Author(s): Christian Wittwer, Kassidy Wall, Connor Didericksen
Mentor(s): DJ Holt
Institution UTech
LoRa is a promising wireless network technology that offers long-range, low-power data transmission, making it ideal for communication to and from remote environments that would otherwise be costly or impractical to interconnect using traditional network infrastructure. This research focuses on designing and implementing a LoRa mesh network to relay data collected by sensors in extremely remote regions that would otherwise be disconnected from any central network. We explore a novel approach to extend network coverage by utilizing mobile nodes, or "carrier nodes," that act as relays which shuttle data through the mesh network. Unlike traditional, fixed network nodes, these carrier nodes are in motion and intermittently connected. While this presents unique challenges for routing and data delivery, the mobile nature of carrier nodes has the potential to dramatically increase the reach of the network. This project addresses the complex task of routing data through this dynamic network, focusing on strategies that ensure reliable delivery of information while leveraging and adapting to the changing availability of critical carrier nodes. By building upon existing LoRa mesh routing implementations such as flood routing and distance-vector routing strategies, we seek to advance the capabilities of these systems for a wide range of remote applications.