Analysis of Mobile and Internet Network Coverage: Propagation of Electromagnetic Waves and Concept of Digital Divide in Burundi

Mobile and Internet network coverage plays an important role in digital transformation and the exploitation of new services. The evolution of mobile networks from the first generation (1G) to the 5th generation is still a long process. 2G networks have developed the messaging service, which complements the already operational voice service. 2G technology has rapidly progressed to the third generation (3G), incorporating multimedia data transmission techniques. It then progressed to fourth generation (4G) and LTE (Long Term Evolution), increasing the transmission speed to improve 3G. Currently, developed countries have already moved to 5G. In developing countries, including Burundi, a member of the East African Community (ECA) where more than 80% are connected to 2G technologies, 40% are connected to the 3G network and 25% to the 4G network and are not yet connected to the 5G network and then still a process. The objective of this article is to analyze the coverage of 2G, 3G and 4G networks in Burundi. This analysis will make it possible to identify possible deficits in order to reduce the digital divide between connected urban areas and remote rural areas. Furthermore, this analysis will draw the attention of decision-makers to the need to deploy networks and coverage to allow the population to access mobile and Internet services and thus enable the digitalization of the population. Finally, this article shows the level of coverage, the digital divide and an overview of the deployment of base stations (BTS) throughout the country to promote the transformation and digital inclusion of services.

Intelligent Deployment Model for Target Coverage in Wireless Sensor Network

Target coverage and continuous connection are the major recital factors for Wireless Sensor Network(WSN).Several previous research works studied various algorithms for target coverage difficulties;however they lacked to focus on improving the network’s life time in terms of energy.This research work mainly focuses on target coverage and area coverage problem in a heterogeneous WSN with increased network lifetime.The dynamic behavior of the target nodes is unpredictable,because the target nodes may move at any time in any direction of the network.Thus,target coverage becomes a major problem in WSN and its applications.To solve the issue,this research work is motivated to design and develop an intelligent model named Distributed Flexible Wheel Chain(DFWC)model for efficient target coverage and area coverage in WSN applications.More number of target nodes is covered by minimum number of sensor nodes that can improve energy efficiency.To be specific,DFWC motivated at obtaining lesser connected target coverage,where every target is available in the monitoring area is covered by a smaller number of sensor nodes.The simulation results show that the proposed DFWC model outperforms the existing models with improved performance.

Energy Proficient Reduced Coverage Set with Particle Swarm Optimization for Distributed Sensor Network

Retransmission avoidance is an essential need for any type of wireless communication.As retransmissions induce the unnecessary presence of redundant data in every accessible node.As storage capacity is symmetrical to the size of the memory,less storage capacity is experienced due to the restricted size of the respective node.In this proposed work,we have discussed the integration of the Energy Proficient Reduced Coverage Set with Particle Swarm Optimization(PSO).PSO is a metaheuristic global search enhancement technique that promotes the searching of the best nodes in the search space.PSO is integrated with a Reduced Coverage Set,to obtain an optimal path with only high-power transmitting nodes.Energy Proficient Reduced Coverage Set with PSO constructs a set of only best nodes based on the fitness solution,to cover the whole network.The proposed algorithm has experimented with a different number of nodes.Comparison has been made between original and improved algorithm shows that improved algorithm performs better than the existing by reducing the redundant packet transmissions by 18%~40%,thereby increasing the network lifetime.

A Sensor Network Coverage Planning Based on Adjusted Single Candidate Optimizer

Wireless sensor networks(WSNs)are widely used for various practical applications due to their simplicity and versatility.The quality of service in WSNs is greatly influenced by the coverage,which directly affects the monitoring capacity of the target region.However,low WSN coverage and uneven distribution of nodes in random deployments pose significant challenges.This study proposes an optimal node planning strategy for net-work coverage based on an adjusted single candidate optimizer(ASCO)to address these issues.The single candidate optimizer(SCO)is a metaheuristic algorithm with stable implementation procedures.However,it has limitations in avoiding local optimum traps in complex node coverage optimization scenarios.The ASCO overcomes these limitations by incorporating reverse learning and multi-direction strategies,resulting in updated equations.The performance of the ASCO algorithm is compared with other algorithms in the literature for optimal WSN node coverage.The results demonstrate that the ASCO algorithm offers efficient performance,rapid convergence,and expanded coverage capabilities.Notably,the ASCO achieves an archival coverage rate of 88%,while other approaches achieve coverage rates below or equal to 85%under the same conditions.

Hybrid Power Bank Deployment Model for Energy Supply Coverage Optimization in Industrial Wireless Sensor Network

Energy supply is one of the most critical challenges of wireless sensor networks(WSNs)and industrial wireless sensor networks(IWSNs).While research on coverage optimization problem(COP)centers on the network’s monitoring coverage,this research focuses on the power banks’energy supply coverage.The study of 2-D and 3-D spaces is typical in IWSN,with the realistic environment being more complex with obstacles(i.e.,machines).A 3-D surface is the field of interest(FOI)in this work with the established hybrid power bank deployment model for the energy supply COP optimization of IWSN.The hybrid power bank deployment model is highly adaptive and flexible for new or existing plants already using the IWSN system.The model improves the power supply to a more considerable extent with the least number of power bank deployments.The main innovation in this work is the utilization of a more practical surface model with obstacles and training while improving the convergence speed and quality of the heuristic algorithm.An overall probabilistic coverage rate analysis of every point on the FOI is provided,not limiting the scope to target points or areas.Bresenham’s algorithm is extended from 2-D to 3-D surface to enhance the probabilistic covering model for coverage measurement.A dynamic search strategy(DSS)is proposed to modify the artificial bee colony(ABC)and balance the exploration and exploitation ability for better convergence toward eliminating NP-hard deployment problems.Further,the cellular automata(CA)is utilized to enhance the convergence speed.The case study based on two typical FOI in the IWSN shows that the CA scheme effectively speeds up the optimization process.Comparative experiments are conducted on four benchmark functions to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method.The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm outperforms the ABC and gbest-guided ABC(GABC)algorithms.The results show that the proposed energy coverage optimization method based on the hybrid power bank deployment model generates more accurate results than the results obtained by similar algorithms(i.e.,ABC,GABC).The proposed model is,therefore,effective and efficient for optimization in the IWSN.

Models to Simulate Effective Coverage of Fire Station Based on Real-Time Travel Times

In recent years,frequent fire disasters have led to enormous damage in China.Effective firefighting rescues can minimize the losses caused by fires.During the rescue processes,the travel time of fire trucks can be severely affected by traffic conditions,changing the effective coverage of fire stations.However,it is still challenging to determine the effective coverage of fire stations considering dynamic traffic conditions.This paper addresses this issue by combining the traveling time calculationmodelwith the effective coverage simulationmodel.In addition,it proposes a new index of total effective coverage area(TECA)based on the time-weighted average of the effective coverage area(ECA)to evaluate the urban fire services.It also selects China as the case study to validate the feasibility of the models,a fire station(FS-JX)in Changsha.FS-JX station and its surrounding 9,117 fire risk points are selected as the fire service supply and demand points,respectively.A total of 196 simulation scenarios throughout a consecutiveweek are analyzed.Eventually,1,933,815 sets of valid sample data are obtained.The results showed that the TECA of FS-JX is 3.27 km^(2),which is far below the standard requirement of 7.00 km^(2) due to the traffic conditions.The visualization results showed that three rivers around FS-JX interrupt the continuity of its effective coverage.The proposed method can provide data support to optimize the locations of fire stations by accurately and dynamically determining the effective coverage of fire stations.

Distributed collaborative complete coverage path planning based on hybrid strategy

Collaborative coverage path planning(CCPP) refers to obtaining the shortest paths passing over all places except obstacles in a certain area or space. A multi-unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV) collaborative CCPP algorithm is proposed for the urban rescue search or military search in outdoor environment.Due to flexible control of small UAVs, it can be considered that all UAVs fly at the same altitude, that is, they perform search tasks on a two-dimensional plane. Based on the agents’ motion characteristics and environmental information, a mathematical model of CCPP problem is established. The minimum time for UAVs to complete the CCPP is the objective function, and complete coverage constraint, no-fly constraint, collision avoidance constraint, and communication constraint are considered. Four motion strategies and two communication strategies are designed. Then a distributed CCPP algorithm is designed based on hybrid strategies. Simulation results compared with patternbased genetic algorithm(PBGA) and random search method show that the proposed method has stronger real-time performance and better scalability and can complete the complete CCPP task more efficiently and stably.

Modern Corrosion Mapping of Storage Tank Bottoms--Notable Advancements in Critical Zone Coverage,Inspection Efficiency and Data Integrity

Every day,an NDT(Non-Destructive Testing)report will govern key decisions and inform inspection strategies that could affect the flow of millions of dollars which ultimately affects local environments and potential risk to life.There is a direct correlation between report quality and equipment capability.The more able the equipment is-in terms of efficient data gathering,signal to noise ratio,positioning,and coverage-the more actionable the report is.This results in optimal maintenance and repair strategies providing the report is clear and well presented.Furthermore,when considering tank floor storage inspection it is essential that asset owners have total confidence in inspection findings and the ensuing reports.Tank floor inspection equipment must not only be efficient and highly capable,but data sets should be traceable and integrity maintained throughout.Corrosion mapping of large surface areas such as storage tank bottoms is an inherently arduous and time-consuming process.MFL(magnetic flux leakage)based tank bottom scanners present a well-established and highly rated method for inspection.There are many benefits of using modern MFL technology to generate actionable reports.Chief among these includes efficiency of coverage while gaining valuable information regarding defect location,severity,surface origin and the extent of coverage.More recent advancements in modern MFL tank bottom scanners afford the ability to scan and record data sets at areas of the tank bottom which were previously classed as dead zones or areas not scanned due to physical restraints.An example of this includes scanning the CZ(critical zone)which is the area close to the annular to shell junction weld.Inclusion of these additional dead zones increases overall inspection coverage,quality and traceability.Inspection of the CZ areas allows engineers to quickly determine the integrity of arguably the most important area of the tank bottom.Herein we discuss notable developments in CZ coverage,inspection efficiency and data integrity that combines to deliver an actionable report.The asset owner can interrogate this report to develop pertinent and accurate maintenance and repair strategies.

Coverage and Factors Associated with Acceptance and Satisfaction of Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention in Six Health Zones in Benin

Introduction: Seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) was adopted in 2019 in two health zones in Benin where malaria transmission is very high. Positive results led to the extension of the intervention to other zones with additional financial support. Annual SMC campaigns from 2021 to 2023 were carried out in all six health zones in the Atacora and Alibori departments. In five years of implementation, various approaches have been developed on the basis of a communication plan facilitating buy-in and acceptance by all stakeholders. The aim of this study was to assess the effective coverage and acceptance of the SMC by their beneficiary populations in 2023. Methods: It was a cross-sectional study with an analytical focus. Data collection took place from November 30 to December 13, 2023. The study population consisted of children under 5 years of age residing in the departments of Atacora and Alibori in northern Benin. A total of 3573 children under 5 years of age were included in the study, and their parents or guardians were interviewed. Results: During the 2023 campaign, 87.7% of targets were reached by SMC administration and 100.00% of children had received at least one dose of SMC by the fourth visit. Effective therapeutic coverage of SMC was 70.55%, with 99.60% in BNK, 69.40% in KGS, 16.20% in MK, 56.10% in 2KP, 92.40% in NBT and 89.60% in TMC. This coverage was statistically related to child and respondent ages (p Conclusion: SMC is a strategy accepted by the population, and the main reasons for non-participation in SMC were dominated by the absence of mothers or babysitters when the agents visited.

A PSO based Energy Efficient Coverage Control Algorithm for Wireless Sensor Networks

Wireless Sensor Networks(WSNs)are large-scale and high-density networks that typically have coverage area overlap.In addition,a random deployment of sensor nodes cannot fully guarantee coverage of the sensing area,which leads to coverage holes in WSNs.Thus,coverage control plays an important role in WSNs.To alleviate unnecessary energy wastage and improve network performance,we consider both energy efficiency and coverage rate for WSNs.In this paper,we present a novel coverage control algorithm based on Particle Swarm Optimization(PSO).Firstly,the sensor nodes are randomly deployed in a target area and remain static after deployment.Then,the whole network is partitioned into grids,and we calculate each grid’s coverage rate and energy consumption.Finally,each sensor nodes’sensing radius is adjusted according to the coverage rate and energy consumption of each grid.Simulation results show that our algorithm can effectively improve coverage rate and reduce energy consumption.

Coverage Optimization of LTE Networks Based on Antenna Tilt Adjusting Considering Network Load

In this paper,we investigate the coverage optimization for LTE networks considering the network load. The network coverage is defined as the number of served users of evolved Node B(eNB)which is determined by e NBs' antenna tilt angles(ATA). The coverage is optimized by optimizing the number of served users based on the Modified Particle Swarm Optimization(MPSO)algorithm. Simulation results show that both the number of served users by each e NB and the system throughput are significantly increased. As well,the average load and the bandwidth efficiency of the network are improved.

A Power- and Coverage-aware Clustering Scheme for Wireless Sensor Networks

A common and critical operation for wireless sensor networks is data gathering. The efficient clustering of a sensor network that can save energy and improve coverage efficiency is an important requirement for many upper layer network functions. This study concentrates on how to form clusters with high uniformity while prolonging the network lifetime. A novel clustering scheme named power- and coverage- aware clustering （PCC） is proposed, which can adaptively select cluster heads according to a hybrid of the nodesI residual energy and loyalty degree. Additionally, the PCC scheme is independent of node distribution or density, and it is free of node hardware limitations, such as self-locating capability and time synchronization. Experiment results show that the scheme performs well in terms of cluster size （and its standard deviation）, number of nodes alive over time, total energy consumption, etc.

Civil Aircraft Assisted Space-Air-Ground Integrated Networks: Architecture Design and Coverage Analysis

In this paper, we propose a novel AIenabled space-air-ground integrated networks(SAGIN). This new integrated networks architecture consists of LEO satellites and civil aircrafts carrying aerial base stations, called "civil aircraft assisted SAGIN(CAA-SAGIN)". The assistance of civil aircrafts can reduce the stress of satellite networks, improve the performance of SAGIN, decrease the construction cost and save space resources. Taking the Chinese mainland as an example, this paper has analyzed the distribution of civil aircrafts, and obtained the coverage characteristics of civil aircraft assisted networks(CAAN). Taking Starlink as the benchmark, this paper has calculated the service gap of CAAN, and designed the joint coverage constellation. The simulation results prove that the number of satellites in CAASAGIN can be greatly reduced with the assistance of civil aircrafts at the same data rate.

Voronoi-Based Coverage Optimization for Directional Sensor Networks

Sensing coverage is a fundamental problem in sensors networks. Different from traditional isotropic sensors with sensing disk, directional sensors may have a limited angle of sensing range due to special applications. In this paper, we study the coverage problem in directional sensor networks (DSNs) with the rotatable orientation for each sensor. We propose the optimal coverage in directional sensor networks (OCDSN) problem to cover maximal area while activating as few sensors as possible. Then we prove the OCDSN to be NP-complete and propose the Voronoi-based centralized approximation (VCA) algorithm and the Voronoi-based distributed approximation (VDA) algorithm of the solution to the OCDSN problem. Finally, extensive simulation is executed to demonstrate the performance of the proposed algorithms.

Optimal Node Scheduling for Desired Percentage of Coverage in Wireless Sensor Networks

Recent developments in wireless communication and embedded computing technologies have led to the advent of wireless sensor network technology. Hundreds of thousands of these micro sensors can be deployed in many areas including health, environment and battlefield in order to monitor the domain with desired level of accuracy. When wireless sensors are deployed in an area, the lifetime of the network should last as long as possible according to the original amount of energy. Therefore, reducing energy consumption in WSNs is of primary concern. We have proposed a node scheduling solution that solves the coverage and connectivity problem in sensor networks in an integrated manner. In this way we will divide network life time to finite number of rounds and in each round we will generate a coverage bitmap of sensors of the domain and based on this bitmap it will decided which sensors remain active or go to sleep. We will check the connection of the sensor network by using Laplacian of adjancy graph of active nodes in each round. Also the network will be capable of producing desired percentage of coverage by using coverage bitmap. We will define the connected coverage problem as an optimization problem and we will seek a solution for the problem by using Genetic Algorithm optimization method.

A Learning Automata Based Area Coverage Algorithm for Wireless Sensor Networks

One way to reduce energy consumption in wireless sensor networks is to reduce the number of active nodes in the network. When sensors are redundantly deployed, a subset of sensors should be selected to actively monitor the field （referred to as a ＂cover＂）, whereas the rest of the sensors should be put to sleep to conserve their batteries. In this paper, a learning automata based algorithm for energy-efficient monitoring in wireless sensor networks （EEMLA） is proposed. Each node in EEMLA algorithm is equipped with a learning automaton which decides for the node to be active or not at any time during the operation of the network. Using feedback received from neighboring nodes, each node gradually learns its proper state during the operation of the network. Experimental results have shown that the proposed monitoring algorithm in comparison to other existing methods such as Tian and LUC can better prolong the network lifetime.

Dynamic Coverage with Wireless Sensor and Actor Networks in Underwater Environment

This paper studies the problem of dynamic coverage with wireless sensor and actor networks(WSANs) in underwater environment.Different from most existing works,the WSANs consist of two kinds of nodes,i.e.,sensor nodes(SNs) which cannot move autonomously and actor nodes(ANs) which can move autonomously according to the performance requirement.The problem of how to coordinate two kinds of nodes to facilitate dynamic coverage in underwater environment is challenging due to their heterogeneous capabilities.To reduce redundancy of communication links and improve connectivity between ANs and SNs in underwater WSANs,a min-weighted rigid graph based topology optimization scheme is first developed,such that the underwater communication energy consumption can be saved.With the optimized topology,a dynamic coverage strategy is proposed to improve the coverage among SNs and ANs for underwater WSAN where underwater fluid motions are considered.Furthermore,it is proved that the network coverage area is connected by using the min-weighted rigid graph.Finally,simulation results are presented to show the effectiveness of the main results.

Energy-Efficient Area Coverage in Heterogeneous Energy Wireless Sensor Networks

Sensing coverage and energy consumption are two primary issues in wireless sensor networks. Sensing coverage is closely related to network energy consumption. The performance of a sensor network depends to a large extent on the sensing coverage, and its lifetime is determined by its energy consumption. In this paper, an energy-efficient Area Coverage protocol for Heterogeneous Energy sensor networks (ACHE) is proposed. ACHE can achieve a good performance in terms of sensing area coverage, lifetime by minimizing energy consumption for control overhead, and balancing the energy load among all nodes. Adopting the hierarchical clustering idea, ACHE selects the active nodes based on the average residual energy of neighboring nodes and its own residual energy parameters. Our simulation demonstrates that ACHE not only provide the high quality of sensing coverage, but also has the good performance in the energy efficiency. In addition, ACHE can better adapt the applications with the great heterogeneous energy capacities in the sensor networks, as well as effectively reduce the control overhead.

Energy-Efficient and Coverage-Aware Clustering in Wireless Sensor Networks

Energy efficiency and sensing coverage are essential metrics for enhancing the lifetime and the utilization of wireless sensor networks. Many protocols have been developed to address these issues, among which, clustering is considered a key technique in minimizing the consumed energy. However, few clustering protocols address the sensing coverage metric. This paper proposes a general framework that addresses both metrics for clustering algorithms in wireless sensor networks. The proposed framework is based on applying the principles of Virtual Field Force on each cluster within the network in order to move the sensor nodes towards proper locations that maximize the sensing coverage and minimize the transmitted energy. Two types of virtual forces are used: an attractive force that moves the nodes towards the cluster head in order to reduce the energy used for communication and a repulsive force that moves the overlapping nodes away from each other such that their sensing coverage is maximized. The performance of the proposed mechanism was evaluated by applying it to the well-known LEACH clustering algorithm. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed mechanism improves the performance of the LEACH protocol considerably in terms of the achieved sensing coverage, and the network lifetime.

Energy-Efficient UAVs Coverage Path Planning Approach

Unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs),commonly known as drones,have drawn significant consideration thanks to their agility,mobility,and flexibility features.They play a crucial role in modern reconnaissance,inspection,intelligence,and surveillance missions.Coverage path planning(CPP)which is one of the crucial aspects that determines an intelligent system’s quality seeks an optimal trajectory to fully cover the region of interest(ROI).However,the flight time of the UAV is limited due to a battery limitation and may not cover the whole region,especially in large region.Therefore,energy consumption is one of the most challenging issues that need to be optimized.In this paper,we propose an energy-efficient coverage path planning algorithm to solve the CPP problem.The objective is to generate a collision-free coverage path that minimizes the overall energy consumption and guarantees covering the whole region.To do so,the flight path is optimized and the number of turns is reduced to minimize the energy consumption.The proposed approach first decomposes the ROI into a set of cells depending on a UAV camera footprint.Then,the coverage path planning problem is formulated,where the exact solution is determined using the CPLEX solver.For small-scale problems,the CPLEX shows a better solution in a reasonable time.However,the CPLEX solver fails to generate the solution within a reasonable time for large-scale problems.Thus,to solve the model for large-scale problems,simulated annealing forCPP is developed.The results show that heuristic approaches yield a better solution for large-scale problems within amuch shorter execution time than the CPLEX solver.Finally,we compare the simulated annealing against the greedy algorithm.The results show that simulated annealing outperforms the greedy algorithm in generating better solution quality.