Comparing MAC Protocols for Industrial IoT Using Terahertz Communications

In this paper we analyse and compare the performance of Medium Access Control (MAC) protocols for networks of tags deployed over an industrial machine using THz communications. The challenging requirements of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) applications make the THz frequencies very attractive. However, one major drawback from the protocol viewpoint is that, even at short distances, propagation delays at THz frequencies can be of the same order of magnitude as the transmission time of the (short) packets sent by tags. This requires proper investigation of MAC protocols accounting for propagation delays. The paper compares contention-free and random MAC options considering two scenarios, where tags are still or they move in the automation machine.