My URSP project
is developing a new routing protocol for mesh networks. It is a type of
computer networks in which all nodes (computers, smartphones, etc) participate
by forwarding data to other nodes. Additionally, such networks do not have a
specific topology; any node can connect or disconnect from another node at any
time, while all participants should collectively be able to figure out how to
route information from node A to node B.
This technology
is not common, but some cities in developed countries build their own community
networks as a way to provide a superior Internet access to that offered by
regular Internet Service Providers. Additionally, in developing countries,
where infrastructure is uncommon, wireless mesh networks might be one of a few
choices for building connectivity.
Some of the
technical requirements for a mesh networking protocol are low communication
latency and scalability: the protocol should support thousands of nodes without
degrading performance for users.
I had the most
important ideas before applying to URSP. My work throughout the semester is
programming the protocol and simulating it. Additionally, my mentor, Dr. Mark,
and I are currently preparing a conference paper.
On a weekly
basis I read research papers, while in order to do the actual work I dedicate
long periods of time without distracting on other tasks. Examples are the
spring break, five days in January when the university was closed, some of the
weekends.
In the future, I
hope that this research will be incorporated in a real software that will allow
building scale-free networks with zero configuration. I am going to release all
software made for this project under open-source licenses.
