If this Internet of Things thing is gonna leave the launchpad, it will need the help of practical and semi-practical project ideas for smartifying everyday items. Part of getting those projects off the ground is overcoming the language barrier between humans that want to easily prototype complex ideas and hardware that wants specific instructions. A company called Things on Internet [TOI] has created a system called VIPER to easily program any Spark Core, UDOO or Arduino Due with Python by creating a virtual machine on the board.
The suite includes a shield, an IDE, and the app. By modifying a simple goose neck IKEA lamp, [TOI] demonstrates VIPER (Viper Is Python Embedded in Realtime). They opened the lamp and added an 24-LED Adafruit NeoPixel ring, which can be controlled remotely by smartphone using the VIPER app. To demonstrate the capacitive sensing capabilities of the VIPER shield, they lined the head of the lamp with foil. This code example will change the NeoPixels to a random color each time the button is pressed in the app.
Check out the lamp demonstration after the break and stay for the RC car.
AHHH!!!!!!! recursive acronyms!!!!!!! dooom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I see a bleak future where all things on the internet will be blinkinlights rather than useful objects….sigh.
This whole Internet of Things… /thing/ (not sure if it counts as a fad yet? only time will tell) still leaves me with a critical question:
Where’s my NetNavi, dammit? Seriously, connecting everyday appliances to the internet? Everyday life taking place more and more in the virtual world than the real one? Criminals cybering up because it’s way more lucrative than robberies in meatspace? Battle Network wasn’t a “what if” AU of the Mega Man universe, it was a /prediction/ of OUR society. Heck, with the concept of drive-by downloads from malicious ads, we even have the whole “running into random viruses on the Net” thing already. (Does that make adblock equivalent to the SneakRun NCP?)
…Back on topic though, that is a cool proof-of-concept.
This seems like a neat way to get smartphone control of our ‘duino type projects without having to learn to code for android. I’ll be following this to see how it goes.
For IoT to proliferate, it needs to be easy to implement, secure along the entire signal chain, cost effective and useful. getting multiple reminders per day that my printer is running low on ink, my fridge is at 40F and the upstairs bathroom bulb number three needs replacing in 192 hours will ensure IoT’s early demise.
For industrial purposes, it’s great. early warning on a motor bearing getting lopsided can give the facilities manager a heads up before its a costly emergency,
Viper is a cool gadget that may just be the start of something cool
. Gotta go. My car tweeted me. Time to change the oil.
Viper is online ready to be downloaded http://www.viperize.it/download
Currently compatible with: Arduino DUE, ST Nucleo and Particle Core
Particle Photon will come in one month