Optimizing relay node selection in cooperative wireless body area networks with modified POA

In the realm of Wireless Body Area Networks (WBANs), cooperative communications emerge as a crucial research focus, lauded for their capacity to mitigate fading and optimize spectral efficiency. Choosing the appropriate relay in cooperative communication is vital for ensuring spatial diversity, as incorrect relay selections can lower the network's overall performance. This study utilizes an optimization method referred to as M-POA(Modified Pelican Optimization Algorithm) to tackle the relay selection problem. This paper introduces a M-POA specifically designed for cooperative networks in Wireless Body Area Networks (WBAN). The core concept behind the M-POA is to mimic the hunting behavior of pelicans in nature. Here, the relay selection is determined using the M-POA, with channel gain as a fitness function. The proposed strategy integrates the Decode-and-Forward (DF) relay protocol to significantly enhance communication efficiency and reliability. The proposed method is assessed in comparison with other relay selection techniques through a Bit Error Rate (BER) analysis, evaluating the effectiveness of each approach across different Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) scenarios. The simulation results analysis elucidates that M-POA provides well-balanced performance in both exploration and exploitation aspects. By calculating the Bit Error Rate (BER), we assessed the effectiveness of the optimized relay selection strategy, with the objective of minimizing BER to enhance overall communication reliability. By studying the convergence curve, we evaluated the relay selection technique's performance and gauged how effectively it improved with each iteration. The proposed scheme effectively addresses both key requirements of WBAN: improving communication system reliability and optimizing relay selection. • Relay selection finds the best relay for maximum efficiency using M-POA, with channel gain as the fitness function. • The proposed strategy uses the Decode-and-Forward (DF) relay protocol to enhance communication efficiency and reliability. • The proposed method is compared to other relay techniques by evaluating Bit Error Rate (BER) at various Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) levels.