Hardware components for MESH network with Arduino

Question

I am in the search for some recommendation on a good hardware component for building a mesh network with Arduino

I am not experienced in building a mesh network. So all recommendations and guidance would be appreciated.

My case is: I have 10 small robots that I'd like to connect, so they can share data like position and so on. UPDATE! The robots are build with Arduino Nano, so it would be preferable with a solution that compatible with the Arduino environment.

Also I'd like to log the data from the robots to a laptop. The ideal would be through some sort of USB unit, that can connect to the mesh network and log the data from the robots.

I don't need to send commands over the network, but only statistical data like position etc.

The range of the network would be in an open room, with a maximum of 100m2

I would like an easy setup component, which have to be small, low-energy consumption and not expensive. I know these requirements might be general for all, but I stated them anyway.

Answer 1

Recommendations

There are many different mesh networks I have seen being set up with the Arduino. Here I name just a few of the common ones.

1. Pinoccio

According to the website,

Field Scouts talk to each other using a mesh network (called a Troop), using an extremely low-power radio. This makes them 14 times more efficient than standard WiFi devices. Slap a WiFi backpack on a Scout to make it the Lead Scout, and connect your entire Troop to the web!

This allows the data to be shared onto the Internet.

The Radio of the Field Scout is over 2.4GHz using 802.15.4. I am pretty sure it will work in an open room. However the problem is you might have to redo all of the Arduino setup on the Pinoccio, but it is Arduino-compatible.

2. RF24Mesh

It seems to be an easy to use library for Arduino, which you use when you attach a nRF24L01 to each of the Arduinos. However, there isn't much documentation.