Optimization of depth-based routing for underwater wireless sensor networks through intelligent assignment of initial energy

Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks (UWSNs) are extensively used to explore the diverse marine environment. Energy efficiency is one of the main concerns regarding performance of UWSNs. In a cooperative wireless sensor network, nodes with no energy are known as coverage holes. These coverage holes are created due to non-uniform energy utilization by the sensor nodes in the network. These coverage holes degrade the performance and reduce the lifetime of UWSNs. In this paper, we present an Intelligent Depth Based Routing (IDBR) scheme which addresses this issue and contributes towards maximization of network lifetime. In our proposed scheme, we allocate initial energy to the sensor nodes according to their usage requirements. This idea is helpful to balance energy consumption amongst the nodes and keep the network functional for a longer time as evidenced by the results provided.