Distributed coordinate-free algorithm for full sensing coverage

This paper shows how a distributed algorithm, derived and justified through computational geometry, can detect and recover holes in the coverage provided by wireless sensor networks. Computational geometry is used to define conditions for the existence of holes in sensor coverage and based on these conditions, it is used to generate new distributed algorithms to detect and recover coverage holes. The algorithm does not require coordinates or location information and requires only minimal connectivity information. Most holes can be detected with very low probability of error and simulation results suggest that redundant nodes are selected efficiently for activation when recovering the hole. Unlike existing proposals, the complexity of the algorithms described here does not depend on the overall size of the network and they do not require flooding, with its associated high level of traffic.