Underwater Wireless Sensor Network Based on Multi-hop Transmission Using Ant Colony Optimization Algorithm

Effective management of underwater wireless sensor networks (UWSNs) is crucial for sustainable ocean surveillance and environmental protection. This study proposes an ant colony optimization algorithm to optimize energy-efficient cluster-based routing within UWSNs. The network architecture involves systematic segmentation into clusters, each of which is monitored by a carefully selected cluster head (CH) based on criteria such as distance and remaining energy. This optimization optimizes data collection from sub-clusters and efficiently forwards data to the sink node (SN) using a multi-hop approach. Comparative analysis with the ant colony optimization algorithm highlights its superiority in solving challenges related to multi-hop routing and CH selection. MATLAB simulation proves the robust performance of the algorithm and achieves remarkable results within a coverage area of 15 km: energy consumption is 0.15 J, packet delivery rate is as high as 95% and network life is approximately 60.47 h, which is commendable.