Published OnApril 1, 2025April 10, 2022
Ditto unlocks the mesh of things: enable peer-to-peer on Raspberry Pi
What happens to IoT devices when there is an internet outage? Updated Raspberry Pi support on Ditto allows formation of real-time mesh between iOS, Android, and a color changing mood light!
Just last week Ditto added support for Raspberry Pi, unlocking endless possibilities for the emergent Mesh of Things: Internet of Things devices that can sync without the internet in a unified, cross-platform mesh.
The Internet of Things traditionally has been designed around the idea that internet will always be available. But realistically, stable connections won't be available everywhere, or even at all times, so why is internet needed for your IoT to function? When your mobile phone requires a Cloud server to communicate with IoT in your own home, we see that as a bit too dependent on the internet.
Applications for IoT in locations with sporadic, limited, or zero internet access are popping up everyday in industries such as Hospitality, Agriculture, Aviation, Manufacturing and much more. Without a steady internet connection, data synchronization between multiple IoT devices become nearly impossible. While installing Wi-Fi extenders can be effective, it isn't 100% reliable and can be extremely costly. This is where Ditto's real-time mesh networking can make a difference.
The demo above consists of 3 devices running Ditto: a Pimoroni Mood Light with Raspberry Pi, an Android phone, and an Apple iPad, all showcasing real-time, cross-platform data sync. Watch as Adam Fish remotely changes the color of the Mood Light directly over Bluetooth, without any connection to the internet, while seamlessly shifting between companion apps on both Android and iOS.
Under the hood, this mood light includes color changing LED's controlled by a Rust app running on the Raspbery Pi Zero WH. The Rust application listens for data change events from the Apple and Android companion apps, changing the color accordingly.
While this demo may look simple, it marks a significant breakthrough for Ditto and IoT, and it is only the first of endless possibilites for the Mesh of Things. If you are interested in building IoT projects with Ditto, the entire project is open-source! Check it out below.
We're also hiring, so look at our available listings and see if you think Ditto might be a good fit for you.
