The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) has announced that the global standard wireless connectivity, Bluetooth technology, is now supporting mesh networking, optimised for creating large-scale device networks and device communications.

For devices to securely communicate with one another, it’s created for building sensor networks, IoT solutions and automation.

Mark Powell, Executive Director for Bluetooth SIG, said: “By adding support for mesh networking, the Bluetooth member community is continuing a long history of focused innovation to help new, up-and-coming markets flourish.

“In the same way the connected device market experienced rapid growth after the introduction of Bluetooth Low Energy, we believe Bluetooth mesh networking can play a vital role in helping early stage markets, such as building automation and wireless sensor networks, experience more rapid growth.”

The Bluetooth mesh will deliver:

• Reliability: Enables inherently self-healing networks with no single points of failure
• Scalability: Supports thousands of nodes with industrial-level performance
• Security: Provides industrial-grade security for protection against all known attacks whilst working with products from different vendors
• Full-stack solution: A unique full-stack approach that defines the low-level     radio up to the high-level application layer, ensuring all aspects of the technology are fully specified
• Interop-centric specification: Comprehensive, multi-vender interoperability testing is conducted during the specification development process, not after specification release
• Time-tested tools and processes: A 20-year history of delivering the qualification tools and processes needed to ensure global, multi-vendor interoperability

Szymon Slupik, President and CTO of Silvair and Chairman of the mesh working group within the Bluetooth SIG, said: “Within the building automation market, there is a growing focus on connected lighting and the role it can play as a platform for providing automation services throughout a facility.

“A smart lighting platform built on top of Bluetooth mesh networking can also support asset tracking, point of interest, and way-finding services. These value-added capabilities are part of why we believe Bluetooth is an ideal technology for enabling a mesh network.”

Written by Leah Alger