An energy efficient fuzzy logic cluster formation protocol in wireless sensor networks

Despite significant advancements in wireless sensor networks (WSNs), energy conservation remains one of the most important research challenges. Researchers have investigated architectures and topologies that allow energy efficient operation of WSNs. One of the popular techniques in this regard is clustering. While many researchers have investigated cluster head selection, this paper investigates the cluster formation. In particular, we propose a novel scheme, the Fuzzy Logic Cluster Formation Protocol (FLCFP), which uses Fuzzy Logic Inference System (FIS) in the cluster formation process. We demonstrate that using multiple parameters in cluster formation reduces energy consumption. We compare our technique with the well known LEACH protocol to show that using a multi parameter FIS enhances the network lifetime significantly.