This repo is designed to implement a wireless mesh network and a few services that run over it using micropython-compatible code. A goal is to minimize memory use and provide an asynchronous control flow. It will include the following:
- Packet formats to fit into ESP-NOW and RYLR-998 LoRa datagrams
- A packet sequencer to break blobs into smaller packets with reliable tx mechanism
- A Packager system to automatically send and receive Packages
- Interface plugins for the Packager to enable ESP-NOW and RYLR-998; possibly UDP/IP, BTLE, and a custom WLAN similar to ESP-NOW for non-ESP devices (e.g. Raspberry Pi, Linux laptop, etc)
- An Application plugin system to generate and ingest Packages
- A connectionless gossip system for promulgating network information
- A PIE/VOUTE-based spanning tree system for greedy routing
- A service announcement system for nodes running the same Application(s) to discover each other
This project is the result of a fairly lengthy process of discovery: first, I tried using gradient descent to determine 2d/3d/4d spcial coordinates using latency as an analog for distance (linear relationship over radio waves); then, when I determined that would not work, I began to create and search for alternatives, which resulted in an incomplete spec for the Mycelium network system; then, I got some ESP32 devices and decided to start experimenting, and I realized that it had to be paired down and more focused to have a chance of actually working. Since the main goal of the Pycelium/Mycelium concept has been inexpensive routers automagically creating a mesh network, it made sense to start with some actual hardware running micropython, hence micropycelium as the home of the first serious attempt at implementation.
For a functional v0.1 release:
- Specification
- Packet schemas and serialization code
- Packet sequencer system
- Packager system
- ESP-NOW Interface
- Modem sleep mode for power saving: Request Node Status/Node Is Active before tx
- Eliptic curve cryptography
- Greedy routing: tree state construction and updating
- Greedy routing: tree distance routing (flags.mode=0)
- Greedy routing: common prefix length routing (flags.mode=1)
Everything else can be tracked in the issues. There are 6 milestones from v0.1 to v0.6, and issues planned for resolution have been categorized into those milestones.
Once the v0.1 release is complete, these status items will be moved into a new changelog file.
ISC License
Copyleft (c) 2025 Jonathan Voss (k98kurz)
Permission to use, copy, modify, and/or distribute this software for any purpose with or without fee is hereby granted, provided that the above copyleft notice and this permission notice appear in all copies.
THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND THE AUTHOR DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES WITH REGARD TO THIS SOFTWARE INCLUDING ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
