Path Optimization for Mobile Sensors to Monitor Coverage Holes in Wireless Sensor Networks

Efficient path planning for mobile sensors is crucial in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) to ensure optimal monitoring of coverage holes while considering real-world constraints. This work addresses the problem of determining an optimal trajectory for mobile sensor ensuring optimal monitoring of coverage holes while efficiently navigating through the sensing field. We introduce a novel resolution approach, based on solving two Binary Integer Linear Programming (BILP) models. The first model determines the minimum set of stop locations needed to achieve full coverage of the sensing area, while the second model selects these locations and computes the shortest possible tour that connects them. The performance of the proposed approach is thoroughly evaluated through comparative experiments against both exact and heuristic methods from the literature. The obtained results confirm that the proposed approach outperforms the recent existing methods.