SpeckMAC: low-power decentralised MAC protocols for low data rate transmissions in specknets

This paper introduces SpeckMAC, a novel low-power distributed, unsynchronised, random-access MAC protocol for a wireless mobile ad-hoc network of miniature specks called specknet. Two variations of the SpeckMAC protocol were compared theoretically with the well-known B-MAC protocol. All three MAC protocols were implemented on a larger speck prototype called the ProSpeckz for a logical location maintenance algorithm for two types of batteries with differing current drain profiles. ProSpeckz utilizing SpeckMAC-B and SpeckMAC-D showed improvements in lifetime over those using the B-MAC protocol by 27.4% and 38.0%, respectively when Polymer Li-ion batteries were used; and by 83.5% and 117.9%, respectively, when CR1220 button cells were employed.

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