TrueMobile: A Mobile Robotic Wireless and Sensor Network Testbed

Abstract

Simulation has been the dominant research methodology in wireless and sensor networking. When mobility is added, the frequency of real-world experimentation becomes tiny. However, it is becoming clear that simulation models do not sufficiently capture radio and sensor irregularity in a complex, real-world environment, especially indoors. Unfortunately, the high costs in labor, equipment, and tedium of truly mobile experimental infrastructure in real-world environments typically present an insurmountable barrier to such experimentation. We describe our experience in creating an initial testbed to lower those barriers. Our system, called “TrueMobile,” already deployed for public use, provides the first remotelyaccessible mobile wireless and sensor testbed. Robots carry motes and single board computers running Linux through a fixed field of sensor-equipped motes, all running the user’s selected software. In real-time, interactively or driven by preprogrammed events, remote users can position the robots, control all the computers and network interfaces, and log data. TrueMobile provides simple path planning, a visionbased tracking system accurate to 1 cm, live maps, and webcams. Precise positioning and automation allow quick and painless evaluation of location and mobility effects on wireless protocols, location algorithms, and sensor-driven applications. We present TrueMobile’s design and implementation, evaluate key aspects of its performance, and describe a few experiments demonstrating its generality and power.