Adaptive Energy-Efficient Routing Protocol for Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks Using Digital Twin Synchronization

Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks (UWSNs) are fac- ing the critical challenges in energy efficiency because of limited battery capacity and the difficulty of node replacement in aquatic environments. This paper is proposing DTEAR (Digital Twin-Enhanced Adaptive Routing), which is a novel energy-efficient routing protocol that leverages digital twin technology for real-time network state optimization. Our protocol is integrating virtual network modeling with adaptive depth-based routing to minimize energy consumption while it is maintaining high packet delivery ratios. Through comprehensive simulations using the adapted C-Town network benchmark with 399 nodes, DTEAR is demonstrating 27.3% improvement in network lifetime, 18.5% reduction in energy consumption per packet, and 95.2% packet delivery ratio when compared to state-of-the-art protocols. The digital twin synchronization mechanism is ensuring routing decisions are based on accurate network states, and it is achieving convergence in 38 seconds on average. Results are validating the effectiveness of combining digital twin technology with underwater acoustic communication for enhanced network performance. This work is contributing to recent advances in digital transformation for distributed systems and energy-efficient underwater communication protocols.