ZERO WIRE: Low-Latency Wireless Networking with Symbol-Synchronous LEDs

Abstract

Latency-sensitive applications for the Internet of Things (IoT) often require performance guarantees that contemporary wireless networks fail to offer. Application scenarios involving real-time control of industrial machinery, robotics, or delay-sensitive actuation therefore typically still rely on cables: today's wireless networks cannot deliver messages in a sufficiently small and predictable amount of time. Drop-in wireless replacements for these cabled systems would nevertheless provide great benefit by eliminating the high cost and complexity associated with running cables in harsh industrial environments [1]. The symbol-synchronous bus, introduced in this article and embodied in a platform called Zero-Wire, is a novel wireless networking paradigm that addresses this gap. Using concurrent optical transmissions, it strives to bring low-latency deterministic networking to the wireless IoT.