POSOP Routing Algorithm: A DTN Routing Scheme for Information Connectivity of Health Centres in Hilly State of North India

Abstract

We explore the application of partitioned network for providing health services in difficult terrain where fixed communication infrastructure is not cost-effective due to low population density and very high cost of setting up a permanent infrastructure. We propose a hybrid routing which is persistent, on-demand, scheduled, opportunistic, and predicted (POSOP) routing algorithm, that exploits various types of contacts existing in a partitioned, hybrid, and sparse network. Such networks may be used to provide guidance from specialist doctors to junior doctors working in primary health centres. We present a scenario from Uttarakhand (a state in hilly region of North India), where POSOP routing algorithm may be used to provide improved health services. Using simulations, we evaluate the performance of POSOP routing algorithm on three metrics, messages delivered, average delay suffered by the delivered messages, and average message traffic. We compare the performance of POSOP routing algorithm with two routing schemes, namely, epidemic and spray and wait on the three metrics. Our approach outperforms both the routing schemes.