Technology

Mesh networks for Machines

Meshmerize is a Mobile Ad-hoc Network specifically designed for low-latency, reliable machine-type communication. Instead of relying on single wireless links between the base stations and the devices, Meshmerize uses a decentralized device-to-device communication to strengthen the network from the inside.

Purpose-built mesh network stack for moving machines

Conventional wireless connectivity to mobile robots, drones and vehicles suffer from two key challenges:

  • Connection interruptions during WiFi hand-overs between one Access Point to another
  • Sudden dynamics in the radio environment, especially indoors, due to dense metallic structures or liquid containers

Both lead to intermittent packet losses or latency spikes anywhere between 200ms to 20s.

Meshmerize systematically circumvents these challenges through a simple trick – Let the devices communicate and cooperate with each other. Meshmerize combines the individual unreliable WiFi links to form a unified reliable network using an opportunistic redundant multipath routing technology.

Benefits

Seamless roaming
  • Seamless mobility between different access points
  • Zero roaming delays, thanks to Meshmerize’s redundant multipath routing
  • Newer connections are made well before the old ones fade away.
Dynamic network infrastructure
  • In a mesh network, robots are simply access points on wheels.
  • The network extends to where the robots are.
  • A genuinely dynamic network for dynamic systems
Increased reliability
  • The redundant multipath routing overcomes the inherent dynamics of AMR systems.
  • Resilient against liquid-filled shelves and the metallic nature of the warehouse or factory
  • No more ‘radio shadows’ in the factory floor with pockets of connectivity vacuums
Self-configuring self-healing network
  • Access points don’t need to be cabled – Major Cap-Ex relief.
  • Add them, move them wherever convenient – the network configures itself without manual intervention.
Reliable networks don’t have to be a luxury

5G systems build a single, expensive, but ultra-high reliable link between the device and the base station. Meshmerize, on the other hand, combines multiple pre-existing inexpensive unreliable links to build a resilient and dependable network – analogous to weaving a bunch of threads into a strong rope.

Under the hood

The core of Meshmerize is our mesh networking software that can be installed and integrated into most Linux-based systems, including OpenWRT. It exposes itself as a virtual ethernet device and is entirely transparent to the applications using them. This enables Meshmerize to transport well beyond standard IP (TCP/UDP) traffic. Many industrial protocols such as Modbus and Profinet can be reliably transported over Meshmerize networks wirelessly.

To the applications, Meshmerize behaves as if all the network nodes are connected to a single Layer 2 switch, but physically distributed all over the place.

Mesh anything, Everything
Just a software
Meshmerize is a software product that can be installed on a wide variety of WiFi devices or even directly on the robots, as long as they run Linux and have supported radio hardware.
Easy integration
We have already integrated and tested Meshmerize on a portfolio of Industrial off-the-shelf access points. Simply pick the hardware that suits your needs. Be it deep freeze conditions, PoE powered, or ATEX certified hardware - we have you covered.
Beyond just WiFi networks

Meshmerize can leverage existing ethernet backbone networks networks for high-throughput networks. It simply finds the best network route between two nodes – whether that is through the mesh directly or ethernet or even 4G/5G networks.

Meshmerize is also fully integrated with the IEEE802.11p (v2x) hardware to enable reliable low-latency multi-hop v2v mesh networks.

Like to try Meshmerize in your setup?

Let's talk!