Description

We build the first Wi-Mesh Testbed of China, and intend to develop new Wi-Mesh devices and use it to test new multi-hop routing algorithm. It involves three subjects.
As shown in figure 1, the Wireless Sensor Network(WSN) clouds consists of serials wireless sensor nodes. Each sensor supports a multi-hop routing algorithm. However, these network protocol, such as ZigBee, does not enable the device outside of WSN to connect with WSN node directly. Our project, the convergence of WSN and WMN(figure 1. a) intends to convergent WSN with Wi-Mesh, so that the data of each sensor node can be recived by any device with Wi-Fi connection.

Traditional Wi-Fi access point is wired. Access point can not connect with each other over wireless networks.Our project, the Wi-Mesh Access Point (MAP see figure 1.b), using multi-hop routing algorithm. The MAP connect with each other by 802.11 a, and connect with client over 802.11b/g.

Not only MAP supports multi-hop routing. Our project, the Wi-Mesh Mobile Storm (figure 1.c), is a mesh network solution by which client can connect with each other without any access point. In addtion, mesh client could be a special access point, by which normal client can be connected to networks.

As figure 2 shows, the software running in a computer to monitor the data of two light sensers installed in the building.

MAPs are deployed to South-west Jiaotong University (see figure 3).

Using our Mesh Client, manager could easily monitor the status of MAP and clients(see figure 4).

Our mesh client multi-hop routing technology could be embedded to a series of devices. In our prototype, we modified the kernal of Nokia N800 to enable the mesh techonology. As figure 5 shows, a N800 using instance messager software chating with other user.

Behind the screen

I participated in this project during the period of graduate education. And I mainly contribute three parts of this project.
This first one is convergence of Wireless Sensor Network and Wireless Mesh Network. It convent WSN protocol(such as ZigBee, 802.16) into 802.11 networking protocol, so that each sensor node can be controlled by any WI-Fi based devices.
The second one is that I took in charge of embedded device application design and programming. Normal Wi-Fi device cannot link with each other by using Wi-Mesh network. We rebuild the device kernel, and enable the multi-hop capability.
The last one is that I made an introduction video to introduce this project (as you seen above).