  Wireless sensor networks (WSNs), one of the fundamental technologies of the
Internet of Things (IoT), can provide sensing and communication services
efficiently for IoT-based applications, especially energy-limited applications.
Clustering routing protocol plays an important role in reducing energy
consumption and prolonging network lifetime. The cluster formation and cluster
head selection are the key to improving the performance of the clustering
routing protocol. An energy-efficient routing protocol based on multi-threshold
segmentation (EERPMS) was proposed in this paper to improve the rationality of
cluster formation and cluster head selection. In the stage of cluster
formation, inspired by multi-threshold image segmentation, an innovative node
clustering algorithm was developed. In the stage of cluster head selection,
aiming at minimizing the network energy consumption, a calculation theory of
the optimal number and location of cluster heads was established. Furthermore,
a novel cluster head selection algorithm was constructed based on the residual
energy and optimal location of cluster heads. Simulation results show that
EERPMS can improve the distribution uniformity of cluster heads, prolong the
network lifetime and save up to 64.50%, 58.60%, and 56.15% network energy as
compared to RLEACH, CRPFCM, and FIGWO protocols respectively.
