Sensor deployment and target localization based on virtual forces

The effectiveness of cluster-based distributed sensor networks depends to a large extent on the coverage provided by the sensor deployment. We propose a virtual force algorithm (VFA) as a sensor deployment strategy to enhance the coverage after an initial random placement of sensors. For a given number of sensors, the VFA algorithm attempts to maximize the sensor field coverage. A judicious combination of attractive and repulsive forces is used to determine virtual motion paths and the rate of movement for the randomly-placed sensors. Once the effective sensor positions are identified, a one-time movement with energy consideration incorporated is carried out, i.e., the sensors are redeployed to these…