1. An electronic device for use in a sensor network, the electronic device comprising a wireless transceiver and a processor, the electronic device being operable as a sink node and a virtual sink node of the sensor network, wherein: when the electronic device operates as a sink node, the electronic device is configured to: designate a sensor node in the sensor network as a virtual sink node based on the sensor node having an operating energy that exceeds a threshold, receive, via the sensor node, data transmitted by other sensor nodes in the sensor network, and receive from the sensor node a message relinquishing the sensor node's designation as a virtual sink node; and when the electronic device operates as a virtual sink node, the electronic device is configured to: route data received from sensor nodes of the sensor network to a first sink node of the sensor network, determine an operating energy of the electronic device, and transmit to the first sink node a message relinquishing the electronic device's designation as a virtual sink node, the message being transmitted in response to the operating energy of the electronic device falling below the threshold.