Robotic-aided Internet of Things: automated deployment of a 6TiSCH Network using an Unmanned Ground Vehicle

The automated set up of Internet of Things (IoT) systems in industrial environments is an open challenge at the forefront of networking and robotics domains. In this work, a robotic-aided deployment system is proposed and experimentally tested with reference to the Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) over the Time Slotted Channel Hopping (TSCH) mode of IEEE 802.15.4 (6TiSCH) technology. To this end, a design methodology has been conceived to attain the set up of a fully connected IoT network in a target area, based on the measured Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) of wireless links, required spatial sensing resolution, and number of available IoT nodes. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology, an experimental testbed has been set up, consisting of an Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) that automatically deploys an IoT network in a laboratory environment. Experimental results clearly show that the UGV is able to deploy a fully connected 6TiSCH network that matches spatial resolution requirements, highlighting how the proposed policy affects the position of IoT nodes release points.