Architecture and Protocol Design for Wireless Sensor Network
A special issue of Sensors (ISSN 1424-8220). This special issue belongs to the section "Sensor Networks".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 December 2025
Special Issue Editor
Interests: wireless network protocols; multiple access control; wireless resource allocation; network topology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are undergoing transformative innovations driven by emerging paradigms such as 5G/6G connectivity, IoT integration, and edge computing. These advancements demand novel architectural frameworks and communication protocols to address critical challenges in scalability, energy efficiency, and dynamic adaptability across diverse deployment scenarios—from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and underwater systems to industrial automation and smart healthcare.
This Special Issue focuses on cutting-edge research at the intersection of network architecture design and protocol engineering. We invite original contributions that explore system-level architectural innovations and protocol optimization strategies through interdisciplinary approaches, including but not limited to machine learning (ML), artificial intelligence (AI), and game-theoretic modeling. Submissions should emphasize practical implementations and theoretical breakthroughs addressing the following:
- Architectural trade-offs in heterogeneous networks (e.g., hybrid Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/Zigbee topologies).
- Cross-layer protocol design for QoS-aware MTC/V2X communications.
- Energy-aware MAC/routing protocols with ML-driven dynamic adaptation.
- Resilient network architectures for harsh environments (underwater, industrial, medical).
- Scalable topology control under mobility constraints (UAV-assisted, vehicular networks).
- Security-by-design frameworks for distributed sensor architectures.
- Hardware-software co-design for low-latency edge computing.
- Emergent modulation techniques supporting massive connectivity.
Target applications span the following:
- Industrial sensor architectures with fault-tolerant protocols.
- Precision agriculture networks employing UAV swarm coordination.
- Biomedical sensor systems requiring ultra-reliable low-latency protocols.
- Smart city infrastructure with AI-optimized traffic control.
- Underwater/acoustic sensor networks using energy-harvesting architectures.
Dr. Zhongjiang Yan
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sensors is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- wireless sensor networks
- network architecture
- protocol design
- cross-layer optimization
- energy-efficient communication
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