UC San Diego

Deploying wireless networks can be a really complicated and time consuming procedure. The choice of the access point locations, the selection of a frequency band with minimal interference, and the operation of multiple sensors using a single platform are few of the key factors which will determine the efficiency of the deployment. The Gizmo truck invention proposes an effective and robust solution to the problem. Gizmo has taken the Calmesh Network project developed at Calit2 (California Institute of Telecommunication and Information Technology) together with the "always best connected approach" in mind and joined them in a mobile platform which is built using solely off-the-shelf components. The Gizmo project has led to a versatile mobile platform capable to create instantaneous mesh networks using a variety of different radios and technology (i.e. 802.11 a, b or g, 900Mhz radios, Zigbee, ) or act as a client to any preexisting network, stream audio and video feeds, collect important data using an array of different sensors which can be swapped depending on the needs, and navigate through areas using GPS way points and distance sensors for object avoidance. The main characteristic of Gizmo is its high versatility and re-programmability. Gizmo presents a great platform for research and development. The applications in which Gizmo can be used are numerous (medical, military, educational, outreach, self guided tours, surveillance ), all it is needed to do is to swap the new sensors and download the desired scripts on the single board computer (SBC) and/or microcontroller board