2025, Vol. 6, Issue 2, Part A
Energy-efficient routing protocols for wireless sensor networks in smart cities
Author(s): Zainab Kareem Al-Mansoori and Ahmed Saeed Al-Khalidi
Abstract: The advancement of smart city infrastructure depends heavily on the deployment of wireless sensor networks (WSNs) to monitor environmental conditions, traffic, healthcare systems, and public safety in real time. However, the limited energy resources of sensor nodes pose a critical challenge to network longevity, data reliability, and service continuity. This research presents the design and evaluation of an adaptive energy-efficient routing protocol that dynamically integrates residual energy levels, spatial topology awareness, and traffic load adaptability into routing and cluster-head selection processes. Using simulation-based experiments, the proposed protocol was compared with benchmark schemes including LEACH, TEEN, and SEP under varying traffic and deployment conditions. Results reveal that the proposed approach significantly delays first-node-death, increases overall network stability, and sustains higher Packet Delivery Ratio (PDR)s across different traffic loads, while simultaneously improving throughput and reducing end-to-end delay. Statistical analysis confirms that these improvements are systematic and not incidental, validating the hypothesis that energy-efficient routing in WSNs requires a holistic and adaptive design. The findings emphasize the potential of such protocols in enabling cost-effective, reliable, and scalable WSN deployments for smart cities. Practical recommendations derived from this research highlight the importance of incorporating adaptive cluster-head selection, multipath routing, and traffic-awareness into network design, while encouraging pilot projects and integration with renewable energy and edge computing to further optimize performance. Collectively, the study provides a pathway for transforming WSNs into robust, energy-aware communication backbones that underpin sustainable urban intelligence systems.
DOI: 10.22271/27084531.2025.v6.i2a.93
Pages: 24-28 | Views: | Downloads:
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How to cite this article:
Zainab Kareem Al-Mansoori, Ahmed Saeed Al-Khalidi. Energy-efficient routing protocols for wireless sensor networks in smart cities. Int J Res Circuits Devices Syst 2025;6(2):24-28. DOI: 10.22271/27084531.2025.v6.i2a.93
