Inspiration
In a place where there’s a dense amount of connectivity, our signal and wifi can sometimes fail us. Whether its a remote camping site, or a crowded concert where towers are congested, or a natural disaster that knocks out local constructions, traditional communication fails when we need it the most. We wanted to built MESHaging to prove that satellites or towers are not necessary to remain in touch, but we just need each other.
What it does
MESHaging is a peer to peer messaging application that uses mesh networking to transmit data. Rather than using a central sever to send a message, MESHaging hops the data across nearby devices until it reaches its destination. Some of its key features include: It works entirely without Wi-fi or cellular data, the network gets stronger and more expansive as more users join, and even though messages “hop” through devices in between. Only the intended receiver can decrypt the content.
How we built it
While we don't have a fully working version at this point, we used React Native to build a mobile app and pulled off similar existing technologies to create our mesh. For production we would use Bluetooth low energy and Wi-FI direct protocols to create device to device links. We would use a signal protocol (libsignal) to manage keys and ensure messages are asynchronously encrypted.
Challenges we ran into
Our initial idea was for a one-way signal for emergency alerts, so adapting our approach to a two way messaging app was certainly an adjustment. Additionally, it’s a struggle to get bluetooth permissions on an iPhone, we spent a good amount of time just trying to get Apple to let us use Bluetooth. From here, we would also have to focus on handling and optimizing the battery drain associated with the BLE scanning, and also would have to focus on making sure the devices in between hold onto the encrypted packets until they come in range with another viable user.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
The most important and best thing we’ve done at this point is just the concept. It is an idea that has real world applications and can be expanded to even further usability. Our app is not fully functional at this point, but the idea is still valuable, and something we can be proud of.
What we learned
Throughout this project, we learned about the technical aspects of bluetooth based services as well as the social aspects. While building this project, we got to experiment with different ideas as far as providing a secure service that users could feel comfortable sending messages through. We gained knowledge for OSL models, specifically the Data Link and Network layers.
What's next for MESHaging
Going forward, we’re looking to build a fully functioning version of the app that enables completely offline messaging through bluetooth signals across varying distances. It is important to the app’s future that it is able to create a clearer, longer and stronger chain of bluetooth signals so that it can reach further distances and become a more reliable way to communicate quickly without internet.
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