On the Impact of Overcoming Wake-up Radio Limitations on the Performance of Energy Aware Routing in Wireless Sensor Networks

The integration of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) with the Internet of Things (IoT) has significantly broadened the scope of interconnected devices, offering novel solutions and enhancing capabilities in monitoring and control across various sectors. Despite remarkable advancements, reliance on battery-powered wireless devices introduces significant challenges, primarily due to energy constraints that limit the operational lifespan of these networks. This paper addresses these challenges by exploring the efficacy of Wake-up Radio (WuR) technology as a means to enhance energy efficiency. WuR technology allows nodes to remain dormant until communication is necessary, thereby extending the network lifetime without compromising performance. However, limitations such as reduced communication range and data transmission rates pose obstacles to the full realization of WuR potential. Through simulation-based experiments, this study evaluates the performance of a novel protocol, Simple Energy Aware Routing (SEAR), under various WuR configurations, using the GreenCastalia simulator. Our findings demonstrate how optimizing WuR parameters can significantly impact key network performance metrics, suggesting pathways for future WuR technology development to achieve optimal WSN performance within the IoT paradigm. The insights provided aim to inform ongoing research efforts, contributing to the evolution of WSNs as a foundational element of the IoT infrastructure.