This article outlines the Internet of Things and discusses advances in Physical Computing. Author: Mark Butt    

The Internet will turn 44 this year, with the anniversary of the first email message from UCLA to Stanford. The Internet’s first evolutionary leap came in the form of the World Wide Web with the first commercial browser in 1994. This year, advances in physical computing give an indication of how the Internet is about to radically change our lives, again.

Physical computing means bringing interactive connectivity and logic systems to the common objects around you. Imagine the convergence of robotics, engineering, the web, and common household appliances. Physical computing involves tactile interactions, home automations, and interactive installations.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is here.

The Internet of Things is a term that arose from a presentation by Kevin Ashton in 1999. He was discussing how radio frequency identification (RFID) chips, which have processors for decision-making and communication transmitters, can be embedded into almost anything. Any object in your environment now has the ability to interact with each other and transmit data. Combined with near infinite information processing capacity provided by a wireless Internet signal, every object can have access to all the information we can imagine.

Near infinite information processing may sound like hyperbole, but it is made possible by the distributed computing capacity made possible by web servers. There have been thousands of projects like SETI@home, where individuals connected to the Internet allowed access to their personal computer’s processor. This creates a massively parallel meta-processor to crunch seemingly impossible math problems. In the case of SETI, over 200,000 processors worked simultaneously to scan radio signals from space, searching for signals from extra-terrestrial life.

In recent years, there have been several prototypes of self-driving cars that use road sensors with satellite data to avoid crashes and maintain free traffic flow. M2M (machine to machine communication) will form the backbone of the Internet of Things. For example, your car will radio your kitchen to alert you what to buy on the way home and your lights and heat settings will spring to life as you pull into the driveway. Don’t worry about forgetting your keys because the front door identifies you by the pattern of blood vessels under your face from 6 feet away.

According to Cisco Systems, there will be 25 billion devices connected to the Internet by 2015 and desktop computers will be the minority. If we include near field communication (like Bluetooth and contactless payment systems) and private networks, there will be over a trillion connected devices within two years.

Kansas City, USA, home to outlaws and desperadoes of the Wild West just over 100 years ago, is now on the frontier of the Smart Planet movement. At the end of last year Google went live with experimental free Wi-Fi in Kansas City that runs up to a blinding speed of 1 Gbps. That’s about 1000 times faster than the average smartphone download rates. The test has been so successful that they are rolling-out free Wi-Fi to New York City later this year.

The high speed and low cost of Wi-Fi means more devices will be able to come online sooner this year. One technology that relies on this level of connectivity is the 0.18-micron CMOS image sensors from Medigus. Essentially, this is a disposable miniature camera that you can swallow as a pill and they will wire an individual internal map to your doctor. This is happening right now around the world. Don’t be freaked out, embrace it

Spring Rocket is a Melbourne based Interactive Design & Creative Technology Agency, specialising in interdisciplinary engineering & physical computing.

One of our approaches to rapid prototyping is using a 3D printer that can make a working model of just about anything that can be designed. 3D printers have recently made headlines by producing such imaginative devices as a replacement hand and a biodegradable bicycle. Now anyone can access our fabrication workshop to create small-scale digital displays, web-enabled electronic devices, or cutting edge new forms of media and tech.

The Internet of Things Initiative has collected the latest knowledge and research on the coming revolution in physical computing. In June this year, Helsinki will host Internet of Things week, showcasing advances in physical computing and interconnected devices. We can expect to see designs for a smart-city, with sensors that adjust bus and train schedules immediately based on traffic and usage, business applications for intelligent supply chains, and consumer-friendly devices that learn and adapt to user behaviour. You can expect to see the Internet of Things enter mainstream consciousness this year, and we may begin to wonder how we ever lived without it. “The Internet of Things has the potential to change the world, just as the Internet did. Maybe even more so.” Kevin Ashton. 

Although the watch isn’t available in kit form, the designers have published all the PCB schematic and design files so you can have your own PCBs made up, and the Arduino sketch is available to get the watch operational. Here is an example in action:

From a quick observation this isn’t a project for the absolute beginner, however it is an excellent exercise in product manufacturing on a tiny scale – as you work through having the PCB made, part sourcing, assembly and programming. For more information visit the watch project page: http://wiki.makerbot.com/makerbot-watch.

Not only does it allow walk-around control (with a long cable) you can control speed, acceleration/deceleration rates, set maximum speeds, enjoy cruise control, roll to stop and more. This would also be great for allowing children to use the control – you can limit the maximum speed to avoid a scale tragedy.

Watch the following video for a quick demonstration of the control features: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68a0-eaYnDE

The ability to control trains in this manner offers the ability to combine many functions into the one piece of portable hardware, and also create your own versions of control. For more information review the project page here:

Although it sounds odd, the Yarn Monster simply consists of two parts – the Monster itself and the remote control. The monster contains an Arduino board and a stepper motor which rotates a spindle to draw the wool in and wind it in the usual pattern. The second part is the remote control, which allows speed and direction changes for the winding. You can see it in action through the following video:

The remote control sends the data using Xbee wireless data transceiver modules, which can often have a range of over twenty metres. Apart from being a fun example of a tool for an otherwise unloved task, the Yarn Monster has a sense of personality and has been made to suit the name. Plus by following the instructions, hopefully your Arduino knowledge will in improve. Finally, you can always mount the winder in a more conventional enclosure for simplicity and sanity’s sake.  For the plans, notes, and Arduino sketch visit the Yarn Monster site here: http://unionbridge.org/design/yarn-monster

This article provides an overview of recently funded AVR & Arduino related Kickstarter projects. Author: Mark Butt 

Why look to Kickstarter for the hot new microcontroller projects? It’s no secret that the Arduino microcontroller is tied inextricably with a certain D.I.Y. spirit. It’s only appropriate that related start-ups, makers & hackers would bring that same attitude to their fundraising efforts. Why deal with loans or investors when you can get your development funds straight from your potential customers?

As such, crowdsourcing websites like Kickstarter have become a hotbed for new developments from the Arduino & AVR community. Ranging from quirky side-projects from your friendly neighbourhood hacker, to revolutionary new systems that might just completely change the world of microcontrollers, Kickstarter seems to have it all. Let’s take a look at a handful of recently successful projects.

TinyDuino

Yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like but it’s also much more. Here’s a breakthrough that further proves the adage, “Necessity is the mother of all invention.” It wouldn’t be fair to call the Arduino Uno bulky or expensive, but for complex jobs the size and cost can add up quickly. This stackable, modular alternative brings all the punch of the Uno with a profile the size of a 20 cent coin. If that’s still too big, take a look at the TinyLily. It’s got all the power of a LilyPad Arduino and half the mass. The best part of all is that unlike other mini-alternatives, the TinyDuno doesn’t sacrifice any support for expansion. It’s a big leap for anyone thinking small.

smARtDUINO

From an Italian former Arduino manufacturer, the smARtDUINO is, in some ways, the most exciting development on this list. Simply put, the smARtDUNIO divorces itself from a single proprietary processor, architecture or language in exchange for a nearly universal platform that allows you to easily connect components from different manufacturers and technologies. Working as a bridge between different platforms, this elegant problem-solver is able to resolve all the cross-platform nightmares that inevitably hamper complex jobs.

ArduSat

Yes, in some ways, the smARtDUINO is the most exciting development on this list. However, there’s one big way the ArduSat has it beat. It’s going into space. ArduSat which is short for Arduino-Satellite, (and happens to be just that), will allow you to rent space and bring your Arduino-based applications and experiments into the upper atmosphere. In addition to providing you with access to built-in cameras, the opportunity for experimentation is limited only by your imagination. One of their suggestions, for example, is a game of “Geiger Counter Bingo” using input from cosmic radiation. For more information on ArduSat, you can check out the project page here:, Here’s some photos of a recent Hackduino meetup, where Jonathan Oxer presented on the design of the board, project objectives and milestones thus far.

As if game-changing new boards and Arduino’s in space aren’t exciting enough, this is just a sample of the many microcontroller projects popping up on Kickstarter. It’s an amazing period for Arduino and other microcontroller platforms with breakthroughs happening every day. With crowdsourced funding you can take an active role in the microcontroller revolution and get involved in new projects on the ground floor. Some of the most interesting results come from the combination of this rapid technological advancement with old-fashioned entrepreneurial spirit. Because of this, sites like Kickstarter have turned into a spawning ground for some of the greatest innovations yet and these three examples might just be the tip of the iceberg. Got any other thoughts or info you would like to share, contact us here.

The beauty of this project is that Reginald can be complete controlled using the one interface via a processing-based GUI on a PC. Furthermore the communications are encrypted which blocks anyone from logging into Reginald’s IP address and taking over. Here is an example of controlling Reginald from the PC:

Finally, although this project doesn’t fall in the arena for beginners – the creator has documented absolutely everything you need to know to make your own version. From the hardware, code for various platforms, circuit schematics and networking know-how, it’s all available at:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Reginald-a-UDP-surveillance-bot-control-via-the-/?ALLSTEPS

The concept is very simple – the analogue audio source (e.g. from the headphone socket of an MP3 player) is connected to a laser pointer via an audio transformer.

The audio waveforms are then converted to beams of light of varying strength. These are then received by a photoresistor at the other end, which converts the varying beam of light back to the matching audio signal. From this point you can then use the audio as normal, such as listen through headphones. The music can be simply muted by breaking the laser beam. You can see this audio-to-light bridge demonstrated in the following video:

As well as the instructions, the authors have left us with an explanation on the theory of operation including how audio transformers work and everything you need to know to get started with your own version. However if you do – take care with the laser beam and make sure the sharp beam can’t be seen by the human eye. To get started visit here: http://www.treehouseprojects.ca/audiolight/.

The temperature is measured using an LM35 temperature sensor, which has a range of -40 and 150 degrees Celsuis. The reading from the sensor is interpreted by the Arduino board, and converted into signals which are relative to the temperature and then displayed using the RGB LED. Here is an example lamp at work:

Once a suitable enclosure has been found, this project would be very easy to recreate and ideal for beginners or something to do on the weekend. As the Arduino board can easily work other types of sensors, the lamp could also respond to humidity, gas levels, motion, and even with the right code alert you to new emails. If you are new to the world of Arduino, you can find plenty of guides and tutorials to get started with here: http://arduino.cc/en/Tutorial/HomePage

And for complete details on making your own lamp, including the circuit and Arduino sketch, visit here: http://www.psychicorigami.com/2012/09/04/arduino-powered-temperature-sensing-rgb-led-nightlight/

The system works with games that had the basic left and right controls, such as “Parachute” and “Merry Cook”. A simple circuit with the required number of buttons is controlled by an Arduino board, which then sends the data back to a PC running a python script which then interprets the commands for the emulated video game. For a quick demonstration of a game running on a PC, watch the following video:

By enclosing the large television inside a wooden frame with the same design as the handheld game a huge waiting room device can be constructed. Just add arcade-size buttons and you’d be set with a gigantic video game. And Tobie also did just that for his client in the following video:

There are many PC emulations of the old games available, and for those and more information about the project, visit here: https://github.com/Tooblippe/retrogame And in the meanwhile if you want to play some old emulated games and relive the past, click here: http://www.pica-pic.com/

How it works is simple enough – a solenoid pulls on a cable that is attached to a typewriter key. Using this, the Arduino can control the key by activated the solenoid and thus ‘typing’ a letter or number. This also converts the typewriter into a simple serial printer. Although this sounds very complex – it really works, for example in the following video:

Furthermore, the keyboard can also be read by the Arduino and some customised circuitry, to allow the typewriter to be used as a USB keyboard.  We feel this project deserves special congratulations due to the fact you can modality a typewriter without damaging it in the process – preserving it for later on or other generations (if they’re interested in 20^th century technology!) To read more, please visit the project page here: http://upnotnorth.net/projects/typewriter/