{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,12]],"date-time":"2025-12-12T11:25:20Z","timestamp":1765538720966,"version":"3.48.0"},"reference-count":26,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,12]],"date-time":"2025-12-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1765497600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Future Internet"],"abstract":"<jats:p>This paper explores the application of mobile sensor networks in cow herds, focusing on the challenge of achieving local communication under minimal computational constraints such as restricted locality, limited memory, and implicit coordination. To address this, we propose a high connectivity based sensor network scheme that enables individual sensors to self-organize and dynamically adapt to topological variations caused by cow movements. In this scheme, each sensor acquires local distribution data from neighboring sensors, identifies those with high connectivity, and forms a local network with a star topology. The overlap of these local networks results in a globally interconnected mesh topology. Furthermore, information exchanged through broadcasting and overhearing allows each sensor to incrementally update and adapt to dynamic changes in its local network. To validate the proposed scheme, a custom wireless sensor tag was developed and mounted on the necks of individual cows for experimental testing. Furthermore, large-scale simulations were performed to evaluate performance in herd environments. Both experimental and simulation results confirmed that the scheme effectively maintains network coverage and connectivity under dynamic herd conditions.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/fi17120569","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,12]],"date-time":"2025-12-12T11:13:33Z","timestamp":1765538013000},"page":"569","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["High-Degree Connectivity Sensor Networks: Applications in Pastured Cow Herd Monitoring"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"17","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3274-8550","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Geunho","family":"Lee","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Graduate School of Engineering, University of Miyazaki, 1-1 Gakuen-Kibanadai Nishi, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan"}]},{"given":"Teruyuki","family":"Yamane","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Graduate School of Engineering, University of Miyazaki, 1-1 Gakuen-Kibanadai Nishi, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan"}]},{"given":"Kota","family":"Okabe","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Miyazaki Airport Building Co., Ltd., 5-4 Akae, Miyazaki 880-0912, Japan"}]},{"given":"Fumiaki","family":"Sugino","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Miyazaki Agricultural Junior College, 1-1 Gakuen-Kibanadai Nishi, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5247-0296","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Yeunwoong","family":"Kyung","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department Electronic Engineering, Seoul National University of Science & Technology, 232 Gongneung-ro, Nowon-gu, Seoul 01811, Republic of Korea"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,12]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"106519","DOI":"10.1016\/j.applanim.2025.106519","article-title":"Smart farming and artificial intelligence (AI): How can we ensure that animal welfare is a priority?","volume":"283","author":"Dawkins","year":"2025","journal-title":"Appl. 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