Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) and Vehicular Ad-hoc Networks (VANET) have been extensively used in IoT applications for environmental monitoring, especially in rural and agricultural areas. In this paper we present a novel combined approach which uses both WSN and VANET clustered structures for the efficient gathering and processing of environmental parameters in long eNodeB/RSU-enabled roads/highways, which cross large rural areas. The former (WSNs) is used for traditional sensing and data gathering, whereas the latter (VANET) is used for both (a) performing intermediate processing based on modern edge computation offloading techniques, and (b) propagating the data (either raw data or computed results) to the residing eNodeB/RSUs. Extended experimental measurements, taken via the combined use of SUMO and Veins simulation platforms (and focusing in the air quality monitoring experimental case), demonstrate the high efficiency and scalability of the presented approach over very large deployment areas.

翻译：无线传感器网络（WSN）与车载自组织网络（VANET）已广泛应用于物联网环境监测领域，特别是在乡村与农业区域。本文提出一种新颖的融合方法，通过结合WSN与VANET的聚类结构，实现对横跨广阔乡村区域、部署eNodeB/RSU的长距离道路/高速公路环境参数的高效采集与处理。前者（WSN）用于传统传感与数据采集，而后者（VANET）则兼具双重功能：（a）基于现代边缘计算卸载技术执行中间处理；（b）将数据（原始数据或计算结果）传输至部署的eNodeB/RSU节点。通过联合使用SUMO与Veins仿真平台开展的扩展实验测量（聚焦于空气质量监测实验场景），证明了所提方法在超大规模部署区域内具有高效性与可扩展性。