Localization issues in Wireless Sensor Networks in Underground Mines

Abstract

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are a vital projection of wireless networks that are capable of opening a world of possibilities in wireless domain. Many of wireless sensor applications are being utilized for military, environmental, health and other commercial purposes. One such purpose of wireless sensor networks can be sought in research associated with location sensing in underground mines. Underground mines are not an easy environment to study; they are expansive, complicated and extensive labyrinths. The tunnel terrain is often longer than it is wider with width ranging from few meters and length to several kilometers. Miners are personnel working in mines under extreme conditions. Mines are prone to have a highly risky work environment and due to this very reason, thousands of miners face accidents in mines every year. Those accidents range from extreme injury to death. It is imperative that a safety net must be established in mines in order to ensure safety and performance coordination of workers. Such a safety net would deploy a location sensing infrastructure in underground mines which can help in routine and timely rescue operations. However, there exist various challenges to the existing research due to which localization remains an unsolved issue in mines. Therefore, there is a need of developing a reliable location-sensing infrastructure built on top of wireless sensor networks that would respond well to the underground mining settings. The purpose of this research is to establish such a WSN-based location sensing system that would be robust against the mine's difficult environment. The research aims to increase the localization accuracy with a novel localization algorithm. The research would be helpful in prospective cross-disciplinary research in the fields of technology and mining.