Modular Robotic Controllers with Ad-Hoc ESP32 Wireless Mesh Network and Embedded AES Security

Yisu Fang; Hadyan Hafizh; Muhammad Ateeq; Andrew Huey Ping Tan

doi:10.1007/978-981-96-3949-6_30

Modular Robotic Controllers with Ad-Hoc ESP32 Wireless Mesh Network and Embedded AES Security

Yisu Fang^*
, Hadyan Hafizh
, Muhammad Ateeq
, Andrew Huey Ping Tan

^*Corresponding author for this work

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
School of Engineering and Technology
Sunway University

Research output: Chapter in Book or Report/Conference proceeding › Conference Proceeding › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

This paper presents an innovative decentralized robotic control system utilizing an ESP32-based wireless mesh network (WMN). Building upon the “painlessMesh” library for network management, this study enables JSON-formatted data exchange in peer-to-peer and broadcast modes. A key contribution is our implementation of a security layer incorporating ECDH key exchange and AES128 encryption, which we thoroughly analyze across various node configurations. The WMN is seamlessly integrated with the Robot Operating System (ROS) via a custom serial bridge, combining the mesh network’s real-time, distributed control capabilities with ROS’s advanced computational resources. This architecture creates a flexible, scalable platform for sophisticated robotic applications. Our study rigorously evaluates system performance, balancing network topology, security, and responsiveness. The results provide critical insights for deploying secure, decentralized mesh networks in real-world robotic applications, particularly in areas such as swarm robotics and robot-infrastructure coordination, while maintaining the cost-effectiveness and energy efficiency of ESP32-based nodes.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Selected Proceedings from the 2nd International Conference on Intelligent Manufacturing and Robotics, ICIMR 2024 - Advances in Intelligent Manufacturing and Robotics
Editors	Wei Chen, Andrew Huey Ping Tan, Yang Luo, Long Huang, Yuyi Zhu, Anwar PP Abdul Majeed, Fan Zhang, Yuyao Yan, Chenguang Liu
Publisher	Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH
Pages	376-390
Number of pages	15
ISBN (Print)	9789819639489
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-96-3949-6_30
Publication status	Published - 2025
Event	2nd International Conference on Intelligent Manufacturing and Robotics, ICIMR 2024 - Suzhou, China Duration: 22 Aug 2024 → 23 Aug 2024

Publication series

Name	Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems
Volume	1316 LNNS
ISSN (Print)	2367-3370
ISSN (Electronic)	2367-3389

Conference

Conference	2nd International Conference on Intelligent Manufacturing and Robotics, ICIMR 2024
Country/Territory	China
City	Suzhou
Period	22/08/24 → 23/08/24

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy

Keywords

Embedded Systems
Encryption
Internet of Things
Robotics
Wireless Sensor Network

Access to Document

10.1007/978-981-96-3949-6_30

Cite this

Fang, Y., Hafizh, H., Ateeq, M., & Tan, A. H. P. (2025). Modular Robotic Controllers with Ad-Hoc ESP32 Wireless Mesh Network and Embedded AES Security. In W. Chen, A. H. Ping Tan, Y. Luo, L. Huang, Y. Zhu, A. PP Abdul Majeed, F. Zhang, Y. Yan, & C. Liu (Eds.), Selected Proceedings from the 2nd International Conference on Intelligent Manufacturing and Robotics, ICIMR 2024 - Advances in Intelligent Manufacturing and Robotics (pp. 376-390). (Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems; Vol. 1316 LNNS). Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-96-3949-6_30

Fang, Yisu ; Hafizh, Hadyan ; Ateeq, Muhammad et al. / Modular Robotic Controllers with Ad-Hoc ESP32 Wireless Mesh Network and Embedded AES Security. Selected Proceedings from the 2nd International Conference on Intelligent Manufacturing and Robotics, ICIMR 2024 - Advances in Intelligent Manufacturing and Robotics. editor / Wei Chen ; Andrew Huey Ping Tan ; Yang Luo ; Long Huang ; Yuyi Zhu ; Anwar PP Abdul Majeed ; Fan Zhang ; Yuyao Yan ; Chenguang Liu. Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2025. pp. 376-390 (Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems).

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title = "Modular Robotic Controllers with Ad-Hoc ESP32 Wireless Mesh Network and Embedded AES Security",

abstract = "This paper presents an innovative decentralized robotic control system utilizing an ESP32-based wireless mesh network (WMN). Building upon the “painlessMesh” library for network management, this study enables JSON-formatted data exchange in peer-to-peer and broadcast modes. A key contribution is our implementation of a security layer incorporating ECDH key exchange and AES128 encryption, which we thoroughly analyze across various node configurations. The WMN is seamlessly integrated with the Robot Operating System (ROS) via a custom serial bridge, combining the mesh network{\textquoteright}s real-time, distributed control capabilities with ROS{\textquoteright}s advanced computational resources. This architecture creates a flexible, scalable platform for sophisticated robotic applications. Our study rigorously evaluates system performance, balancing network topology, security, and responsiveness. The results provide critical insights for deploying secure, decentralized mesh networks in real-world robotic applications, particularly in areas such as swarm robotics and robot-infrastructure coordination, while maintaining the cost-effectiveness and energy efficiency of ESP32-based nodes.",

keywords = "Embedded Systems, Encryption, Internet of Things, Robotics, Wireless Sensor Network",

author = "Yisu Fang and Hadyan Hafizh and Muhammad Ateeq and Tan, \{Andrew Huey Ping\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2025.; 2nd International Conference on Intelligent Manufacturing and Robotics, ICIMR 2024 ; Conference date: 22-08-2024 Through 23-08-2024",

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doi = "10.1007/978-981-96-3949-6\_30",

language = "English",

isbn = "9789819639489",

series = "Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems",

publisher = "Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH",

pages = "376--390",

editor = "Wei Chen and \{Ping Tan\}, \{Andrew Huey\} and Yang Luo and Long Huang and Yuyi Zhu and \{PP Abdul Majeed\}, Anwar and Fan Zhang and Yuyao Yan and Chenguang Liu",

booktitle = "Selected Proceedings from the 2nd International Conference on Intelligent Manufacturing and Robotics, ICIMR 2024 - Advances in Intelligent Manufacturing and Robotics",

}

Fang, Y, Hafizh, H, Ateeq, M & Tan, AHP 2025, Modular Robotic Controllers with Ad-Hoc ESP32 Wireless Mesh Network and Embedded AES Security. in W Chen, AH Ping Tan, Y Luo, L Huang, Y Zhu, A PP Abdul Majeed, F Zhang, Y Yan & C Liu (eds), Selected Proceedings from the 2nd International Conference on Intelligent Manufacturing and Robotics, ICIMR 2024 - Advances in Intelligent Manufacturing and Robotics. Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems, vol. 1316 LNNS, Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, pp. 376-390, 2nd International Conference on Intelligent Manufacturing and Robotics, ICIMR 2024, Suzhou, China, 22/08/24. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-96-3949-6_30

Modular Robotic Controllers with Ad-Hoc ESP32 Wireless Mesh Network and Embedded AES Security. / Fang, Yisu; Hafizh, Hadyan; Ateeq, Muhammad et al.
Selected Proceedings from the 2nd International Conference on Intelligent Manufacturing and Robotics, ICIMR 2024 - Advances in Intelligent Manufacturing and Robotics. ed. / Wei Chen; Andrew Huey Ping Tan; Yang Luo; Long Huang; Yuyi Zhu; Anwar PP Abdul Majeed; Fan Zhang; Yuyao Yan; Chenguang Liu. Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2025. p. 376-390 (Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems; Vol. 1316 LNNS).

Research output: Chapter in Book or Report/Conference proceeding › Conference Proceeding › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - Modular Robotic Controllers with Ad-Hoc ESP32 Wireless Mesh Network and Embedded AES Security

AU - Fang, Yisu

AU - Hafizh, Hadyan

AU - Ateeq, Muhammad

AU - Tan, Andrew Huey Ping

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2025.

PY - 2025

Y1 - 2025

N2 - This paper presents an innovative decentralized robotic control system utilizing an ESP32-based wireless mesh network (WMN). Building upon the “painlessMesh” library for network management, this study enables JSON-formatted data exchange in peer-to-peer and broadcast modes. A key contribution is our implementation of a security layer incorporating ECDH key exchange and AES128 encryption, which we thoroughly analyze across various node configurations. The WMN is seamlessly integrated with the Robot Operating System (ROS) via a custom serial bridge, combining the mesh network’s real-time, distributed control capabilities with ROS’s advanced computational resources. This architecture creates a flexible, scalable platform for sophisticated robotic applications. Our study rigorously evaluates system performance, balancing network topology, security, and responsiveness. The results provide critical insights for deploying secure, decentralized mesh networks in real-world robotic applications, particularly in areas such as swarm robotics and robot-infrastructure coordination, while maintaining the cost-effectiveness and energy efficiency of ESP32-based nodes.

AB - This paper presents an innovative decentralized robotic control system utilizing an ESP32-based wireless mesh network (WMN). Building upon the “painlessMesh” library for network management, this study enables JSON-formatted data exchange in peer-to-peer and broadcast modes. A key contribution is our implementation of a security layer incorporating ECDH key exchange and AES128 encryption, which we thoroughly analyze across various node configurations. The WMN is seamlessly integrated with the Robot Operating System (ROS) via a custom serial bridge, combining the mesh network’s real-time, distributed control capabilities with ROS’s advanced computational resources. This architecture creates a flexible, scalable platform for sophisticated robotic applications. Our study rigorously evaluates system performance, balancing network topology, security, and responsiveness. The results provide critical insights for deploying secure, decentralized mesh networks in real-world robotic applications, particularly in areas such as swarm robotics and robot-infrastructure coordination, while maintaining the cost-effectiveness and energy efficiency of ESP32-based nodes.

KW - Embedded Systems

KW - Encryption

KW - Internet of Things

KW - Robotics

KW - Wireless Sensor Network

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105002713817

U2 - 10.1007/978-981-96-3949-6_30

DO - 10.1007/978-981-96-3949-6_30

M3 - Conference Proceeding

AN - SCOPUS:105002713817

SN - 9789819639489

T3 - Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems

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BT - Selected Proceedings from the 2nd International Conference on Intelligent Manufacturing and Robotics, ICIMR 2024 - Advances in Intelligent Manufacturing and Robotics

A2 - Chen, Wei

A2 - Ping Tan, Andrew Huey

A2 - Luo, Yang

A2 - Huang, Long

A2 - Zhu, Yuyi

A2 - PP Abdul Majeed, Anwar

A2 - Zhang, Fan

A2 - Yan, Yuyao

A2 - Liu, Chenguang

PB - Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH

T2 - 2nd International Conference on Intelligent Manufacturing and Robotics, ICIMR 2024

Y2 - 22 August 2024 through 23 August 2024

ER -

Fang Y, Hafizh H, Ateeq M , Tan AHP. Modular Robotic Controllers with Ad-Hoc ESP32 Wireless Mesh Network and Embedded AES Security. In Chen W, Ping Tan AH, Luo Y, Huang L, Zhu Y, PP Abdul Majeed A, Zhang F, Yan Y, Liu C, editors, Selected Proceedings from the 2nd International Conference on Intelligent Manufacturing and Robotics, ICIMR 2024 - Advances in Intelligent Manufacturing and Robotics. Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH. 2025. p. 376-390. (Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems). doi: 10.1007/978-981-96-3949-6_30

Modular Robotic Controllers with Ad-Hoc ESP32 Wireless Mesh Network and Embedded AES Security

Abstract

Publication series

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UN SDGs

Keywords

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