SmartMesh (SMT) is an IoT (Internet of Things) base-layer protocol built on blockchain technology that enables smartphones, vehicular devices, and more to connect directly without the need for the internet. SmartMesh incorporates lightweight blockchain nodes and extends the Lightning Network protocol to facilitate off-grid microtransactions with tokens. Motivated by token incentives, SmartMesh can self-organize into a resilient, decentralized Mesh Network capable of self-repair, offering higher local speeds and bandwidth than the internet, typically at no cost. It has the potential to become a parallel network to the existing internet.

1. Project Overview

SmartMesh constructs a mesh network parallel to the global internet based on peer-to-peer connections between smartphones, allowing traffic that doesn’t need to go through central servers to communicate within a local mesh network. This conserves resources, reduces power consumption, and minimizes radiation waste. Through the foundation’s ecosystem, it makes human-to-human, human-to-object, and object-to-object connections more efficient and straightforward, positioning itself as the future of off-grid communications, payments, and gaming.

There are many pioneers in the Mesh Network field, but clearly, mobile phone-based Mesh Networks are at the forefront. In the leading-edge near-field communication domain, Australia’s Serval and China’s NextApp have optimized Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy (LE), ANT, and other wireless protocols, along with corresponding applications, making near-field communication a reality for Android and iOS phones. Each mesh network-based communication application achieves the same goal: enabling you to stay connected with others even without a SIM card. While their use cases may vary slightly—some focus on chat, others on research, or social interaction—they collectively serve millions of users.

Built upon existing technological strengths and ecosystem resources, SmartMesh will continuously develop IoT base-layer protocols and integrate with top-notch off-grid communication companies worldwide, aiming to establish unified standards for global IoT communications. The SmartMesh Foundation will also introduce third-party development teams through incubation and partnerships to implement various real-world applications based on the SmartMesh protocol.

Use Cases

Off-Grid Payments
On islands or in other areas without internet access, SmartMesh can enable point-to-point connections, forming a mesh network. In such scenarios, each smart device—phones, vehicular devices, etc.—can act as a node, allowing transactions to be completed without an internet connection.

Off-Grid Communications
In countries with poor network infrastructure or during extreme situations like earthquakes when signals are down, people struggle to communicate. From a broader perspective, billions of people globally lack internet access. However, lacking the internet does not mean one cannot connect and communicate. One of SmartMesh’s user scenarios is to address this issue: with just a smartphone and the SmartMesh app installed, users can form a mesh network, meaning they can communicate with anyone else on the mesh network even without internet access.

Network Congestion
Even with internet access, network congestion remains a significant issue, especially during peak usage times. Additionally, there are common situations where the internet is unavailable, such as outdoors, in tunnels, or on planes, yet there is still a need for communication. By joining the SmartMesh network, the speed and quality of data transmission increase significantly, effectively resolving issues related to network congestion.

2. Commentary

SmartMesh is a user-autonomous communication protocol that allows smartphone users to build a decentralized mesh network using tokens. SMART tokens are primarily a virtual currency used for transactions within the SmartMesh network. Developers can integrate the SmartMesh network SDK into any application to leverage our mesh network when regular network reception is poor.

Related Links:

https://smartmesh.io/
http://www.qukuaiwang.com.cn/szhb/2434.html
http://www.bite5.com/index.php/viewnews-376