ESD: a novel optimisation algorithm for positioning estimation of WSNs in GPS-denied environments - from simulation to experimentation

Over the last years, many novel applications have been envisaged for distributed Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) in the area of monitoring, communication and control. One of the key enabling services in WSNs is localisation, since the availability of nodes' location may represent the fundamental support for various protocols (e.g. routing) and applications (e.g. habitat monitoring). In this context, the contributions of our research work are as follows: (a) we will design Enhanced Steepest Descent (ESD), a novel distributed optimisation algorithm, which can be used for position computation, and will show, via computer-based simulations, that it turns out to outperform other well-known algorithms in terms of accuracy and complexity; (b) we will validate its suitability of an implementation onto commercially available WSNs platforms and will investigate, via experimental activities, the effects of network topology and ranging errors on its performance, in a realistic and dynamic indoor propagation environment.