UTK, ROANEnet, Signal Power & Ubiquity Networks Partner on Innovative Mesh Network Project
On February 12, 2021, members of two University of Tennessee – Knoxville (UTK) undergraduate senior design teams, consisting of multidisciplinary engineering and business students and ROANEnet will be testing a low-cost mobile mesh Wifi network in Rockwood, Tennessee.
The goal is for communities to rapidly implement this network for disaster relief, large scale events or use it for neighborhoods that do not have access to a robust, reliable, and affordable broadband internet solution. Lorna Treffert, ISE Graduate Student stated “Both of the senior design teams and I are excited to be working on a project that is so impactful. The digital divide creates social, educational, material, and immaterial inequalities that significantly impact people’s quality of life. Access to a reliable internet connection has become a basic human right and the impact of the COVID19 pandemic on our daily lives has proven this statement as so many jobs and school systems have gone virtual.”
After setting up the network, a large group of students will test the network’s range and capability by replicating a typical load on the system and analyzing the impact of the hilly terrain, ground cover, and houses. The testing signal will be broadcast from the tower at Roane State Community College and communicate with two separate mesh networks: one covering the College Grove Neighborhood and the other around Post Oak Springs Christian Church. The test also includes students connecting to the network with their devices and testing the signal strength and data rate across the test site. The test will serve as a proof of concept for implementing the system in a rural area with challenging topography.
This project was made possible with the generosity and support of the following parties:
- Roane State Community College (www.roanestate.edu)
- UTK Amateur Radio Club – Jim Fletcher
- Richard Glover and Matt Waters, for the use of their drone in LOS Tests
- Russell Brown, for the use of his property
- College Grove Neighborhood Residents
- Post Oak Springs Christian Church
- Signal Power in Chattanooga, TN. Signal Power’s portable LED Light Towers serves as the structural backbone of the design. (https://hybridledlighttower.com)
- Ubiquiti Networks, Ubiquiti Networks provided a generous donation of technology for the network. (https://www.ui.com)
For detailed information and to view the progress of the Mesh Network Project, go to https://roanenet.org/mesh-network-project
Tickle College of Engineering (https://tickle.utk.edu/)
Members of the ISD team include Garrett Galbreath (Electrical Engineering), Matthew Jones (Electrical Engineering), Hans Perry (Supply Chain), Jianjun Xu (Computer Engineering), and Rachel Dylewski (Computer Science). They have worked closely with Doug Zukowski, President of Signal Power, and Dr. Keith Stanfill, the Director of Integrated Engineering Design at UTK. Their advisor is Dr. Husheng Li.
The Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISE) senior design team is working to develop a business plan to ensure the solution’s economic feasibility, perform a risk analysis for the implementation and operation of the system, and determine the optimal placement of the network within Roane County. Members of the ISE Team include Nathaniel Sexton, Katherine Clayton, Katie Roberts, Kevin McGinnity. The ISE design team advisor is Floyd Ostrowski, and ISE Graduate Student Lorna Treffert is assisting them.
ROANEnet (roanenet.org) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) advocate for affordable, robust, and reliable high-speed internet access, equitable availability of digital devices, and training required to enhance the quality of life within Roane County, TN. ROANEnet has been instrumental in establishing contacts in Rockwood’s community and providing on-site support and evaluation of test sites. Members of ROANEnet involved in this project are Dayle Beyer, Executive Director, Egon Hillermann, Director of Technology Access Program, and Richard Glover, CIO.