Distributed Wireless Sensor Network Localization Algorithm using Space Standard Normal Vector (SSNV).

—In this paper a low cost but effective localization algorithm for wireless sensor networks (WSNs) is introduced. From the proposed scheme unknown nodes only have to listen to three anchor nodes and establish a space standard normal vector (SSNV) to estimate the coordinates of them. Many localization algorithms for WSNs require the exits of extra components, such as a GPS, ultrasonic transceiver, and unidirectional antenna on sensor nodes. Conversely the proposed localization scheme is range-free which means there is no demanding of any extra devices for the sensors. In this scheme, by collecting information from the three nearest anchors a geometric plane surface is built whose standard normal vector is also obtained correspondingly. The estimated location of each unknown sensor is adjusted according to its relative normal vector in the space which belongs to the built plane surface. This paper compares the proposed scheme with the well-known DV-Hop mechanism, Centroid method and the OSSDL algorithm that we proposed before. Simulation results show that the proposed scheme outperforms the other three in localization accuracy, communication cost, and computational complexity. Analysis about the effects of different length of normal vector is also made.