Role Assignment Algorithms in Wireless Sensor Networks: A Survey

Wireless sensor networks (WSN) consist of sensor nodes. These sensor nodes are usually used to monitor different physical or environmental conditions. Configuration of wireless sensor networks requires certain functions to be automatically assigned to sensor nodes. The most important research problem that needs to be addressed in order to support autonomous configuration of WSN is the assignment of roles to sensor nodes based on the properties of the network. These roles represent the task that a specific node is supposed to fulfill. The assignment of roles and task to the suitable sensor nodes would ensure the increase in performance and longevity of the network. This paper discusses the different role assignment algorithms that are used in wireless sensor networks.