Background:
ACU6 and other Actia products contains Wi-Fi (in addition to cellular network) but generally not any dedicated mesh radio components. Wi-Fi is generally used mainly in infrastructure mode, which means that certain units are access points (coordinator) and others are stations (clients). ACU6 Pro OH can act as either access point coordinating and providing connectivity or station receiving connectivity.
In certain applications it would be beneficial to allow for multiple units to communicate directly with each other without pre-configuration of access points vs stations, and then a mesh network, meaning a network without any explicitly configured access points and stations, would be beneficial.
The Wi-Fi standard includes an ad-hoc mode, officially referred to as independent basic service set (IBSS) that allows Wi-Fi radios to communicate without the need for a central node, however this only covers low level radio access. It does not handle higher level protocols such as IP configuration, routing of traffic including how clients outside of direct radio range should exchange traffic.
Scope:
This thesis would be to investigate, develop, and test a way for multiple ACU6 units to act as a mesh network using the Wi-Fi radio, possibly supported by BLE for better reliability at close range.
The focus would be self-organization and reliability using the existing wireless technologies, but things such as throughput, security and interoperability are also interesting parameters.
We do envision this to result in a PoC running on a smaller fleet of ACU6 Pro OH units
Challenges:
Wi-Fi ad-hoc mode has been around for a long time but the software support for it is still quite limited. This means that any development in the area will result in very low-level questions related to the interaction between the hardware and the software, and therefor requires good understanding of both software protocols and radio access standards.
Benefits of working with us:
Ideal candidates should be enrolled in a university program, preferably Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Physics or similar.
The ideal candidate should also have experience from: RTOS and embedded software development
We are also looking for these personal traits: easy going, friendly, open minded, tech-entusiastic and with a meticulously mindset.
Actia Sweden is the collective name for two ACTIA Group companies: Actia Nordic AB and Actia EMS Sweden AB. By uniting under one LinkedIn presence, we make it easier for customers, partners, and future colleagues to follow our combined expertise in connectivity and electronics manufacturing in Sweden.
Actia Nordic AB
A global leader in advanced connectivity solutions, developing platforms used by OEMs across passenger cars, commercial vehicles, construction machinery, off-highway equipment and the medical industry. For more than 30 years, we have pioneered telematics technologies and delivered them to customers including Volvo Cars, Jaguar Land Rover, Envirotainer, Scania and CNH, among others. Today, millions of our products are in daily use across 130+ countries. Our secure and scalable platforms enable a wide range of services: remote vehicle access, automatic emergency call (eCall), Wi-Fi hotspot, stolen vehicle tracking, remote diagnostics, over-the-air software updates, fleet management and advanced cyber security. With annual revenues above €530 million and 13–15% invested in R&D, innovation and reliability remain at the core of what we do.
Actia EMS Sweden AB
Specialized in low- to mid-volume electronics manufacturing, offering high quality, full flexibility and more than 20 years of experience. We support our customers throughout the entire lifecycle – from design and material sourcing to prototyping, series production and after-market services. Our capabilities include multiple SMT lines, box-build and final assembly, customization, troubleshooting, repair services and a fully equipped fixture workshop. Certified to ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and IATF 16949, we deliver according to the highest industry standards. As part of the ACTIA Group, we also enable seamless transfers from prototypes to high-volume series production at ACTIA plants in France, Tunisia and the USA.
