A Novel Voronoi-Driven Optimization Approach for Point-Based Sensor Network Deployment

Sensor Networks (SNs) are gaining more attention in applications such as urban microclimate monitoring, which is a critical input for building energy simulation. Despite extensive research on SN placement, there remains a shortage of studies on efficient solutions that account for realistic sensing...

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Main Authors: Saeid Doodman, Mir-Abolfazl Mostafavi, Raja Sengupta, Ali Afghantoloee
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IEEE 2025-01-01
Series:IEEE Access
Subjects:
Online Access:https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/11045679/
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author Saeid Doodman
Mir-Abolfazl Mostafavi
Raja Sengupta
Ali Afghantoloee
author_facet Saeid Doodman
Mir-Abolfazl Mostafavi
Raja Sengupta
Ali Afghantoloee
author_sort Saeid Doodman
collection DOAJ
description Sensor Networks (SNs) are gaining more attention in applications such as urban microclimate monitoring, which is a critical input for building energy simulation. Despite extensive research on SN placement, there remains a shortage of studies on efficient solutions that account for realistic sensing models without oversimplifying the environment or search spaces. As a result, existing methods often fall short when applied to large-scale, real-world problems. This study proposes a realistic coverage model for point-based sensor networks (e.g., air temperature sensors) and introduces a novel and efficient heuristic Voronoi-based Optimal Sensor Deployment Algorithm (VOSDA). The algorithm estimates the minimum number of sensors needed and their optimal placement. VOSDA leverages Voronoi diagram characteristics to manage the sensor network, assess error distribution, and enhance coverage quality through integrated sensor insertion and movement strategies. Its performance is evaluated using the root mean square error (RMSE), calculated via an interpolation process that reconstructs the field from sensor positions. Several experiments were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed approach, comparing the results with the Genetic Algorithm (GA) as a reference, by calculating the RMSE using Kriging, Thin Plate Spline, and Inverse Distance Weighting methods. In all cases, VOSDA was first used to estimate the required number of sensors, and RMSE was then calculated for both algorithms at that sensor count. Furthermore, in six out of nine different scenarios conducted across different benchmark heatmaps, VOSDA outperformed GA in achieving lower RMSE values. Both algorithms performed significantly better with Kriging and TPS than with IDW.
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spelling doaj-art-c8340a27568b4ae48bf70c7cfd5f571c2025-08-20T03:29:52ZengIEEEIEEE Access2169-35362025-01-011310724410726310.1109/ACCESS.2025.358184611045679A Novel Voronoi-Driven Optimization Approach for Point-Based Sensor Network DeploymentSaeid Doodman0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1214-7002Mir-Abolfazl Mostafavi1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3688-6638Raja Sengupta2https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4914-5844Ali Afghantoloee3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1605-4308Department of Geomatics Sciences, Laval University, Québec City, QC, CanadaDepartment of Geomatics Sciences, Laval University, Québec City, QC, CanadaDepartment of Geography, McGill University, Montreal, QC, CanadaDepartment of Geomatics Sciences, Laval University, Québec City, QC, CanadaSensor Networks (SNs) are gaining more attention in applications such as urban microclimate monitoring, which is a critical input for building energy simulation. Despite extensive research on SN placement, there remains a shortage of studies on efficient solutions that account for realistic sensing models without oversimplifying the environment or search spaces. As a result, existing methods often fall short when applied to large-scale, real-world problems. This study proposes a realistic coverage model for point-based sensor networks (e.g., air temperature sensors) and introduces a novel and efficient heuristic Voronoi-based Optimal Sensor Deployment Algorithm (VOSDA). The algorithm estimates the minimum number of sensors needed and their optimal placement. VOSDA leverages Voronoi diagram characteristics to manage the sensor network, assess error distribution, and enhance coverage quality through integrated sensor insertion and movement strategies. Its performance is evaluated using the root mean square error (RMSE), calculated via an interpolation process that reconstructs the field from sensor positions. Several experiments were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed approach, comparing the results with the Genetic Algorithm (GA) as a reference, by calculating the RMSE using Kriging, Thin Plate Spline, and Inverse Distance Weighting methods. In all cases, VOSDA was first used to estimate the required number of sensors, and RMSE was then calculated for both algorithms at that sensor count. Furthermore, in six out of nine different scenarios conducted across different benchmark heatmaps, VOSDA outperformed GA in achieving lower RMSE values. Both algorithms performed significantly better with Kriging and TPS than with IDW.https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/11045679/Sensor network placementVoronoi diagramoptimizationgenetic algorithm
spellingShingle Saeid Doodman
Mir-Abolfazl Mostafavi
Raja Sengupta
Ali Afghantoloee
A Novel Voronoi-Driven Optimization Approach for Point-Based Sensor Network Deployment
IEEE Access
Sensor network placement
Voronoi diagram
optimization
genetic algorithm
title A Novel Voronoi-Driven Optimization Approach for Point-Based Sensor Network Deployment
title_full A Novel Voronoi-Driven Optimization Approach for Point-Based Sensor Network Deployment
title_fullStr A Novel Voronoi-Driven Optimization Approach for Point-Based Sensor Network Deployment
title_full_unstemmed A Novel Voronoi-Driven Optimization Approach for Point-Based Sensor Network Deployment
title_short A Novel Voronoi-Driven Optimization Approach for Point-Based Sensor Network Deployment
title_sort novel voronoi driven optimization approach for point based sensor network deployment
topic Sensor network placement
Voronoi diagram
optimization
genetic algorithm
url https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/11045679/
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