Energy-efficient routing protocol for WSN based on relay node

selection and A-star algorithm

Protocolo de roteamento com eficiência energética para WSN

baseado na seleção de nós de retransmissão e no algoritmo A-
star

Protocolo de encaminamiento energéticamente eficiente para

WSN basado en la selección de nodos de retransmisión y el
algoritmo A-star

DOI: 10.54021/seesv5n2-140

Originals received: 07/26/2024

Acceptance for publication: 08/16/2024

Mohammed Kaddi
Doctor in Electrical Engineering
Institution: LDDI Laboratory, Faculty of MSMCS, University of Adrar
Address: Adrar, Algeria
E-mail: [email protected]

Ramadhan Masmoudi
Doctor in Electrical Engineering
Institution: LDDI Laboratory, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Adrar
Address: Adrar, Algeria
E-mail: [email protected]

Mohammed Omari
Doctor in Computer Science
Institution: Computer Science and Engineering Department, American University
of Ras Al Khaimah
Address: Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates
Email: [email protected]

ABSTRACT
Due to miniaturization constraints and manufacturing costs, wireless sensor
networks (WSN) sensor nodes are generally outfitted with restricted resources
concerning computing capability, energy, data storage capacity, and data delivery
rate. These constraints encourage a significant portion of the research issues in
WSNs, particularly the energy constraint, which is a fundamental issue. This paper
suggests an innovative routing protocol that optimizes energy use called RNS_A-
star, which combines a routing algorithm using a relay node and an improved
heuristic for the A-star algorithm. The RNS_A-star protocol first applies a data
routing algorithm using a relay node, which allows either using a relay node or
simply sending the intra-cluster data to the CH. Then, the A-star algorithm is used
to construct a multi-hop routing route between the CHs and the base station (BS)

Studies in Engineering and Exact Sciences, Curitiba, v.5, n.2, p. 01-23, 2024 1
in order to find the best path for reducing energy consumption during data
transmission. Simulation results show that the suggested RNS_A-star protocol
performs better than ECO-BAT, LEACH-IACA, and LEACH protocols regarding
energy conservation and extending network lifetime.

Keywords: WSN. RNS_A-star. CH. Energy Consumption. Lifetime.

RESUMO
Devido às restrições de miniaturização e aos custos de fabricação, os nós de
sensores das redes de sensores sem fio (WSN) geralmente são equipados com
recursos restritos em termos de capacidade de computação, energia, capacidade
de armazenamento de dados e taxa de entrega de dados. Essas restrições
incentivam uma parte significativa das questões de pesquisa em WSNs,
especialmente a restrição de energia, que é uma questão fundamental. Este artigo
sugere um protocolo de roteamento inovador que otimiza o uso de energia
chamado RNS_A-star, que combina um algoritmo de roteamento usando um nó
de retransmissão e uma heurística aprimorada para o algoritmo A-star. O
protocolo RNS_A-star aplica primeiro um algoritmo de roteamento de dados
usando um nó de retransmissão, o que permite usar um nó de retransmissão ou
simplesmente enviar os dados intra-cluster para o CH. Em seguida, o algoritmo A-
star é usado para construir uma rota de roteamento de vários saltos entre os CHs
e a estação base (BS) a fim de encontrar o melhor caminho para reduzir o
consumo de energia durante a transmissão de dados. Os resultados da simulação
mostram que o protocolo RNS_A-star sugerido tem um desempenho melhor do
que os protocolos ECO-BAT, LEACH-IACA e LEACH no que diz respeito à
conservação de energia e ao aumento da vida útil da rede.

Palavras-chave: WSN. RNS_A-star. CH. Consumo de Energia. Tempo de Vida.

RESUMEN
Debido a las limitaciones de la miniaturización y a los costes de fabricación, los
nodos sensores de las redes inalámbricas de sensores (WSN) suelen estar
equipados con recursos restringidos en cuanto a capacidad de cálculo, energía,
capacidad de almacenamiento de datos y velocidad de entrega de datos. Estas
limitaciones fomentan una parte importante de los problemas de investigación en
las WSN, en particular la limitación energética, que es una cuestión fundamental.
Este artículo propone un innovador protocolo de enrutamiento que optimiza el uso
de la energía denominado RNS_A-star, que combina un algoritmo de enrutamiento
que utiliza un nodo repetidor y una heurística mejorada para el algoritmo A-star. El
protocolo RNS_A-star aplica en primer lugar un algoritmo de enrutamiento de datos
mediante un nodo de retransmisión, que permite utilizar un nodo de retransmisión
o simplemente enviar los datos intracluster al CH. A continuación, se utiliza el
algoritmo A-star para construir una ruta de encaminamiento multisalto entre los CH
y la estación base (BS) con el fin de encontrar el mejor camino para reducir el
consumo de energía durante la transmisión de datos. Los resultados de la
simulación muestran que el protocolo RNS_A-star propuesto funciona mejor que
los protocolos ECO-BAT, LEACH-IACA y LEACH en cuanto a conservación de
energía y extensión de la vida útil de la red.

Palabras clave: WSN. RNS_A-star. CH. Consumo de Energía. Tiempo de Vida.

Studies in Engineering and Exact Sciences, Curitiba, v.5, n.2, p. 01-23, 2024 2
1 INTRODUCTION

A wireless network is a versatile technology intended for data transmission

(Maheshwari; Sharma; Verma, 2021). Wireless networks facilitate the connection
and communication between devices without physical connections, unlike
networks connected by wire, which require physical links. Due to their use of
infrared or radio waves for data transport, these networks provide unparalleled
flexibility and freedom that wired networks cannot match (Mishra; Yadav, 2023).
WSNs comprise numerous small nodes, each of which can be stationary or mobile.
These nodes can communicate with other nodes using wireless media (Mustafa
Hilal et al., 2022; Wang et al., 2017). The sensor nodes are strategically placed by
systematic or stochastic distribution to transmit information about specific events
occurring in a particular region to BS via sink nodes (Khan; Hussain, 2020). Sink
nodes are the central nodes controlling all the sensor nodes responsible for control
(BANERJEE et al., 2022). Miniature-sized and inexpensive sensors can be used
for various purposes to gather information from a target physical environment
(Tayde Vishal Purushottam, 2022). The primary responsibilities of sensors in such
networks are data aggregation, data transmission and reception, and in-network
data processing. Since sensor nodes have limited onboard energy, energy
conservation in WSN is essential (Khan; Hussain, 2020). Therefore, it is critical to
solve the issue of networks' excessive energy usage and extend their lifespan
(Amutha; Sharma; Nagar, 2020; Priyadarshi; Gupta; Anurag, 2020).
Because of its qualities, including lower latency, scalability, and energy
economy, the clustering technique for routing in WSN is the most appropriate
(Kumar; Sreenivasulu, 2024; Subedi et al., 2024). In clustering, the WSN is split
into clusters, with a CH in charge of gathering sensed data from cluster members
and sending it to the BS. In the literature, routing—which involves creating a path
for data to be sent from the cluster to the base station—is also increasingly used
to choose an energy-efficient network (Bensaid; Boujemaa, 2022; Yin et al., 2024).
In this paper, we propose a novel energy-efficient routing protocol
combining a routing algorithm based on a relay node selection with an improved
heuristic for the A-star algorithm to considerably reduce WSN energy consumption,
extending the network's lifespan. The RNS_A-star protocol presents two data

Studies in Engineering and Exact Sciences, Curitiba, v.5, n.2, p. 01-23, 2024 3
routing methods. The first approach utilizes a relay node, while the second
employs an A-star algorithm. The objective is to reduce energy usage during data
transmission inside and between clusters.
The paper's primary contributions, as stated in the previously mentioned
ideas, are:
• in our data routing algorithm, we place a strong emphasis on the role of the
relay node. This node plays a crucial part in data transmission within the
clusters, significantly enhancing the efficiency of the process. This
emphasis on the relay node's function reassures the effectiveness of our
proposed protocol;
• to find the most efficient path between the CHs and reduce energy
dissipation when transmitting data directly from each CH to the BS, we
employ a multi-hop routing strategy. This strategy is built using the A-star
algorithm, a powerful tool for minimizing energy consumption during
transmission operations. This emphasis on the energy-saving benefits of
the A-star algorithm instills a sense of optimism in the audience about the
potential impact of our proposed protocol.
Simulation findings show that the proposed RNS_A-star protocol performs
better regarding network energy conservation and lifetime extension than ECO-
BAT, LEACH-IACA, and LEACH protocols.
The subsequent sections of this work are structured as follows. Section 2
provides a contextual overview of our research. Section 3 contains a presentation
of several relevant works. Section 4 provides a detailed explanation of the protocol
we are proposing. Section 5 introduces the utilized system model. Section 6
provides an assessment of the proposed contribution's performance through the
simulation results analysis. Section 7 serves as the concluding part of our article,
highlighting many opinions.

2 BACKGROUND

This section introduces the foundational technologies and concepts that

form the core of our research. We will discuss the A-star algorithm, a heuristic
search technique that expands the domain's nodes from the starting point.

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 The A star algorithm, developed by Hart, Nilsson, and Raphael (Hart;
Nilsson; Raphael, 1968), is a highly efficient algorithm for determining the path with
the minimum cost in a graph with weighted edges 𝐺 = (𝑉, 𝐸) starting from a
specific vertex 𝑣𝑠 toward a specific vertex 𝑣𝑑 . 𝑉 represents the collection of vertices
(i.e. 𝑉 = {𝑣1 , . . . , 𝑣𝑁 } for 𝑁 vertices) and 𝐸 represents the collection of edges (i.e.
𝐸 ⊆ 𝑉 × 𝑉). If (𝑣𝑖 , 𝑣𝑗 ) ∈ 𝐸, then 𝑖 ≠ 𝑗. The technique employs a best-first search
approach. It explores the most probable candidate, represented by the current
vertex 𝑣𝑐 , while discarding proven inferior solutions. The candidate with the highest
likelihood is the vertex 𝑣𝑐 that has the minimum sum of the real costs starting from
the initial vertex 𝑣𝑠 , 𝑔(𝑣𝑠 , 𝑣𝑐 ), and the charges h(𝑣𝑐 , 𝑣𝑑 ) estimated for reaching the
destination vertex, i.e., with the minimum value for (equation 1):

𝑓 (𝑣𝑠 , 𝑣𝑐 , 𝑣𝑑 ) = 𝑔(𝑣𝑠 , 𝑣𝑐 ) + ℎ(𝑣𝑐 , 𝑣𝑑 ) (1)

An algorithm is considered permissible if it is sure to determine the most

efficient route using the lowest cost. This is achieved by using a heuristic function
ℎ(𝑣𝑒 , 𝑣𝑑 ) that offers an estimate of the bottom bound for the real minimal costs
ℎ∗ (𝑣𝑒 , 𝑣𝑑 ) of moving from 𝑣𝑒 ∈ 𝑉 to 𝑣𝑑 (equation 2) (Hart; Nilsson; Raphael, 1968):

∀𝑣𝑒 , 𝑣𝑑 ∈ 𝑉, ℎ(𝑣𝑒 , 𝑣𝑑 ) ≤ ℎ ∗ (𝑣𝑒 , 𝑣𝑑 ) (2)

As the value of ℎ(𝑣𝑒 , 𝑣𝑑 ) approaches the actual minimal costs ℎ ∗ (𝑣𝑒 , 𝑣𝑑 ),

the iterations number required to discover the most economical route decreases
(Mathew, 2015). In addition, the number of iterations can be minimized by
guaranteeing that each vertex is only investigated once. The A-star algorithm can
do this by choosing a monotone heuristic (Hart; Nilsson; Raphael, 1968).

3 LITERATURE OVERVIEW

In this section, we present some related works concerning implementing the

relay node selection and A star algorithm, focusing on achieving an energy-
efficient network, particularly regarding the amount of energy consumed, while
improving the network's lifespan.

Studies in Engineering and Exact Sciences, Curitiba, v.5, n.2, p. 01-23, 2024 5
 Raghavendra P. G. E. et al. (G E; M N, 2021) proposed a relay-based
cooperative routing protocol (RBCRP) to increase the lifespan network and reduce
sensor energy dissipation. This protocol estimated a routing path based on energy
consumption and Channel Quality Indicators (CQI). The relay nodes determine the
channel quality. The suggested work was evaluated against the existing routing
protocols Selection Election Protocol (SEP) and LEACH. The simulation results of
the suggested study, RBCRP, outperformed the other two existing procedures in
terms of performance.
Pabani J. K. et al. (Pabani et al., 2022) introduced a routing strategy that
adjusts to modifications in the network architecture, preventing the need for
repeated transmissions that could negatively impact its overall efficiency. The
protocol was designed to consume minimal energy and a fuzzy hierarchical
analysis method was applied to it within a multiple-criterion assessment
framework. This allows for intelligent routing decisions to be made based on
specific objectives, criteria, and available alternatives. In order to determine the
next node on the route, various comparison matrices are employed, including the
distances to the BS, the hops number, and the neighbors’ number. The simulation
findings indicate that the suggested setup exhibits similar behavior to other
established routing strategies for underwater sensor networks that utilize fuzzy
schemes, such as the SPRINT protocol (Hyder et al., 2019).
Choosing relay nodes is an approach for making decisions considering
multiple criteria problems. Regarding this, Bilandi N. et al. (Bilandi; Verma; Dhir,
2021) introduced a hybrid approach that combines the order preference by
similarity to the Ideal solution strategy with the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP)
to solve the relay node selection issue. When performing the trials in a scenario
involving a wireless body area network with 10 distinct nodes. The suggested
method demonstrated a substantial enhancement in performance by enhancing
network sustainability through improved energy efficiency in instantaneous health
surveillance. The proposed strategy resulted in an 8% decrease in total energy
usage compared to AHP.
In order to increase the effectiveness of mobile robots, Yin et al. (Yin et al.,
2024) creatively enhanced the conventional A-star algorithm. The heuristic
function of the standard A-star technique was improved by integrating the slope

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and scaling factor of the line connecting the node to the starting point and the
endpoint. This was done to increase the evaluation function. In addition, they
implemented the approach of bidirectional search to calculate the midpoint's
coordinates based on the starting and end points' coordinates. Simultaneously,
this method allows for traversing the pathways connecting the intermediate point
to the target and start points. Subsequently, the authors enhanced the path by
evaluating the junction of the linkages connecting nodes with impediments, thereby
eliminating unnecessary nodes. After removing unnecessary nodes, the cubic
uniform B-spline curve was implemented to achieve path smoothing. The
experiment's results, obtained by testing several requirements and circumstances,
showed that the improved A-star algorithm had greater search efficiency and
visited fewer nodes compared to both the bidirectional A-star algorithm and the
conventional A-star method. In summary, the simulation studies confirmed the
practicality of the enhanced A-star algorithm, which is more suitable for the
requirements of actual medical testing facilities for mobile robots.
Fransen K. et al. (Fransen; Van Eekelen, 2023) introduced an enhanced
heuristic for the A star algorithm, which could identify the path with the geometric
network's least expensive, including turning costs. Their heuristic had been
demonstrated to be both monotone and acceptable. Furthermore, their algorithm
yielded a more accurate approximation of the actual expenses in contrast to
previous heuristics documented in the literature, resulting in quicker identification
of the lowest-cost option with fewer repetitions. A reduction of up to 68% in the
mean number of iterations, considering the weights assigned to each iteration
required to locate a single vertex in the lowest-cost path, was attained, contingent
upon the chosen input parameters.
In order to enhance an energy-efficient routing protocol for WSN, S.
Jayapraba et al. (Jayapraba, 2020) recommended utilizing the A-star algorithm.
They introduced a novel architecture to enhance the performance of WSN. The
proposed routing system improved network performance by efficiently transferring
data packets over the shortest route. The high correlation efficiency between buffer
capacity and the minimal number of hops determined the optimal path for the
remaining energy of the following sensor node. Unlike the A-star and fuzzy logic

Studies in Engineering and Exact Sciences, Curitiba, v.5, n.2, p. 01-23, 2024 7
protocol, the outcomes of the simulation showed that the suggested system
enhances the presence of the network.

4 PROPOSED PROTOCOL

Our contribution seeks to reduce the size of the energy gap issue, increase
energy efficiency, and lengthen the life of WSN. Its foundation is an algorithm
that is applied at the sink level and is centrally managed. Three phases make up
our approach: the clustering phase, the data routing phase, and the data
transmission phase.

4.1 CLUSTERING PHASE

In each iteration, the steps involved in the CH selection procedure are as

follows:
• CHs are elected based on the node's residual energy and probability;
1
• each node is elected as CH once every iterations;
𝑝

• each node 𝑛 generates a random number between [0 1];

• if the generated random number is less than a predefined threshold value
𝑇(𝑛), then the node becomes the CH in this iteration;
• otherwise, the node will join the nearest node (join closest CH or directly
join BS) according to the smallest distance.

Equation 3 defines the threshold value 𝑻(𝒏) as follows:

𝑝
1 𝑖𝑓 𝑛 ∈ 𝐺
𝑇(𝑛) = {1−𝑝(𝑟 𝑚𝑜𝑑 )
𝑝 (3)
0 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑤𝑖𝑠𝑒

where:

𝒓 is the current round number,

𝟏
𝑮 is the group of nodes that have not yet been selected as CH before iterations, and
𝒑

𝒑 is the CH probability.

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4.2 DATA ROUTING PHASE

4.2.1 Data routing Algorithm Using relay node

Within a cluster, every normal node (NORN) can transmit its detected data
directly to its CH or by using a relay node (RN) belonging to the same cluster. A
sensor node can only be used as a relay if two conditions are verified:
• its remaining energy is greater than a given threshold.
• the total energy consumed on the NORN-RN-CH path is lower than that
consumed on the direct NORN-CH path.
Algorithm 1 below describes how the intermediate node is chosen for intra-
cluster communication.

Algorithm 1: Pseudocode data routing algorithm using a relay node for communication within a
cluster
each NORN node broadcasts an RTS data to inform its neighbors within the same cluster;
For each node i in the same cluster receiving the RTS data do
if (𝐸𝑖 > 𝐸𝑠threshold && 𝐸𝑁𝑂𝑅−𝐶𝐻 > 𝐸𝑁𝑂𝑅−𝑁𝑅−𝐶𝐻 ) then
Reply with a CTS packet;
else
cancel the connection and discard the RTS packet;
End if;
End for;
if (no CTS packet received) then
Direct transmission to the CH;
else
Calculate the distance between this NORN and each node sent a CTS packet;
Select the closest node as the RN node;
Data transmission to the RN;
end if;
end.
Source: Authors.

4.2.2 Data routing technique using A star algorithm

After routing the data from each node to its own CH, the BS runs our second
suggested algorithm to ascertain the most efficient route between the various CHs.

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To minimize energy consumption when transmitting data directly from CHs to the
BS, we propose an energy-efficient technique based on the A star algorithm (Hart;
Nilsson; Raphael, 1968) to construct a chain connecting the different CHs. This
chain allows the create multi-hop data routing between CHs. We have based on
two parameters that directly influence energy consumption: the distance between
the nodes and the remaining energy of each sensor node.
Firstly, based on the Euclidean distance, the node farthest from the BS is
selected as the starting node. The node identifies and allows communication
between its neighbors. Any node inside the communication radius can be
considered the node's neighbor.
Our second suggested fitness function is another factor of our contribution's
efficacy, which includes the parameter g(n). This parameter, which is the cost for
node n, is determined by the remaining energy and traffic load. The following
equation (4) shows how to calculate the parameter g(n).

𝐸 (𝑛)
ℎ(𝑛) = 𝛽(min(𝑑(𝑛, 𝑖))) + 𝛾 (𝐸 𝑟 ) (4)
𝑖𝑛𝑖 (𝑛)

where:

min(𝑑(𝑛, 𝑖)) is the minimum distance between node n (the current node) and the other
nodes,
𝐸𝑟 (𝑛) represents the residual energy of node n,
𝐸𝑖𝑛𝑖 (𝑛) refers to the initial energy, 𝛽 and 𝛾 are the constant values used to evaluate the two
sub parameters of ℎ(𝑛).

The second parameter of our second proposed fitness function is 𝑔(𝑛)

which is calculated using equation (5).

𝑔(𝑛) = 𝑑𝑖𝑠 (𝑖,𝐵𝑆)⁄𝑚𝑜𝑦 (𝑑(𝑛, 𝑖)) (5)

where:

𝑑𝑖𝑠 (𝑖, 𝐵𝑆) represents the distance between the evaluated candidate node and BS.
𝑚𝑜𝑦 (𝑑(𝑛, 𝑖)) is the average distance between node n and the other nodes.

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 The candidate node with the highest power, the lowest traffic load, and the
shortest path (fewest hops) is chosen as the optimal node for data transmission to
the BS. These characteristics are crucial for balancing energy consumption and
distributing network load evenly among all nodes to extend the network's lifetime.
The function F(n) can be evaluated based on the parameters h(n) and g(n),
which were previously specified in equations (4) and (5). The node n with the
lowest value is the one we select. To find the best route, the objective function 𝑓(𝑛)
in equation (6) is used.

𝑓(𝑛) = ℎ(𝑛) + 𝑔(𝑛) (6)

The following Figure 1 illustrates the architecture of our proposed

contribution.

Figure 1: Architecture of our proposed contribution

Base Station

Internet

Simple Node Cluster Head Node

Relay Node Path between CHs

Source: authors.

4.3 DATA TRANSMISSION PHASE

Using TDMA scheduling, the CH assigns time slots for each CH node to
communicate during intra-cluster data transmission based on the average node
number in each group. Next, to transfer the data to the BS, each CH combines
the data it has received with its collected data. The data will then be delivered

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in multiple hops between the various CHs and the SB via the optimal path
identified to connect them.
The flowchart shown in Figure 2 illustrates the different steps of our
contribution.

Figure 2: Contribution flowchart

Source: authors.

5 SYSTEM MODEL

Our system model uses both the radio energy model and the network
model. The model's network focuses on grouping the sensor into clusters by
choosing the best CHs using LEACH protocol, selecting relay node and forming
a chain that links the various CHs. In contrast, the radio energy model
determines how much energy is used for data aggregation, transmission, and
reception processes.

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5.1 NETWORK MODEL

We assume the following network features for our sensor network:

• sensor nodes are dispersed randomly over a 90 x 90-meter area;
• each node, including the sink node, is immobile. GPS or an automated
position detection system must determine the nodes' locations;
• all nodes start on a level playing field with identical initial energy,
ensuring a fair start for our network. It is not possible to replenish the
energy of sensor nodes;
• the BS, our network's powerhouse, boasts unlimited energy, memory, and
processing capacity, ensuring a secure and capable network. The
Connections exhibit symmetry, ensuring that the energy required to send a
message from node i to node j is equivalent to that required to send a
message from node j to node i;
• data fusion is employed to minimize the volume of data transmitted.

5.2 ENERGY MODEL

We employ the identical elementary model presented in (Heinzelman;

Chandrakasan; Balakrishnan, 2002) to account for the energy consumption of
radio hardware, wherein energy is expended by the receiver to power the radio
electronics and by the transmitter to operate the radio electronics and power
amplifier. The multi-path channel (energy dissipation of d4) or the free-space
channel (energy dissipation of d2) can be used, depending on the distance
between the transmitter and the receiver.
Thus, the following equation (7) (Heinzelman; Chandrakasan; Balakrishnan,
2002) provides the energy usage for transmitting an L-bit packet over a distance of d:

𝐿 ∗ 𝐸𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑐 (𝐿, 𝑑) + 𝐿 ∗ 𝜀𝑓𝑠 ∗ 𝑑 2 , 𝑑 < 𝑑0

𝐸𝑇𝑋 ={ (7)
𝐿 ∗ 𝐸𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑐 (𝐿, 𝑑) + 𝐿 ∗ ε𝑚𝑝 ∗ 𝑑 4 , 𝑑 ≥ 𝑑0

Studies in Engineering and Exact Sciences, Curitiba, v.5, n.2, p. 01-23, 2024 13
where:

𝐸𝑇𝑋 is the energy used by the transmitter to convey a packet of 𝐿 bits over a distance of 𝑑
meters.
𝐸𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑐 (𝐿, 𝑑) is the energy required to transport a single bit both ways over 𝑑 meters.
𝐿 is the size of the transmission packet.

The energy for signal amplification (free space and multiple routes) is
represented by 𝜀𝑓𝑠 and ε𝑚𝑝 .
The distance at which the amplification factors begin to shift is known as 𝑑0
The formula for 𝑑0 is as follows:

𝜀
𝑑0 = √ε 𝑓𝑠 (8)
𝑚𝑝

To receive a packet of 𝐿 bits, energy 𝐸𝑅𝑋 (𝐿) must be consumed

(Heinzelman; Chandrakasan; Balakrishnan, 2002):

𝐸𝑅𝑋 (𝐿) = 𝐿 ∗ 𝐸𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑐 (9)

6 SIMULATION RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

RNS_A-star protocol's simulation results are compared with those of ECO-

BAT (Kaddi; Banana; Omari, 2021), LEACH-IACA (Agarwal Tanushreeand Kumar,
2010), and LEACH (Heinzelman; Chandrakasan; Balakrishnan, 2002) protocols to
demonstrate its effectiveness in terms of total residual energy, network lifetime,
number of alive nodes, energy consumption, as well as the number of packets
received by the BS. We construct several network configurations with 1000
randomly positioned sensor nodes in the simulation zone. The average of the
twenty different simulation results is shown for each result below. Each simulation
uses the same parameters but a different configuration for the sensor nodes due
to the random deployment.

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6.1 SIMULATION PARAMETERS

The simulation parameters are listed in Table 1.

Table 1. Simulation parameters for the WSN

Parameter Value
Network Zone 1000 x 1000 m2
Node numbers present in the network area 1000
BS Coordinate (0,0)
All nodes' initial energy 0.5 J/node
energy dispersed per bit 50 nJ/bit
Size of data packet 6400 bits
Transmitter amplify (if d < d0 ) 10 pJ/bit/m2
Transmitter amplify (if d ≥ d0 ) 0.0013 pJ/bit/m4
Data packet aggregation's energy 5 nJ/bit/signal
Source: authors.

6.2 RESULTS & DISCUSSION

In this subsection, we present the simulation results obtained and

discussion. Tables 2 and the figures (from Figure 3 to Figure 7) compare these
protocols in terms of the total residual energy, network lifetime, number of alive
nodes, energy consumption, and the number of packets received by the BS.

6.2.1 Residual energy

This evaluation metric is the energy still available within the network in each
iteration. The total residual energy of these four protocols is measured in following
Figure 3.

Figure 3. Network's total residual energy over iterations number

Source: authors.

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 Figure 3 demonstrates a consistent trend: for all four protocols, the residual
energy declines with an increase in the number of iterations. This is primarily due
to the energy used by the sensor nodes for both transmission and reception
operations. However, our suggested RNS_A-star protocol stands out, maintaining
a more regular energy consumption pattern. This unique feature results in a
significantly higher total residual energy in each iteration for RNS_A-star,
approximately 18 Joules after 1000 rounds. In contrast, ECO-BAT, LEACH-IACA,
and LEACH retain less energy—roughly 15 Joules, 4 Joules, and 1 Joule,
respectively. All nodes of ECO-BAT, LEACH-IACA, and LEACH die after the
1700th iteration. However, the proposed RNS_A-star still has around 2 J of
residual energy. This indicates the superior longevity of RNS_A-star, making it an
ideal choice for applications requiring extended operation without recharging. —
suggesting that they are better suited for networks where initial high performance
is less critical than sustained performance over time.

6.2.2 Network lifetime

Network lifetime is defined as the number of iterations from the start of the
protocol execution to the First Node Dead (FND), Half Nodes Dead (HND), and
Last Node Dead (LND). We examine the network lifetime for the protocols cited
above in Table 2 and Figure 4.

Table 2: Iteration and lifetime

No. of iteration
Protocol FND HND LND
RNS_A-star 1060 1500 2000
ESO-BAT 900 1300 1700
LEACH-IACA 755 1060 1214
LEACH 500 800 1100
Source: authors.

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 Figure 4. FND, HND and LND comparison over iteration number

Source: authors.

In Table 2 and Figure 4, the metrics of FND, HND, and LND show that our
suggested protocol, RNS_A-star, outperforms ECO-BAT, LEACH-IACA, and
LEACH because it loses its first node around iteration number 1060, fifty percent
of the nodes by iteration number 1500, and its final node by iteration number 2000.
This exceeds the other three protocols' FND, HND, and LND values . The results
of these three indicators for our approach are superior to those of ECO-BAT,
LEACH-IACA, and LEACH in that order.

6.2.3 Live nodes number

The number of live nodes inside a network is another indicator of the

network's lifespan. Figure 5 compares the same protocols regarding the live nodes
number in each iteration.

Figure 5. live nodes number over number of iteration

Source: authors.

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 Figure 5 shows that the number of live nodes decreases for the four
protocols because, after each iteration, the nodes exhaust their energy and
become unusable, unable to receive or send data packets. However, the number
of live nodes over iterations is higher in our proposed RNS_A-star protocol than in
ECO-BAT, LEACH-IACA, and LEACH. All nodes of ECO-BAT, LEACH-IACA, and
LEACH die after the 1700th iteration. However, the proposed RNS_A-star still has
33 lived nodes. This suggests that successful CH rotation, balanced energy
distribution among nodes, and the created inter-cluster path may be responsible
for RNS_A-star 's energy management efficacy.

6.2.4 Energy consumption

This network evaluation metric represents the aggregate energy

consumption of all lived nodes during each iteration. Figure 6 compares our
proposed RNS_A-star protocol and ECO-BAT, LEACH-IACA, and LEACH
protocols regarding the total energy consumption.

Figure 6. Total energy consumption over iterations number

Source: authors.

According to the simulation results, Figure 6 demonstrates that the

suggested RNS_A-star protocol performs better than the ECO-BAT, LEACH-IACA,
and LEACH protocols. The RNS_A-star protocol effectively minimize network
energy consumption and extend the network's lifespan by considering the energy
impact of the objective functions.

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6.2.5 Number of packets received at the BS

The total amount of data provided to the BS is the number of packets

received at the BS. An ideal packet transmission rate on the network is ensured
by the volume of data sent to the BS. Figure 7 examines the functioning of different
protocols during operational iterations by quantifying the number of packets
received by the BS.

Figure 7. Number of packets received by the BS over iterations number

Source: authors.

RNS_A-star consistently outperforms other protocols in terms of data

received, making it the most effective protocol for sending data to the BS. Its
efficient clustering mechanism and routing techniques are likely responsible for
this superior performance. ECO-BAT follows closely, but their slightly lower
efficiency may be due to variations in cluster management strategies, data routing
pathways, or data transmission mechanisms. In terms of performance, LEACH-
IACA and LEACH lag behind RNS_A-star and ECO-BAT. This reliability of RNS_A-
star should instill confidence in its performance.
As observed in the above figures, The performance of RNS_A-star is best
because selecting CHs using LEACH protocol and data routing techniques in intra
and inter-cluster communication decreases energy dissipation during the reception
and transmission. This reduces the network's overall energy dissipation and
improves the network's lifetime. Firstly, the suggested RNS_A-star protocol stands
out due to its ability to maintain a consistent and efficient energy consumption
pattern. A more advanced energy management system within RNS_A-star is vital

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for prolonging the network lifetime and boosting stability. Secondly, the network
lifetime is analyzed and evaluated through the FND, HND, and LND metrics, and
RNS_A-star once again proves to be the most reliable protocol. It extends the
lifetime to reach the last dead node stage, far beyond the capabilities of ECO-BAT,
LEACH-IACA, and LEACH. It also significantly delays the death of the first node
and keeps over 50% of the network's nodes alive much longer than other protocols.
This longer network lifespan is particularly useful for networks installed in
hazardous areas, where continuous data collection and monitoring depends on a
network's ability to operate continuously without experiencing node death. Then,
RNS_A-star demonstrates improved performance with a significant improvement
in the number of live nodes in each iteration compared to ECO-BAT, LEACH-IACA,
and LEACH. The number of live nodes demonstrates RNS_A-star's efficient
control of node energy. Lastly, regarding network throughput, the RNS_A-star
approach performs better than the ECO-BAT, LEACH-IACA, and LEACH
protocols. This shows an ideal Quality of Service (QoS) during packet transfer and
increased operating efficiency.
Because of its many benefits in energy management, lowering node
mortality, improving data transmission, and extending network longevity, the
proposed RNS_A-star protocol is a model protocol for high-stakes applications that
need little maintenance and excellent reliability.

7 CONCLUSION

This paper presents a new routing protocol for energy-efficient management

in WSNs. Our main goal is to minimize energy consumption and extend the
network's lifetime by combining the data routing protocol and an improved heuristic
for the A-star algorithm.
Focusing on selecting the optimal CHs at the clustering phase, we have
based on the LEACH protocol—furthermore, our proposed data routing algorithm
using a relay node to transmit the collected data CH node. We have also created
a multi-hop routing path using an improved A-star algorithm to send data from the
selected CH nodes to the sink node. Compared with the ECO-BAT, LEACH-IACA,
and LEACH protocols, The simulation results indicate that the RNS_A-star's

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performance is the best regarding network remaining energy, network lifetime,
number of alive nodes, energy consumption, and the number of packets received
at the BS. This result is attributable to the efficiency of our protocol, which
combined a data routing algorithm based on relay node selection and an improved
A-star algorithm using the novel fitness function.
This research has the potential to assist society and academia in
implementing our suggested protocol in actual experiments for efficiently routing
data within a wireless sensor network in order to extend the network's lifespan.
The limits of our study include the fact that our proposed objective function
only considers the residual energy of nodes and the distance between sensors.
Additionally, our protocol is designed to work exclusively in static networks. In our
upcoming work, we will study the applicability of the RNS_A-star protocol in mobile
sensor networks. To better the functionality of the proposed RNS_A-star protocol,
we plan to incorporate more parameters into the fitness function to improve our
proposed protocol's effectiveness.

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