LEACH-MAC: a new cluster head selection algorithm for Wireless Sensor Networks

Battery power is a critical resource of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). Therefore, an effective operation of WSNs depend upon the efficient use of its battery resource. Cluster based routing protocols are proven to be more energy efficient as compared to other routing protocols. Most of the cluster based routing protocols, especially Low Energy Adaptive Clustering Hierarchy (LEACH) protocol, follows Dynamic, Distributed and Randomized (DDR) algorithm for clustering. Due to the randomness present in clustering algorithms, number of cluster heads generated varies highly from the optimal count. In this paper, we present an approach which attempts to control the randomness present in LEACH's clustering algorithm. This approach makes the cluster head count stable. NS-2 simulation results show that proposed approach improved the First Node Death (FND) time and Last Node Death (LND) time by 21 and 24 % over LEACH, 10 and 20 % as compared to Advance LEACH (ALEACH) and 5 and 35 % over LEACH with Deterministic Cluster Head Selection (LEACH-DCHS) respectively.