This is the second article in a series of technical posts about how Track & Trust works at a component level. Building on your understanding of our mesh network technology, this post asks the question – what if everything starts going wrong? The answer as you will see lies in our Satellite-enabled Mesh Network nodes. Quick navigation links to the follow-up articles will be provided at the bottom of each article once the series is complete. For now, let’s jump in.
The mesh network technology alone can’t get the job done. To make it work, we want the Track & Trust logistics tracking and communication to function even in the most challenging circumstances. However, addressing a few more challenges is necessary to achieve this. Additionally, we need to consider the limitations of the technology.
The Challenges
What if 4G doesn’t work at all? Remote logistics operations or external circumstances like war or political instability can cause this issue. In such cases, tracking becomes a challenge, especially when the electrical power is unreliable. Consequently, we need to find alternative solutions.
We spent quite some time solving these issues. Fortunately, we did indeed find a way. With funding from the European Space Agency, we built a Satellite-enabled Mesh Network. Some mesh nodes now have more super powers, enabling them to do everything they could before, and more. Moreover, these special satellite-enabled mesh nodes are more expensive, but they have a special trick up their sleeves. They can post data to our servers even without 4G internet. Here’s how it works.
Satellite-Enabled Mesh Nodes
The yellow box in the picture represents a satellite enabled mesh node. By adding an Iridium short burst data (SBD) transmitter to it, we gave it superpowers. Connecting this node to a mesh node via waterproof cables turns it into a super node. Our partners at OroraTech built this part of the system. Data arrives at this node using peer to peer communication over wifi-direct. The Iridium short burst data (SBD) Transmitter consumes information from cellmesh, finding out what data didn’t get posted to the internet via 4g.
To make this work, a clear view of the sky is necessary. That’s why we waterproofed the enclosures. Strategic placement of these nodes is crucial. A good position is one where many other nodes will pass by, and it should also have a relatively solid electrical power supply. In our pilot, the roof of a local school with a solar power installation already in place proved to be an ideal location. Furthermore, this location allowed us to test the system in a real-world setting.
Breaking down each data package into smaller packages is essential. These packages must be small enough to send over Iridium short burst data. As a result, each user action results in 8-9 individual satellite messages. These messages are encoded and transmitted individually, error checked, and then recombined. Finally, they can post to our backend systems.
Here’s what it looks like in real life – a shot from our labs. In addition to the technical details, we will also cover the practical applications of the system.
What about electrical outages?
We anticipated that the nodes would need to be robust. Ensuring they have enough on-board power was crucial. This compensates for electrical outages, as delivery trucks can only supply 12v power when the ignition is on.
Fortunately, our hardware engineer friends at Weaver Labs provided a solid solution to this issue inside these boxes. They equipped the nodes with integrated backup power systems and implemented a battery management system and software. This helps the nodes recover from power outages and situations where the on-board battery is fully depleted. Moreover, this ensures that the system remains operational even in challenging conditions.
The result is a combination of hardware and software, enabled by mesh network technology, 4g, and satellite communication. This combination allows the system to stand up to difficult conditions and still work. In conclusion, our system is designed to provide reliable tracking and communication in even the most challenging environments.
In our next post, I’ll address how the system handles security, covering the authentication and blockchain details backed into Track & Trust.
Next Post>>