Application of ad-hoc sensor networks for localization in underground mines

Underground mining is a hazardous industrial activity. The harsh physical environment and distinct topology that make mining dangerous act as a hindrance or constraint to the very techniques and technologies that could improve safety and productivity. Workers safety is of paramount importance and is certainly a moral obligation for any business! Wireless sensor networks monitoring is an application that is very crucial for the safety of mine workers. These sensors can monitor vital life signs of workers which may be very useful during emergency situations. Localization and tracking of moving objects is an essential capacity for a sensor network in many applications. This paper studies the problem of localization in underground mines using ad-hoc sensor networks. We use the DV-hop algorithm to estimate the distance between a mobile node and a fixed anchor and we apply the bounding box technique to estimate the location.