Tracking Fast Moving Targets in Wireless Sensor Networks

Abstract We propose a dynamic distributed algorithm for tracking objects that move fast in a sensor network. In the earlier efforts in tracking moving targets, the current leader node at time t predicts the location only for time t + 1 and if the target moves in high speed, it can pass by a group of nodes very fast without being detected. Therefore, as the target increases its speed, the probability of missing that target also increases. In this study, we propose a target tracking system that predicts future k locations of the target and awakens the corresponding leader nodes so that the nodes along the trajectory self organize to form the clusters to collect data related to the target in advance and thus reduce the target misses. The algorithm first provides detection of the target and forms a cluster with the neighboring nodes around it. After the selection of the cluster leader, the coordinates of the target is estimated using localization methods and cooperation between the cluster nodes under the control of the leader node. The coordinates and the speed of the target are then used to estimate its trajectory. This information in turn provides the location of the nodes along the estimated trajectory which can be awaken, hence providing tracking of the moving object. We describe the algorithm, analyze its efficiency and show by simulations that it performs well to track very fast moving objects with speeds much higher than reported in literature.