Design and Implementation of a 6LoWPAN-Based Lightweight Wireless Embedded Internet Platform for IoT Applications

Abstract

The Internet of Things (IoT) plays an important role in the revolution of the Internet with the rise of Industry 4.0. It is closely related to low-power embedded devices, which have not been entirely IP-enabled until now. The 6LoWPAN (acronym of IPv6 over low-power wireless personal area networks) is an IPv6 protocol for Wireless Embedded Internet. It can help enable even the minimum embedded systems with limited processing capabilities to participate in the IoT. This study investigates a reliable way of future IoT networking by designing and implementing a 6LoWPAN-based lightweight Wireless Embedded Internet platform, named Lowvy (abbreviated from low-power wireless connectivity). Lowvy is characterized by low power consumption, constrained memory, small size, a low-cost IPv6-enabled wireless embedded device, and a constrained application protocol (CoAP). We did different application experiments to test the performance of the platform in terms of received signal strength indicator (RSSI), power consumption, sensor integration, and internet integration application with 6LoWPAN. Comparing Lowvy with other wireless embedded IoT platforms, Lowvy is less expensive and more compact. Moreover, Lowvy has a powerful performance in terms of signal strength for a longer wireless distance transmission of about 25 to 30 meters and has a lower power consumption of 41.60 milliwatts.