A report on

Dynamic Cluster Based Object Tracking Algorithm in WSN

Introduction
In wireless sensing networks energy consumption is observed to be very high. This lead
many researchers to find a better solution to save energy. With the growing use of WSN in
daytoday life it has become necessary to find ways to make this system more efficient and
advantageous. In his paper a real time object tracking system is designed using wake-sleep
algorithm to save energy when the nodes of the system are not in use.

Problem Statement
There are three kinds of methods on object tracking: tree structure based tracking, cluster
based tracking and forecasting based tracking which propose several saving energy algorithm
regarding different mechanism. Algorithms select appropriate nodes to tracking object
depending on the energy of each node, the method could balance network energy cost and
extend network lifetime. Both of these algorithms only consider the energy of cluster head,
didn’t consider energy of other nodes who involve in tracking. For multi-object tracking,
most of cluster heads are woken up to track the objects and limited energy will be exhausted
very quickly. Network lifetime will be short due to node’s failure, which impacts the
performance of network.

Solution
This paper proposes DCTA (Dynamic Cluster Tracking Algorithm), sensor nodes are
independent of each other and don’t form a cluster structure when objects don’t appear in the
sensor area. Cluster structure was formed dynamically when objects enter the sensor area. For
saving energy consideration, not only consider the residual energy of nodes but also consider
the cost of communication among nodes. Selecting the optimal nodes depends on defined
function, which could ensure load balancing and avoid node failure too fast to extend
network lifetime.

Complexities
Trajectory approximation describes the difference between tracking result and actual
trajectory. Trajectory approximation is impacted by location accuracy and number of nodes
involved in tracking. Sometimes due to fluctuations r busy environment there can be a huge
gap between trajectory approximation and tracking result. Also the sleep and wake algorithm
must be quick enough to detect object.
Procedure
In the initial status, all nodes in the network keep sleep status. Nodes are woken up and turn
to detecting status within it by msg_tracking command sent from base station. Nodes who
didn’t detect any objects turn to sleeping status after it others who have detected object
continue this status and are waiting for forming a new cluster to track object with transfer
status which will be turned later.
Tracking object demands nodes could combine nodes detecting data which are within the
same cluster together. But it is not necessary to combine all data from every node. From the
initial cluster formation can be seen that moving target in one slot can be calculated by three
different detecting nodes. Cluster head could calculate the speed and acceleration of object
according to three different locations in three different times. Base on the information, cluster
head will estimate the area object might occur.

In Figure 1, when T t = 0 the location of target is( ) 0 0 x y, , initial velocity is 0 v and

direction is α against x-axis. Direction of initial acceleration α is β against xaxis. Assuming
object maintain constant acceleration in short time interval, with this point, velocity and
acceleration of moving object in x-axis and y-axis are shown in (1):

When Tt t = +0 , velocity and location ( ) x y, of moving object are shown in (2):

Through above analysis, cluster head would forecast the possible area in where object will
appear. Cluster head broadcast msg_confirm message to wake up the node which is the most
close to prediction location as new cluster head in the next time slot by means of location
information of self and neighbor saved in current cluster head. Detecting nodes within one
cluster will check if it is the neighbor with the new cluster head once they received
msg_confirm. If so the node will turn into detecting status and waiting for new message
which will be sent by new cluster head. If the node will not turn into sleeping status to save
energy, new cluster head will be waiting random time T random after received msg_confirm
and broadcast message to organize new cluster.

Conclusion
Object tracking in wireless sensor network is one of the most important applications.
Extending network lifetime and improving tracking accuracy are important goal. The
proposed object tracking algorithm based on dynamic cluster algorithm DCTA in paper
rationally use the organization of network to ensure tracking accuracy and reduce network
consumption. DCTA focus on the establishment of dynamic cluster and prediction based on
object moving state, select node which could take better quality tracking by means of optimal
selection function and save energy effectively.

References
[1] Chuang S C. Survey on Target Tracking in wireless sensor networks. 2005
[2] Dynamic cluster based object tracking algorithm in WSN.. 2010