI UWSNs. It provides a thorough understanding of clustering strategies, their evolution, and their role in addressing the distinctive challenges of UWSNs 

[1] P. Karmakar and A. Roy, “A Survey on Coverage and Connectivity for Underwater Wireless Sensor Network”, In: S. Mitra, A. K. Saha,  S. Majumdar (eds), New Horizons in Higher Education and Research: Multidisciplinary Interfaces, Akansha Publishing House, New Delhi, pp. 206-215, 2024. ISBN 978-93-48001-65-8

Abstract: The current approaches for node deployment in underwater wireless sensor networks (UWSNs) cannot achieve broad network coverage and consistent sensor connectivity. Additionally, these methods fail to promote efficient sensor communication and energy utilization during deployment. Ensuring effective coverage and connectivity is foremost for the successful deployment and operation of UWSNs. This survey paper provides a broad overview of the recent techniques on coverage and connectivity algorithm for UWSNs also discusses the factor that affects the underwater connectivity. It also discusses the future research direction of coverage and connectivity. 

MAC Protocols for Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks

The main objective of the proposed research is to study medium access control protocols for underwater wireless sensor networks, which include the study of the effects of environmental factors on performance of the MAC protocols for UWSNs and to design of energy efficient medium access control protocols for underwater wireless sensor networks while considering the performance matrices – throughput, delay and reliability. 

Publications:

[10] S. Dasgupta, A. Roy and K. Roy, “A Survey on Single-Channel MAC Protocols for Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks”, In: S. Mitra, A. K. Saha,  S. Majumdar (eds), New Horizons in Higher Education and Research: Multidisciplinary Interfaces, Akansha Publishing House, New Delhi, pp. 216-227, 2024. ISBN 978-93-48001-65-8

Abstract: The territory of underwater wireless sensor networks is gaining huge popularity with the increasing productivity in wireless networking due to its unexplored opportunities. Nevertheless, opportunities and obstacles go hand in hand. A useful deployment strategy of underwater sensor nodes and vehicles along with a smart transmission technique among them creates a sturdy network. Medium Access Control Protocol (MAC) ensures a successful transmission in any network. A decent algorithm design in Medium Access Control (MAC) keeps this worth functioning. This paper discusses the (i) performance and shortcomings of the existing MAC protocols and (ii) factors affecting the performance of the MAC protocol. 

[9] K. Roy, A. Roy, A. Negi, P. Sarkar, S. Gupta and S. Dasgupta, “Multichannel MAC Protocol for Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks: A Survey”, In: S. Mitra, A. K. Saha,  S. Majumdar (eds), New Horizons in Higher Education and Research: Multidisciplinary Interfaces, Akansha Publishing House, New Delhi,  pp. 182-205, 2024. ISBN 978-93-48001-65-8

Abstract: Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks (UWSNs) is a vast and challenging area of research due to the unique communication challenges faced in the underwater environment. These challenges include long propagation delay, hidden and exposed terminal problems, high signal attenuation, limited bandwidth, energy constraints etc. Existing Medium Access Control (MAC) protocols for UWSNs are mostly single-channel based which are not very effective in handling hidden and exposed terminal problems and are inefficient I high traffic networks that require concurrent transmissions and efficient channel utilization. In contrast, multichannel MAC protocol utilizes multiple channels to reduce the possibility of hidden and exposed terminal issues and offers parallel transmissions and utilization of the channel. However, till date only a few multichannel MAC protocols have been proposed by researchers. This paper mainly focuses on presenting a comparative study of different existing multichannel MAC protocols for UWSNs. The comparative study of existing multichannel MAC protocols will help in understanding these protocols and guide future researchers to make further progress in this domain. In addition, the paper presents a simulation study between multichannel and single-channel MAC protocols to compare their performance in a simulated underwater 

[8] A. Roy and N. Sarma, Factors affecting MAC Protocol Performance in Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks, In International Journal of Computer Applications, vol. 169, no.5, pp. 36-41, July 2017. DOI: 10.5120/ijca2017914755. [PDF]

Abstract: Underwater wireless sensor networks (UWSNs) has gained attention to researcher due to their wide range of applications. However, due to their power constrains and limitations, an energy efficient MAC protocol is required. Existing MAC protocols for terrestrial WSNs are not sufficient to solve the issues in UWSNs. Therefore, to design a new MAC protocol for UWSNs it is required to study the factors which cause the performance degradation of MAC protocols. In this paper, the various factors which affect the performance of MAC protocols has been highlighted in terms of energy efficiency, throughput, packet delivery ratio and delay. In addition, this paper also focuses on simulation-based experimental results to compare the performance of MAC protocols with respect to data rate factor.

[7] A. Roy and N. Sarma, Effects of Various Factors on Performance of MAC Protocols for Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks, In Material Today: Proceedings, Elsevier, vol. 05, no. 01, pp. 2263-2274, 2018. ISSN: 2214-7853. DOI: 10.1016/j.matpr.2017.09.228 [PDF]

Abstract: Research on underwater wireless sensor networks (UWSNs) is an emerging area. This domain offers challenges and opportunities dynamically. Acoustic communication is one of the most mature technologies in this domain. Existing medium access control (MAC) protocol for terrestrial WSNs are not sufficient to solve the issues in UWSNs due to their limitations. Therefore, to design a new MAC protocols for UWSNs, it is required to study the factors which can affect the performance of MAC protocols in underwater environment. In this paper, we highlight the factors which cause degradation of performance for MAC protocol in terms of energy efficiency. In addition, this paper also focuses on simulation-based experimental results to compare the performance of MAC protocols under data rate factor.

[6] A. Roy and N. Sarma, Effect of Hop Length on Performance of MAC Protocols for Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks, International Conference on Recent Advances In Mathematics And Its Applications (ICRAMA-2019), Tripura University, India, 16-18 July, 2019. 

Abstract: Research on underwater wireless sensor networks (UWSNs) is an active research area since depleted batteries cannot be recharged or replaced in underwater environment. Existing medium access control (MAC) protocols for terrestrial wireless sensor networks are not applicable to solve the issues due to their limitations in underwater environment. Therefore, a new energy efficient MAC protocol for UWSNs is required. And, to design a new MAC protocol, it is required to study the factors which can affect the performance of MAC protocols in UWSNs. In this context, this paper provides a study on the effect of hop length of a network topology on the performance of MAC protocols by simulation. In the simulation study, the performance metrics considered are energy efficiency, throughput and reliability. The simulation study considered two representative MAC protocols, viz., OCMAC and UWAN-MAC.

[5] A. Roy and N. Sarma, Selection of Communication Carrier for Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks, 2015 International Symposium on Advanced Computing and Communication (ISACC), pp. 334-340, IEEE, Silchar, India, 14-15 Sept. 2015.  DOI:10.1109/ISACC.2015.7377365. [PDF]

Abstract: Wireless communication in underwater environment is becoming increasingly important and has gained attention as a theme of research. Acoustic communication in underwater environment is the most mature technology for underwater sensor networks (UWSNs). This paper presents a brief overview on the basics of underwater communication with communication architecture, including selection of communication carrier for UWSNs. The paper also provides an outline of challenges in building UWSNs. Finally, simulation based experimental results are presented to compare performance of communication carriers emphasizing on their propagation speed.

[4] A. Roy and N. Sarma, Performance Analysis of Energy-Efficient MAC Protocols for Underwater Sensor Networks, 2015 2nd International Conference on Computing for Sustainable Global Development (INDIACom), pp. 297-303, IEEE, New Delhi, India,  11-13 Mar. 2015. IEEE. (INSPEC Accession Number: 15109839, ISBN 978-9-3805-4415-1) [PDF]

Abstract: Recent technological advancements in underwater communications offer new challenges and opportunities for underwater sensor networks (UWSNs). There is an increasing consensus on the requirement to put energy conservation at the top of the research agenda, and as one of the most critical and compelling current research issues. In UWSNs, energy conservation is very significant because of in adequate power source, and also because depleted batteries cannot be re-energized or replaced when exhausted. Recently, many MAC protocols for UWSNs have been proposed which are usually based on variants of protocols from terrestrial counter parts. This paper attempts to provide a brief survey of communication architecture including selection of communication carrier and sources of energy consumption for UWSNs. The paper also provides a comprehensive survey of MAC protocols for UWSNs from recent literature, and their classification and comparison based on their energy saving methods. Finally, a simulation based performance assessment of the MAC protocols has been carried out to compare their performance emphasizing on their energy efficiency, throughput and packet delivery ratio.

[3] A. Roy and N. Sarma, A Synchronous Duty-Cycled Reservation Based MAC Protocol for Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks, Digital Communications and Networks, Elsevier, vol. 7, no. 3, pp. 385-398, 28 August 2021. (ISSN 2352-8648, SCI Journal, IF 6.797, Scopus indexed) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dcan.2020.09.002  [Download PDF] 

Abstract: To design energy e cient medium access control (MAC) protocol for underwater wireless sensor networks (UWSNs) is an active research issue since depleted batteries cannot be recharged or replaced in underwater environment. Moreover, underwater acoustic channels are a ected by long propagation delay and limited bandwidth which appear hindrance in design of MAC protocol for UWSNs. The available MAC protocols for terrestrial wireless sensor networks exhibit low performance in terms of energy effciency, throughput and reliability. They cannot directly be used in UWSNs because of their unique characteristics. In this paper, a synchronous duty-cycled reservation-based MAC protocol named Ordered Contention MAC (OCMAC) protocol has been proposed to improve energy e ciency while considering the performance metrics throughput and reliability for deep underwater bottom monitoring. The basic mechanism of this protocol is to schedule data transmission by transmitters through scheduling of ready to send (RTS) frames. The protocol eliminates possible collision during data transmission and improves communication e ciency. The paper analyzed the performance in terms of energy e ciency, throughput and reliability of the protocol by modeling queuing behavior of OCMAC with a Markov Chain process. Furthermore, the analytical model is validated through a simulation study. Analytical results demonstrated the energy savings achievable with OCMAC while providing good throughput and reliability.

[2] A. Roy and N. Sarma, RPCP-MAC: Receiver Preambling with Channel Polling MAC Protocol for Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks, International Journal of Communication Systems, John Wiley & Sons Ltd, vol .33, no. 09, 11 Mar 2020. ISSN 1099-1131, https://doi.org/10.1002/dac.4383 (SCI Journal, IF 2.047, Scopus indexed)  [Download PDF]  

Abstract: To design a reliable and energy efficient medium access control (MAC) protocol for underwater wireless sensor networks (UWSNs) is an active research area due to its variety of applications. There are many issues associated with underwater acoustic channels including long and variable propagation delay, attenuation and limited bandwidth which pose significant challenges in the design of MAC protocol. The available sender initiated asynchronous preamble based MAC protocols for UWSNs are not reliable and energy-efficient. This is due to the problems caused by transmission of preambles for longer duration and collision of preambles from hidden nodes in sender initiated preamble based MAC protocols. To resolve these issues the paper proposed an asynchronous receiver initiated preamble based MAC protocol named Receiver Preambling with Channel PollingMAC (RPCP-MAC) protocol for shallow underwater monitoring applications with high data rates. The protocol is proposed to resolve data packet collision and support reliability in an energy-efficient way without using any transmission schedule. The proposed protocol is based on the following mechanisms. Firstly, receiver preambling mechanism is adopted to reduce idle listening. Secondly, channel polling mechanism is used to determine missing data frame during its sleeping period and to minimize the active time of node and reduces energy wastage. Finally, a back-off mechanism is applied to resolve collision when preambles are received simultaneously. In addition, performance analysis through Markov chain, together with its validation with simulation based studies are reported in the paper. Both the analytical and simulation results have demonstrated the reliability achievable with RPCP-MAC while providing good energy efficiency.

[1] A. Roy and N. Sarma, Multichannel Ordered Contention MAC Protocol for Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks, The Computer Journal, vol. 64, no. 02, pp. 185-194, Feb 2021. (ISSN 0010-4620, SCI Journal, IF 2.1, Scopus indexed) https://doi.org/10.1093/comjnl/bxaa107) [Download PDF] 

Abstract: Recent advancement in hardware and the availability of bandwidth open scope for multichannel communication in underwater wireless sensor networks (UWSNs). Utilizing multiple channels for data and control packets in bursty traffic networks can reduces collisions due to several contending nodes. The paper presents a synchronous reservation based Multichannel Ordered Contention MAC protocol for deep underwater high data rate bottom monitoring applications to improve the overall network throughput. This protocol is proposed as an enhancement over Ordered Contention MAC (OCMAC) protocol to deal with bursty traffic by reducing transmission collisions. It does so by enabling nodes to employ multichannel technique along with the scheduling technique of OCMAC. The protocol uses separate channels for channel reservation and data transmission. The throughput performance of the network has been analyzed and validated through simulation. Simulation based results have shown that MOC-MAC outperforms OCMAC in terms of throughput.

MAC Protocols for Terrestrial Wireless Sensor Networks

Energy efficiency is a critical issue in wireless sensor networks since batteries are the only energy source to power the sensor nodes. Energy efficient operations of the nodes are very important. Hence energy saving in the MAC layer is the basic issue of the sensor network. Our goal in this research is to design and to develop an effective energy efficient MAC protocol emphasizing on their energy saving methods. 

Publications:

[3] A. Roy and N. Sarma, Energy Saving in MAC Layer of Wireless Sensor Networks: a Survey, In Algorithms in Its Application, Narosa Publishing House, New Delhi, India, vol.96, pp. 36-48, Jan 2010. ISBN No 978-81-8487-082-4. [Download PDF] 

Abstract: Wireless sensor networks have been widely used in many important fields such as target detection and tracking, environmental monitoring, industrial process monitoring, and tactical systems. As nodes in wireless sensor networks typically operate unattended with a limited power source, energy efficient operations of the nodes are very important. Although energy conservation in communication can be performed in different layers of the TCP/IP protocol suit, energy conservation at MAC layer is found to be the most effective one due to its ability to control the radio directly. Therefore, to ensure a long-lived network of wireless communicating sensors, we are in need of a MAC protocol that is able to improve energy efficiency by maximizing sleep duration, minimizing idle listening and overhearing, and eliminating hidden terminal problem or collision of packets. In this paper, we investigate the available energy-efficient MAC protocols for sensor networks emphasizing their energy saving methods.

[2] A. Roy and N. Sarma, Performance Evaluation of Synchronous Energy Efficient MAC Protocols for Wireless Sensor Networks, Procedia Technology, Elsevier, vol. 6, pp. 806-813, Jan 2012. ISSN: 2212-0173, doi:10.1016/j.protcy.2012.10.098 [Download PDF] 

Abstract: Energy efficient medium access control (MAC) protocol designs for wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have already generated interests among researches due to ever increasing range of applications of WSNs. Nodes in a WSN typically operate unattended with a limited power source, energy efficient operations of the sensor nodes especially at the MAC level is very important because majority of energy expenditure take place at the radio level. MAC protocols in WSNs for diverse applications with different objectives have been proposed by researchers. In this paper, we investigate three energy-efficient synchronous MAC protocols for WSNs emphasizing their strength and weakness. Our analysis as well as simulation studies reveal the suitability of these protocols in deployed sensor fields. As a result of our investigation, we found out some open research issues in energy-efficient MAC layer design which we highlighted toward the end of this paper.

[1] A. Roy and N. Sarma, AEEMAC: Adaptive Energy Efficient MAC Protocol for Wireless Sensor Networks, In India Conference (INDICON), 2011 Annual IEEE, pp. 1-6, Hyderabad, India, 16-18 Dec 2011. doi:10.1109/INDCON.2011.6139409. [Download PDF] (Scopus indexed) 

Abstract: In this paper, we investigate the available energy-efficient Medium Access Control protocols for wireless sensor networks emphasizing on their energy saving methods and present a simple but effective energy efficient MAC protocol named AEEMAC (Adaptive Energy Efficient MAC protocol). Like SMAC, AEEMAC also employs a duty cycling to save energy by avoiding idle listening, but incorporates three additional optimizations to further improve energy efficiency at MAC layer. These optimizations are – (i) adaptive sleeping and reusing of channel, (ii) use of combined ‘SYNC-RTS’ control packet, and (iii) use of combined ‘ACK-RTS’ control packet in bidirectional and multihop data transmission. The energy efficiency of AEEMAC is demonstrated for single hop as well as multihop scenarios through a detailed simulation study in NS-2. Simulation results show the suitability of AEEMAC in extending network lifetime of WSNs as compared to SMAC.

Routing Protocols for Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks

[4] P. Karmakar, R. Rakshit, A. Roy, P. K. Palai, "Q-Learning-based Energy-Efficient Custom Cooperative Routing Protocol for Underwater Wireless Sensor Network", Science & Technology Journal, vol. 13, no. 1, 2025. (ISSN 2321-3388, UGC-CARE Serial 433) 

Abstract: Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks (UWSNs) are currently a pivotal focus in academic and industrial domains due to their diverse applications, such as disaster prevention, military security, environmental monitoring, data collection, scientific research, and industrial usage. The underwater area is very dense, and hence, exploring such a denser environment is difficult in the first place. To make this exploration easy, underwater sensors are used that can collect information from underwater and forward it to the base station where these data can be used for various purposes. The problem with UWSNs is that they have a very limited amount of energy, so optimizing the energy usage of the sensors will be beneficial. To deal with this, this paper proposed a Q-Learning-based Energy-Efficient Custom Cooperative Routing (QEECCR) protocol that uses a Q-learning technique to optimize the routing based on the energy levels of the sensors. The algorithm selects a node based on the Q-value of the node for forwarding data to the base station. The proposed routing protocol is compared with the QCMR routing protocol, and results showed that it consumes less energy compared to the QCMR. With an increasing number of nodes under the water, designing a manual routing for low energy consumption becomes hard. This proposed protocol can remove human intervention and can find the routing path with less time and with higher accuracy. 

[3] A. Roy, A. Roy and P. Karamakar, "Enhancing GNSS Positioning and Navigation Accuracy for Wireless Sensor Nodes", In: Saha, A.K., Sharma, H., Prasad, M. (eds) Proceedings of International Conference on Intelligent Vision and Computing (ICIVC 2023). ICIVC 2023. Proceedings in Adaptation, Learning and Optimization, vol. 19. Springer, Cham, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-71388-0_22

Abstract: Ensuring high-precision and accuracy in Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) based positioning systems is crucial for wireless sensor nodes operating in dynamic environments. This paper investigates techniques to improve the accuracy of GNSS positioning and navigation specifically tailored for wireless sensor nodes, thus enhancing their overall performance. This paper examines existing algorithms, simulations, and field experiments to identify factors impacting GNSS accuracy. It addresses limitations by proposing innovative approaches, including sensor fusion and advanced signal processing. The presented methodologies provide insights for designing reliable systems in dynamic environments. The proposed protocol improved the accuracy of predicted locations for sensor nodes in various environments, reducing mean positioning error by 2% and improving accuracy by 98%. 

[2] A. Roy and T. Deb, Performance Comparison of Routing Protocols in Mobile Ad-Hoc Networks, Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems, Springer, pp. 33–48, 2018. doi:10.1007/978-981-10-6890-4_4, ISSN: 2367-3370. [PDF] 

Abstract: Mobile Ad Hoc Networks (MANETs) are self-sorted intercommunicating systems shaped by portable hosts, without any settled framework. InMANETs, data transmission requires several hosts linking sender and receiver for effective routing of data packets. The nodes in MANETs have the capacity to move arbitrarily and compose themselves subjectively in the network. This makes the networks more complicated in nature (hence, require an efficient routing protocol to deliver data). There is plenty of routing techniques that are available for MANETs. It is hard to decide efficient protocol for a constrained situation. In this paper, a comprehensive survey of routing protocols that are available in recent literature with classification is given. This paper gives portrayals of the protocols with exchanges of preferences and drawbacks of the various routing protocols. Finally, a simulation-based performance evaluation of the routing is presented to compare their performance based on average throughput, end-to-end delay, and packet delivery fraction in various data rates.

[1] A. Roy, M. Hazarika and M. K. Debbarma, Energy Efficient Cluster Based Routing in MANET, 2012 International Conference on Communication, Information and Computing Technology (ICCICT), IEEE, Mumbai, India, 19-20 Oct 2012. doi:10.1109/ICCICT.2012.6398228. [PDF]

Abstract: Energy efficient cluster formation of nodes in Mobile Ad-Hoc Networks (MANETs) is very important as nodes in MANETs typically operate unattended with a limited power source. Cluster based routing protocols in MANETs must minimize the energy costs in nodes due to message passing during cluster formation. In this paper, we propose a “Signal and Energy Efficient Clustering (SEEC)” algorithm based on signal strength and energy level of nodes in MANET to improve system performance. The algorithm focuses on cluster head formation and maintenance, and prevents death of cluster head by making another cluster node as the cluster head when power level falls below certain threshold value.

More on Wireless Sensor Networks / Ad-Hoc Networks

[7] A. Roy, J. Paul, R. Baidya and M. Devi, Parking Places Discovery and Reservation using Vehicular Ad-Hoc Networks, In: Kalam A., Das S., Sharma K. (eds) Advances in Electronics, Communication and Computing. Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering, vol. 443, pp. 695-703, Springer, Singapore, 2018, ISBN 978-981-10-4764-0. DOI: 10.1007/978-981-10-4765-7_72. [PDF]

Abstract: In today’s digital era, to discover a parking places in urban city is a very challenging task due to rapid increases in the number of vehicles. In this situation, Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks (VANETs) can help a vehicle to communicate with each other and with road infrastructure. This paper mainly focuses on the on-board unit (OBU)–road side unit (RSU) communication in VANETs. In this paper, we proposed an approach for parking places discovery and reservation for the parking in an urban city. Also, we have implemented a small part of our proposed approach using Network Simulators-2 and present the performance of different routing protocols such as AODV, DSDV, and DSR based on different parameters. Here, we used IEEE 802.11 MAC protocol for simulation results.

[6] A. Roy and J. Chakraborty, Communication Based Accident Avoidance and Congestion Control Mechanism in VANETs,  2015 International Symposium on Advanced Computing and Communication (ISACC), pp. 320-327, IEEE, Silchar, India, 14-15 Sept. 2015.  DOI:10.1109/ISACC.2015.7377363. [PDF] 

Abstract: Today in urban areas accident is a big problem that causes loss of human life and property. During an accident sometimes a series of collision happens because the driver of the following car cannot recognize the mishap and take a right decision within a few moments. Traffic congestion on the other hand is a huge trouble which also takes place just after the accident. Vehicles in the accident area get congested, moreover without knowing about the accident, vehicles coming from the other roads make the situation knotty. This affects busy life schedule of human. So keeping those problems in mind, this paper proposes an approach that will be able to avoid series of collision and also can control traffic jam using Vehicular Ad-Hoc Network (VANETs), which is a network that uses car as mobile node and turns every car into a wireless router or node. We evaluate the performance of routing protocols on the basis of different parameters for different data rates using network simulator 2. Results are then analyzed on these parameters to find the suitable routing and MAC protocol for our approach in vehicular area networks.

[5] S. Karmakar and A. Roy, Holes Detection in Wireless Sensor Networks: A Survey, International Journal of Modern Education and Computer Science, MECS Publisher, vol.6, no.4, pp. 24-30, 2014. DOI: 10.5815/ijmecs.2014.04.04 [PDF]

Abstract: Now a day’s, it has been a great idea of research on using Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) to assist in the initial deployment of sensor nodes. Hole problem in WSNs is the most fundamental Problem in WSNs. Hole means a communication gap in WSNs. Finding an optimal sensor deployment strategy that would minimize the cost, reduce the node failure and also reduce the communication overhead. Then it provides a maximum degree of area coverage with lower cost of deployment of sensor nodes, best possible communication and maintaining the network connectivity. However, it increases the quality of service in WSNs that is extremely challenging. In this article, we present various types of holes, a comparative study of various types of holes and various types of coverage holes. At the end, we proposed an Algorithm to detect hole. In this paper, we aim to give the solution of hole problems of area coverage in WSNs.

[4] D. Sengupta and A. Roy, A Literature Survey of Topology Control and Its Related Issues in Wireless Sensor Networks, International Journal of Information Technology and Computer Science, MECS Publisher, vol.6, no.10, pp.19-27, 2014. doi:10.5815/ijitcs.2014.10.03 [PDF]

Abstract: Issues of Topology control (TC) have captured more attentions in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN). While WSN applications are normally optimized by the underlying network topology. Now a day’s WSNs is one of the most interesting areas of research and are universally being used and deployed or implements to monitor the surrounding physical environments. A number of approaches have been invested in wireless sensor networking, such as topology directed routing, sensor coverage based TC and network connectivity based TC. Many schemes have proved to be able to provide a better network monitoring and communication performance with prolonged system lifetime. In this survey paper, it provides a view of the studies in the area of WSN with different topology issues. By summarizing previous achievements and analyzing existed problems, we provide some idea within this field and also point out some research direction for the future.

[3] S. Talapatra and A. Roy, Mobility Based Cluster Head Selection Algorithm for Mobile Ad-Hoc Network, International Journal of Computer Network and Information Security, MECS Publisher, vol.6, no.7, pp.42-49, 2014. doi:10.5815/ijcnis.2014.07.06 [PDF]

Abstract: Clustering in Mobile Ad-hoc Networks (MANETs) has become a crucial research issue in modern days, because clustering can improve system performance of MANETs. As MANETs have limited battery power supply, cluster formation is costly in terms of power depletion of nodes in the cluster. This is due to the huge amount of messages transmission required during cluster formation and further data transfer. In this paper, an extensive literature survey of MANET clustering algorithm was done and lastly we proposed an algorithm for cluster head selection and cluster maintenance. The proposed algorithm uses self-organizing principle for binding a node with a cluster, which can reduce the explicit message passing in cluster maintenance. Thus, there is no need of extra message passing during further cluster maintenance. Unlike most usual methods, a cluster head in our proposed algorithm acts only as an identifying tag for cluster entity, further it performs as a typical node when it is acting as head. It does not perform any cluster maintenance function or hierarchical routing and hence is not a bottleneck to the functioning of the cluster.

[2] M. K. Debbarma, A. Roy and S. Roy, Effective Energy Efficient Communications in Wireless Sensor Networks for Multiplicity of Environment, 2012 International Conference on Communication, Information and Computing Technology (ICCICT), IEEE, Mumbai, India, 19-20 Oct 2012. doi:10.1109/ICCICT.2012.6398226. [PDF]

Abstract: In Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) cooperative communications can be defined as a potential candidate to conflict the effects of channel fading. Energy efficacy is one of the major issues for WSNs. To increase the transmit energy efficiency, the total energy consumed means the power consumed in the receiving and processing circuitry known as overhead should be minimized. In this paper, we look into consideration such extra overhead, for studying the energy efficacy of two way communications compromise of cooperation in sensor networks. Several parameters are involved here such as the receiving and processing power, the required quality-of-service (QOS), the power amplifier loss, and several other factors. For short distance separation between the source and destination, direct transmission is more energy efficient than relaying.

[1] J. Chakraborty, A. Roy and Lalhmingliana, Architectures for Cognitive Radio Network: A Survey, In Science and Technology Journal, vol.3, no. 1, pp. 91-98, Jan 2015. ISSN: 2321-3388. [PDF]

Abstract: The endless opportunities provided by wireless sensor network (WSN) in the networking field has made WSN an important topic in the area of research. It has become more efficient and effective after the emergence of cognitive radio (CR). The concept of CR is to address the issue of spectrum efficiency and has been receiving an increasing attention in recent years, since it equips wireless users the capability to optimally adapt their operating parameters according to the interactions with the surrounding radio environment. CR’s ability of understanding the environment and thus taking a decision has made WSN intelligent. Development of CR technology plays a vital role in the development of WSN. Every advance technology needs a good architecture. Only a good architecture would promote the CR technology to an advanced higher level. Aim of this paper is to discuss on the different categories of cognitive radio architectures and to carry out a comparative study on them.

Internet of Things

[9]Patent Title: IoT based inline smart water TDS and temperature monitoring and reporting device, Owner: H. Nath, A. Roy, P. Mandal, Design No 411515-001, Date: 25/03/2024, The patent office, Govt of India

[8] P. Mandal, A. Roy, H. Nath and M. Dhar, "Intelligent IoT System for Continuous Water Quality Monitoring", 2024 IEEE Silchar Subsection Conference (SILCON), NIT Agartala, November 15-17, 2024, DOI: 10.1109/SILCON63976.2024.10910322  [Download PDF] 

Abstract: Traditional water quality monitoring systems (WQMS) are often outdated and lack the intelligence to provide real-time analysis and alerts. This paper proposes a smart water quality monitoring system using a Raspberry Pi as the control unit, integrated with various sensors (pH, TDS, temperature, turbidity, and flow) for data collection. The system uses GSM and WiFi modules for data transmission to a cloud database, where machine learning algorithms analyze the data, providing alerts and predictions. Currently, this project is in the development phase. The data is collected successfully from a single water source and displayed on the Raspberry Pi screen, providing real-time monitoring of key water quality parameters. The next phase involves the integration of AI and machine learning, which is still under development. This will enhance the system's ability to process data, detect anomalies, and make accurate predictions about water quality.

[7] M. Dhar, A. Roy and P. Mandal, "Smart Waste Management System using IoT", 2024 IEEE Silchar Subsection Conference (SILCON), NIT Agartala, November 15-17, 2024, DOI: 10.1109/SILCON63976.2024.10910604   [Download PDF] 

Abstract: It is thereby noticed that the rapid rate of urbanization has increased the quantum of waste generation manifold, which imposes significant challenges in waste management for traditional systems. In this paper, a Smart Waste Management System (SWMS) is proposed at a time when Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies are about to reach the mainstream. The SWMS will reduce operations costs and its impact on the environment with its architecture, which provides real-time monitoring, data analytics, and intelligent decision-making methods to enhance efficiency. The IoT part of SWMS involves setting up sensor nodes in the waste bins to observe fill levels and other environmental parameters. The sensors transmit the data without wires to a central cloud platform for storage and analysis. AI algorithms on the cloud process this information to produce optimized disposal schedules, fill-level predictions, and anomaly detection, like fires or spills. Moreover, by using techniques of machine learning, system performance will be improved further by available historical data and real-time feedback.

[6] Book Title: Applications of Internet of Things, Editors: J. K. Mandal, S. Mukhopadhyay, A. Roy, Publisher: Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems, Vol 137, Springer, Singapore, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-6198-6, ISSN 2367-3389 (Scopus indexed) [Download PDF] 

About the Book:This book features extended versions of selected papers from the International Conference on Computer Communication and Internet of Things (ICCCIoT 2020). Presenting recent research addressing new trends and challenges, and promising technologies and developments, it covers various topics related to IoT (Internet of Things) and communications, and machine learning for applications such as energy management systems, smart asthma alerts, smart irrigation systems, cloud healthcare systems, preventing side channel attacks, and cooperative spectrum sensing in cognitive radio networks. 

[5] A. Bhattacharjee, A. Roy, M. Devi and S. K. Das, Design and fabrication of IoT based smart home automation system using wireless fidelity shield and Arduino microcontroller, In: Mukhopadhyay D. (eds) Blockchain for IoT, CRC Press, USA, 31 August, 2022, DOI: 10.1201/9781003188247-5. [Download PDF] 

Abstract: In recent time, smart home automation systems have become one of the emerging Internet of Things (IoT) technologies because of the availability of remote access facilities by using which one can control devices and improve the standard of living. In this chapter, an IoT-based smart home automation system using a wireless fidelity shield and Arduino microcontroller to control household electrical appliances remotely is proposed. This system can help the aged and physically challenged people operate the conventional electrical switches inside the house. The system can provide a comfortable and independent lifestyle with minimum cost. 

[4] A. Roy, A. Bhattacharya, M. Devi and M. Debbarma, Smart Home Automation System using Internet of Things, International Conference on Computer Communication and Internet of Things (ICCCIoT 2020), Tripura University (A Central University), Agartala, Tripura, India from 03-04 February, 2020. 

Abstract: In recent time, Smart Home Automation systems are one of the emerging techniques in Internet of Things (IoT) because of the remote access by using which one can control and improve the standard of living. The main objective of this paper is to design a system using IoT devices to household electrical appliances remotely from anywhere. The application of smart home automation system will help to old age and physically challenged people to operate the conventional electrical switches which is fixed somewhere in the house. Moreover, it can be observed that the Arduino based home automation system provides more comfortable and independent lifestyle with minimum cost.

[3] M. Bhattacharya and A. Roy, Smart Border Security System Using Internet of Things. In: Kar N., Saha A., Deb S. (eds) Trends in Computational Intelligence, Security and Internet of Things. ICCISIoT 2020. Communications in Computer and Information Science, vol 1358, pp 268-279. Springer, Cham, 2020. Print ISBN 978-3-030-66762-7, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-66763-4_23. [Download PDF] 

Abstract: National security and defense is incredibly important for a country and its people. For increasing tension in the border areas due to unresolved conflicts, currently national security systems emphasize more on border security to protect the country from terrorist attacks, illegal border crossing and infiltration from the neighboring countries. To make security system more efficient, a real time border security system is needed which can provide 24 h surveillance in the border areas with high accuracy and that can minimize the need of human involvement by utilizing the most advanced sensors and actuators. Indian Border Guarding forces are already installing and adopting newer technologies in terms of cameras, night vision devices, radars etc. But for the efficient and intelligent use of collected data, involvement of modern and innovative technology like Internet of Things (IoT) is very necessary, which already has been adopted but in very small scale and in limited areas. Whereas, it is the reliable source of accurate data and renowned for smart and fast decision making as it is one of the major fields of implementing Big Data and Analytics. So, a smart IoT based solution has been introduced for securing hazardous border areas with extreme climatic conditions, diverse land forms, river terrains, inaccessible dense forest areas which is very tough to monitor for the individual. This paper “Smart Border Security System using Internet of Things” proposes a low-cost system that uses various sensors like Passive Infrared (PIR) sensor and OV7670 camera module to sense movement of any object within a range and capture images of intruder respectively. The system can upload the sensed data into a cloud server which can be retrieved in a base station by using web and desktop application as well. The system can also send alert to the base station by processing the sensed data. Also, it allows user i.e. the trained security personnel to control the camera and retrieve data from it from a distant. Through the proposed system it is possible to detect the intruder crossing the border area instantly.

[2] M. Bhattacharya, A. Roy and J. Pal, Smart Irrigation System using Internet of Things,  In: Mandal J., Mukhopadhyay S., Roy A. (eds) Applications of Internet of Things. Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems, vol 137, pp. 119-129, Springer, Singapore, 04 August 2020 Online ISBN 978-981-15-6198-6, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-6198-6_11 [Download PDF] 

Abstract: As agriculture is the backbone of Indian economy, it deserves to be modernized. To overcome backwardness of traditional methods of agriculture and to enhance the crop production, to avoid the risk of damaging crops, and to do efficient use of water resources, the latest technology of Internet of Things(IoT) are playing a crucial role now a days. So, this paper "Smart Irrigation System" is proposed where the soil sensor is used to collect large number of real time data from the agricultural fields. The sensors interact with each other through internet connection. The data collected from the sensors sent to the web server using wireless sensor network. IoT framework analyze and process the sensed data. Then notifications is sent to the farmer's smartphone application periodically. The farmer can track changes in soil moisture. In this way unnecessary wastage of water can be avoided. This paper discusses the various experiments done in this context and a comparatively low cost system module with sensors and wireless networks for modernized irrigation is represented.

[1] T. Deb, A. Roy and S. Debbarma, Border Security in North-East India Using Wireless Sensor Network, National seminar on National Security Issues : Northeast India Perspective, Bir Bikram Memorial College, Agartala, India, 08-09 Nov 2014,  [Download PDF] 

Abstract: Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) has been emerging as a crucial research issue in the last few decades for connecting physical and digital world and for collecting information. In this paper, extensive literature surveys on how WSNs can be used for monitoring border areas are done. The idea is to use WSNs, which are used to create a virtual fence system consisting of a large number of heterogeneous devices that can provide continuous security monitoring in the border areas in North-East region of India. Through the system it is possible to detect the trespassers crossing restricted area and illegal activity across border area.

More Papers on IoT:

• A Design and Implementation Plan for Rubber Forest-Fire Surveillance System using Wireless Sensor Networks for Southeast Asia Mountains  (In press)

• Design and fabrication of Internet of Things based flood monitoring and detection system for North-Eastern states of India (In press)

• Design and fabrication of Internet of Things based smart farming system for North-Eastern states of India  (In press)

Gestures Recognition

[6] M. Devi, S. Saharia, D. K. Bhattacharyya, A. Roy and P. Charanarur, "MCM-VbF: Dance hand gesture recognition with vision-based features", Discover Internet of Things, vol. 4, no. 18, Springer, 2024. (ISSN 2730-7239, Scopus indexed),  2024. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43926-024-00072-7, E-ISSN:2730-7239 [Download PDF]

Abstract: To digitize and preserve the cultural heritage in the form of Indian classical dance become apparent area of research. Sattriya classical dance of North-East India (Assam) is one of the eight Indian classical dance forms that requires immediate preservation. Sattriya classical dance consists of 29 Asamyukta hastas (single-hand gestures) and 14 Samyukta hastas (double-hand gestures). Moreover, the foundation of Samyukta hasta depends on understanding Asamyukta hasta. Therefore, the paper aims to classify single-hand gestures of Sattriya classical dance only. Although, a solution based on two level classification method to classify the Sattriya classical dance is available in recent literature, but it requires a trial and error method to select the optimized features. Since, Asamyukta hastas can appear closely similar to each other and therefore misclassification chances are very high. Thus, accuracy rate obtained for the two level classification method was only 75.45%. So, to address this issues in this paper, a Multilevel Classification Model with Vision based Features (MCM-V_bF) has been proposed to classify the Asamyukta hastas of Sattriya classical dance. This model uses two types of feature matching, viz., high-level feature matching and low-level feature matching. To extract the high-level features and low-level features different algorithm has been proposed. In this model, features are automatically selected. This proposed MCM-V_bF model is also tested on Asamyukta hasta mudras of Bharatanatyam classical dance of South India (Tamil Nadu). This model obtain an accuracy 94.12%, 87.14% for Sattriya classical dance Single-Hand Gestures (SSHG) dataset and Bharatnatyam classical dance Single-Hand Gestures (BHSG) dataset respectively. This paper also provides the comparative study of the proposed model MCM-$V_b$F with traditional bench-mark classifier model such as Naive Bayes, Decision Tree and Support Vector Classifier (SVM) etc.

[5] D. Majumder, A. Roy and M. Devi, “Enhancing Cultural Preservation: Machine Learning-Based Hand Gesture Recognition for Manipuri Classical Dance”, National Conference on Higher Education and Research: Towards a Transformative and Sustainable Society (HERTSS-2023), Tripura University (A Central University), Agartala, India, 10-12 October, 2023  [Download Abstract] 

Abstract: The interpretation of hand gesture recognition is to mark off the various hand activities that disclose some significance and emotion. In recent days, hand gesture recognition has been immensely high to enhance human-computer interaction (HCI). Recognition of dance gestures is exceedingly difficult in the field of pattern recognition. Dance hand gesture recognition has become a popular research topic as the use of HCI applications grows. The real-time dance hand gesture recognition has many applications in today's world. This paper is working with the Manipuri classical dance, which is one of the eight classical dance forms of India. This Manipuri classical dance has 25 single-hand gestures (asamyukta mudra) and 12 double-hand (samyukta mudra) gestures. As there is less work present on the hand gesture recognition of Manipuri classical dance and also must have to preserve this North-east Indian's years old cultural heritage. This paper proposed a hand gesture classification and recognition approach by using machine learning algorithms. This paper worked with the single hand gestures which are classified as classes for the purpose of classification, training, and testing of the gesture recognition model. At the beginning, this paper collected the hand gestures images from different volunteers and stored them in a manner that each gesture class image are kept together. After that 3D convolutional neural network (3DCNN) was created using a Sequential model from Keras. This 3DCNN model consists of different layers such as Conv3D (3D convolutional layers), MaxPooling3D (3D max-pooling layers). The model is trained using model.fit function. Save the model after successful training of the model. After that for recognition purpose the web camera captures video frames, preprocesses them, and feeds them into the trained 3DCNN model for hand gesture recognition. The recognized gesture label is displayed in real-time on the video stream which was able to recognize the gestures with high percentage of accuracy.  

[4] M. Devi, A. Chakraborty, A. Roy, and D. Majumder, Single-hand Gesture Recognition of Manipuri Classical Dance of India based on Skeletonization Technique, In 2023 International Conference on Intelligent Systems, Advanced Computing and Communication (ISACC), Silchar, India, pp. 1-7, IEEE, 03 April 2023, doi: 10.1109/ISACC56298.2023.10083889. doi: 10.1109/ISACC56298.2023.10083889. [Download PDF]

Abstract: Gesture recognition means recognizing of different expressions by which people can communicate with the outer world. Gestures recognition may be of verbal or non-verbal. In gesture recognition, hand gestures are one of the most common forms of communication, and they can communicate with a wide range of meanings. Dance gestures recognition is one of the challenging tasks in pattern recognition where hand gestures are used. It is a linguistic treatment of human motion through which one can depict dance drama and communicate culturally with people. This paper works with the Manipuri classical dance hand gestures which is among the eight Indian classical dances of India. In Manipuri classical dance, there are 25 single-hand gestures (Asamyukta Mudras) and 12 dual-hand gestures (Samyukta Mudras) are used. Unlike other Indian classical dance forms (eg: Bharatnatyam, Odissi, Kathak), there are no datasets available for Asamyukta mudras of Manipuri classical dance to continue the research work. So, the creation of the Manipuri single-hand gestures dataset is the main motivation behind this work. Here, for this dataset, 1500 mudras were collected from 6 volunteers from different angles of view. This paper also presents a study on various methods for gesture recognition with their applications. Finally, using skeletization technique, four features have been extracted to recognize 25 Asamyukta Mudras, and it can also be possible to identify whether the left or right hand is used to represent the Mudras.

[3] M. Devi and A. Roy, Recognition of Indian Classical Dance Single-Hand Gestures Using Moment Invariant Features. In: Kar N., Saha A., Deb S. (eds) Trends in Computational Intelligence, Security and Internet of Things. ICCISIoT 2020. Communications in Computer and Information Science, vol 1358, pp 73-80. Springer, Cham, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-66763-4_7 [Download PDF] 

Abstract:  Recognition of single-hand gestures of classical dance is a challenging task due to its variation of age group of dancer. It is also a difficult task to find out the invariant features specially when same images are captured from different angle of view. The main objective of this paper is to recognize single-hand gestures of Indian Classical dance using Hu's  invariant features. In this paper, three different types of image dataset namely boundary image, gray image and binary image dataset used. The seven  Hu's invariant features were extracted from all the three image dataset. This paper also presents performance of accuracy for twenty eight different classes of hand gesture based on the extracted features set. 

[2] M. Devi and A. Roy, Moment Invariant Feature Extraction from Hand Gestures of a Dancer, International Conference on Recent Advances In Mathematics And Its Applications (ICRAMA-2019), Tripura University, India, 16-18 July, 2019. 

[1] M. Devi and A. Roy, Angle-Based Feature Extraction Method for Fingers of Hand Gestures Recognition,  In: Applications of Internet of Things - Proceedings of ICCCIoT 2020, Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems, Springer, Singapore, 2020, ISSN: 2367-3370. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-6198-6_17 [Download PDF] 

Abstract: In this paper, two types of features 'Angle' feature and 'Finger Tips' distance feature extraction methods for gestures of finger recognition are proposed. The entire image is segmented into several spatial modules and the task of feature extraction is carried out on finger of the hand images. Application of this method are extended to medical systems, sign languages for hearing-impaired people, crisis management and disaster relief, entertainment and human-robot interaction. This method is tested on Medial axis transformation (MAT) image and it does not require any gloves for recognition. This feature extraction algorithm has an advantage of very low feature dimension.

Funded Projects

[1] Name of the Project: Development of an Intra-Domain Mobility Management Scheme for Single Gateway Wireless Mesh Network to Handle Highly Mobile Mesh Clients, Role: Co-Investigator, Funded by: Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, New Delhi, Govt of India, Grant No: 14(8)/2014-CC&BT, Start Date: 03.09.2015, End Date: 02.06.2018, Amount of Grant: 14.074 Lakhs.

[2] Name of the Project: International Conference on Computer Communication and Internet of Things (ICCCIoT), 03-04 February, 2020, Tripura University, Agartala, Tripura, India, Role: Organizing Secretary, Funded by: North Eastern Council Ministry of DoNER, Govt of India,  Grant No: NEC/ST/TR/008/2019, Dated 01.10.2019, Amount of Grant: 8.00 Lakhs.

[OUTPUT] Book Title: Applications of Internet of Things, Editors: J. K. Mandal, S. Mukhopadhyay, A. Roy, Publisher: Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems, Vol 137, Springer, Singapore, 2021. https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-15-6198-6