  Mobile robots have disrupted the material handling industry which is
witnessing radical changes. The requirement for enhanced automation across
various industry segments often entails mobile robotic systems operating in
logistics facilities with little/no infrastructure. In such environments,
out-of-box low-cost robotic solutions are desirable. Wireless connectivity
plays a crucial role in successful operation of such mobile robotic systems. A
wireless mesh network of mobile robots is an attractive solution; however, a
number of system-level challenges create unique and stringent service
requirements. The focus of this paper is the role of Bluetooth mesh technology,
which is the latest addition to the Internet-of-Things (IoT) connectivity
landscape, in addressing the challenges of infrastructure-less connectivity for
mobile robotic systems. It articulates the key system-level design challenges
from communication, control, cooperation, coverage, security, and
navigation/localization perspectives, and explores different capabilities of
Bluetooth mesh technology for such challenges. It also provides performance
insights through real-world experimental evaluation of Bluetooth mesh while
investigating its differentiating features against competing solutions.
