Intoino – which recently surfaced on Indiegogo – is a comprehensive lineup of kits that allows Makers to easily build a wide range of electronic devices and Internet of Thing (IoT) platforms.
“Intoino Maker Kits are for inventors, designers, students and all creative minds willing to turn their electronic product idea into reality. [The] kits are LEGO-like boxes containing an Arduino Leonardo (Atmel ATmega32u4 MCU), Tinkerkit sensors, actuators and the Intoino Bulb (the smart WiFi antenna) that connects your Arduino and its sensors to the Internet for IoT applications,” an Intoino rep explained.
“You can [link] the Bulb to the Arduino and start programming it via WiFi without physically connecting it to the PC. Once you have programmed your system, the Intoino Bulb automatically starts to act like a modem, giving your project WiFi connectivity.”
At its core, the Intoino platform (bulb) is powered by Atmel’s ARM-based SAM4L microcontroller paired with an IEEE 802.11 b/g/n wireless module that can be used for wireless programming and connecting various IoT sensors.
Additional key project features and specs include:
USB-OTG with intelligent host mode (independent from device power configuration)
Automatic recognition of Arduino boards and USB connected devices
Self (via power supply) or USB powered with automatic detection and control
SSL layer for Secure connection with Web apps (Facebook, Twitter, etc)
It should be noted that Intoino also maintains an official app store, allowing Makers to share or sell their projects. Current use cases listed on Intoino’s website include an automatic pet feeder, tweeting plant, gas alert alarm and a sound activated lamp.
“Then you can attach a constant-current LED driver (no resistors needed that way), or an LCD/OLED display, and maybe a servo controller or a sensor (for example, an accelerometer) using the SPI and I2C ports, place some sound effects (in 44khz mono or stereo .WAV format) on a microSD card, connect an amplifier to the line out, attach a power source (which can be 4 AA batteries or a LiPo – the board accepts a wide range of input voltages), and then connect some buttons or switches, a potentiometer, or even a keypad to the DIGITAL and ANALOG ports.”
Aside from Atmel’s MCU, key project specs and features include:
8K of RAM and 128K of flash memory.
Programmable via microUSB using Arduino IDE or Atmel Studio.
PDI port for advanced programming/debugging in Atmel Studio.
MicroSD slot with support for SD and SDHC cards up to 32 GB.
Stereo line-out via 3.5mm jack or adjacent pads.
5V 3A buck regulator supplies power to 3.3V regulator, LED and servos.
3.3V linear regulator provides low noise supply for MCU, MicroSD and audio circuitry, with plenty of power to spare (over 800mA typically) for I2C and SPI devices.
Power connector is rated for 3A continuous current and has reverse voltage and short protection via the combination of a PFET and PTC fuse.
16MHz crystal on board provides a stable reference for the system clock, while leaving the internal resonator free for USB communications.
PWM port features four NFETs rated for up to 3A continuous current.
So, what can Wolverine be used for? Well, according to Swift, the board is the perfect choice for helping to make costume props come to life.
“For example, let’s say you have a toy Star Wars blaster. With the addition of the Wolverine, a tiny amplifier, a speaker or two, a switch for the trigger, a button to select modes, a 3W RGB LED and a little paint, you’ve got yourself the makings of a high end prop that’s sure to impress,” he explained.
“In fact, the precursor to this board, which I designed a couple years ago after a successful crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter, is currently being used by over a hundred fans of the movie Ghostbusters. Of course, there’s always room for improvement, so with this campaign I’m launching version 2.0 of my Proton Pack Kit. My Ghost Trap kit will finally be making it’s debut as well.”
The Atmel-poweredm!Qbe is an intuitive, interactive platform that allows users to easily control multiple lights. The system comprises a number of components, including the m!Qbe (central) module, m!base, m!charger and WiFi.
The m!Qbe is designed to be used in one room with an m!Base and should, depending on the layout, cover a circle with a diameter of 20 meters.
“Just flip it and switch to the suitable lighting situation for your current activity such as low yellowish light to relax on the couch, bright white light to read the newspaper or different colors for your birthday party,” an m!Qbe rep explained in a recent Indiegogo post.
“Use it in everyday life with many more possibilities than a traditional light switch and much faster than manual control on a mobile device.”
Indeed, the m!Qbe’s three faces, or sides, are designed to “memorize” specific settings.
“You predefine them once and recall them whenever you like,” said the rep.
“In addition, you can add a delay on every favorite. So you can go to bed or leave your home in bright light for instance. The m!Qbe [will] automatically turn off all your [lights] after a while.”
As you can see in the video above, the m!Qbe can be rotated to manually change color or brightness, while a brief touch on the icon switches from one light to another, allowing the user to easily select and adjust specific fixtures.
So, how does the platform work? Essentially, the m!Base component communicates with the m!Qbe and the network of lights.
“It converts the detected motion into lighting situations and provides access to the settings of the m!Qbe,” the rep continued.
“The installation of the m!Base is a plug and play solution. In its standard configuration you connect the m!Base with a cable to your network. If you want to connect it wirelessly, please order the WiFi option.”
As noted above, the m!Qbe is built around an Atmel 8-bit microcontroller (MCU), which uses data generated from a three-axis acceleration sensor and a three-axis gyro sensor to precisely calculate motion.
“Additionally on each of the two manual faces, a capacitive touch sensor is integrated and allows to detect touch actions of different lengths. In the m!Base a Linux system transfers the commands received via bluetooth from the m!Qbe to commands for every single lamp in the network,” the rep added.
“For the configuration of this transfer and to read out statistical information a web interface is implemented. If you want to extend the functions of the m!Qbe the easiest way is to modify the software of the m!Base.”
Last, but certainly not least, m!Qbe supports the Philips Hue system that includes not only the connected bulbs but also Friends of Hue such as LightStrips and LivingColors Bloom, along with dimming plugs for more traditional lamps.
TinkerBots is an Atmel-powered (ATmega328P MCU) building set that enables Makers and hobbyists of all ages to easily create an endless number of toy robots that can be brought to life without wiring, soldering or programming.
Indeed, TinkerBots’ specialized “Power Brain” and kinetic modules twist and snap together with other TinkerBots pieces – and even LEGO bricks – adding movement and interest to whatever sort of robot a Maker can imagine and build.
The centerpiece of the TinkerBots building set is a square, red “Power Brain” module (approximately 1.5”x1.5”x1.5”) that contains Atmel’s ATmega328P microcontroller. This module is tasked with providing wireless power and data transmission to kinetic modules such as motors, twisters, pivots and grabbers.
Kinematics launched its official TinkerBots Indiegogo campaign a few weeks ago, with the building set garnering coverage from a number of prominent publications, including Wired’s Gadget Lab.
“Once you snap together a contraption, you can program it in a few different ways. By pressing the ‘record’ button on the Powerbrain brick and twisting the robot’s motorized parts, it will remember those movements and replicate them when you hit the ‘play’ button. And if you want to step it up and write your own code, you can also program your robots via the Arduino IDE,” writes Wired’s Tim Moynihan.
“TinkerBots started out as an Indiegogo campaign, and it blew past its $100,000 goal in less than a week; its funding now is nearly double that amount, with about a month left to go in its campaign. You can preorder various kits now, and prices vary depending on the number and type of pieces in each set. For $160, you get a basic car-building set with the Powerbrain, motors, wheels, a twister joint and some other bricks. There’s an animal-themed set for $230, a grabber claw set for $400 and $500 gets you a fully loaded kit with bricks to build anything.”
ButtonDuino – which recently made its Indiegogo debut – is an uber-mini (0.73in x 0.718in), USB programmable development platform powered by Atmel’s popular ATtiny85 microcontroller (MCU).
The open source ButtonDuino is breadboard compatible, so it plugs, with no pin conflict, directly into any standard pitch (2.54mm) breadboard as well as vero-boards. In addition, the platform can also be easily stacked with any ButtonDuino compatible ButtonShields and is expandable via I2C or SPI.
Upcoming ButtonShields include:
Real time clock (RTC) – I2C
EEPROM – I2C
Temperature sensor – I2C
RGB LED
Pressure resistive sensor
Coin battery pack
3-axis digital compass
“[Users can] create amazing Graphical User Interfaces (GUI) with LabVIEW by National Instruments. All you need is the same micro-USB cable that you already have to program and power ButtonDuino,” the ButtonDuino crew explained.
“The best feature? ButtonDuino’s schematics, code and bootloaders are all free and open source. All the details will be released once the product is finalized.”
Aside from Atmel’s popular ATtiny85 microcontroller (MCU), key ButtonDuino components include:
USB Regulated power up to 800mA via external power supply or 500mA from PC/laptop
Programmable via USB or AVR mkII
Arduino IDE 1.0+ (Windows/OSX/Linux)
6 x available I/O Pins and I2C and SPI expandable
8k flash memory without bootloader (6k after USB bootloader)
Want to make your own printable, smart beehive to track colony health, reverse colony collapse disorder and promote international bee recovery? Then check out this open source beehive project helmed by an international team of ecologists, beekeepers, Makers, engineers and open source advocates.
“We’ve designed two downloadable, printable beehives: the Colorado Top Bar and the Barcelona Warré. These hives aim to prioritize bee colony health, make beekeeping more accessible and will ultimately allow you to log and study the health of your colony,” an open source beehive rep explained in a recent Indiegogo post.
“Your contribution will help us develop sensors to enhance our hives, connecting them to the Internet to log data about what is causing the bees to disappear around the world. This data can be used to study colony health build hard evidence against the causes of the problem – and generate policy change [as well] informed solutions moving forward.”
At the heart of the open beehive initiative is the Atmel-powered (ATmega32U4 MCU) Smart Citizen Kit (SCK). The open source platform – developed by Fab Lab Barcelona – comprises three layers: a hardware device, a website and online API and a mobile app.
Essentially, the first layer is a piece of hardware comprising two printed-circuit boards: an interchangeable daughterboard or shield and a data-processing board.
“It carries sensors that measure air composition (CO and NO2), temperature, light intensity, sound levels and humidity,” the open source beehive rep said.
“Once it’s set up, the ambient board is able to stream data measured by the sensors over Wi-Fi using the FCC-certified, wireless module on the data-processing board. The online component of the Smart Citizen Kit is used for logging and visualizing the data measured by the hardware.”
Interested in learning more? You can read more about the open source beehive initiative on the project’s official page here.
TinkerBots is an Atmel-powered (ATmega328P) building set that enables Makers and hobbyists of all ages to easily create an endless number of toy robots that can be brought to life without wiring, soldering or programming.
Indeed, TinkerBots’ specialized “Power Brain” and kinetic modules twist and snap together with other TinkerBots pieces – and even LEGO bricks – adding movement and interest to whatever sort of robot a Maker can imagine and build.
“The inspiration for TinkerBots grew out of my lifelong fascination with LEGO toys. Tasked with building a ‘Dream Machine’ for my master’s thesis in product design, I thought it would be cool to create a construction kit that is as simple to use as LEGOs but has the ability to easily add robotics and make toys that move and do things,” inventor Leonhard Oschutz, creative director and co-founder of Kinematics GmbH, explained.
“It was music to my ears when a child described TinkerBots as being like ‘living LEGOs.’ With our TinkerBots building set, you’re not getting just one robot, you’re getting the ability to build any type of toy robot that you and your children can imagine.”
According to Oschutz, the centerpiece of the TinkerBots building set is a square, red “Power Brain” module (approximately 1.5”x1.5”x1.5”) that contains Atmel’s ATmega328P microcontroller (MCU). This module is tasked with providing wireless power and data transmission to kinetic modules such as motors, twisters, pivots and grabbers. Aside from Atmel’s ATmega328P MCU, additional key specs include:
Two-cell lithium polymer battery (7.2V, 800mAh), including an undervoltage overvoltage cutoff, USB charger and balancer
Onboard USB for programming
Communication via Serial UART Bus-System, each module can communicate with any other module in a bidirectional method
Bluetooth 4.0 module for app control and firmware update s
Speaker for sound feedback
Status LEDs and control buttons
Arduino libraries and examples for an easy start
Three-axis accelerometer and gyroscope
Software update of all modules via Power Brain
“Children can build anything they can imagine, such as a dog that walks, a snake that slithers, a bug that crawls or a tractor that digs,” said Oschutz.
“Small building blocks and other shapes such as rectangles and pyramids without electronics inside them are passive pieces that can be used to customize TinkerBots toy robots.”
Controlling TinkerBots robots is as easy as it is to build them. An integrated record-and-play function on the “Power Brain” module enables Makers to teach their robots what to do and bring them to life. To be sure, users only need to take their creation in their hands, press the record button and move their robot in the way they want it to move. When a user puts it down and pushes the play button, the toy robot will repeat over and over exactly what it just learned. The next time, Makers can teach the ‘bot something completely new, or start all over to build an entirely different robot using the same TinkerBots pieces. As expected, TinkerBots robots can also be controlled remotely via a tablet or smartphone with the TinkerBots app.
The basic TinkerBots building set is packed with three active modules: the “Power Brain,” motor and pivot modules. Passive pieces include two cubes and two adapter plates for LEGO bricks, along with a USB charger. More advanced robots are slated to offer additional components such as an infrared distance sensor. Last, but certainly not least, TinkerBots’ use of Atmel’s ATmega328P allows more experienced enthusiasts to dabble in Arduino IDE programming for their TinkerBots creations.
Preorders for TinkerBots are currently being accepted on Indiegogo, with shipping scheduled to kick off in the fourth quarter of 2014. General availability is slated for second quarter 2015, with retail pricing beginning at $159.
Jean-Noël says projected capacity is the primary principle behind his Atmel-powered Ootsidebox, with an electric field projected in front of the existing touch surface affected by movements of the hand. Simply put, it is possible to calculate 3D coordinates and recognize certain gestures by measuring the perturbations of an oscillator caused by the movement of the user’s fingers (or an object) at several centimeters from the control surface.
Recently, Atmel’s Tom Vu had the opportunity to discuss the Ootsidebox with product inventor Jean Noel Lefebvre.
Jean Noel: I kicked off this project 6 years ago and have worked on it full time since March 2013. Most of the parts used to construct Ootsidebox are actually off-the-shelf electronics.
More specifically, I used the Atmel AT90USB1286 microcontroller (MCU) to power the device. Currently, I am exploring the possibility of meshing the popular Unity 3D gaming Engine with Ootsidebox. Combining a well known gaming engine will help us tease out more latent, long-term potential for the project, while simultaneously expanding the boundaries of game play with touchless or hybrid touch/touchless technology.
TV: How does Ootsidebox differ from other touchless and gesture sensor solutions?
JN: First of all, there is nothing at the center. For the microchip solution, you need a center electrode with two layers integrated within the body. In contrast, Ootsidebox is designed to be platform and device agnostic. In fact, the incasing can be modeled to fit around existing technologies and devices. Take, for example, example, the Android or iPad. The idea that you can simply wrap this touchless interface around existing devices and products opens new possibilities while enhancing use-cases for existing devices.
With this external fitting, much like an accessory, one can quickly enable their devices to be touchless, with gestures executed from within 10cm (set to double very soon) at maximum in front of a small screen. The device can be used in many different scenarios. For example, say you are in the kitchen cooking with greasy hands filled with sauce. The Ootsidebox can be set to seamlessly interact with various kitchen appliances – without the user ever having to touch knobs, buttons, glass, dials or sliders. Instead, activating/adjusting appliances can be performed via simple gestures (left to right or circular motions). Of course, there are many additional applications that can benefit from a touchless interface, ranging from home consumer device, gaming, health or even industrial uses.
TV: Can you tell me more about the product design? Is there any particular reason you chose Atmel AVR?
JN: The design is very simple, using only well known “stock components” found on any distributor or reseller site. The more complex part may be found in the 14bits DAC in SPI. Most of the components are “old school” logical chips such as 4000 family (my best friends for a long time in electronics). As for the microcontroller, I didn’t need high performance uC, so 8 bits were enough. The idea is to prepare Ootsideboxfor mainstream adoption via a strategy of simplicity, a philosophy which fits well with Makers and the open source community. In terms of selecting the appropriate uC, I was careful to precisely balance price and performance. I also took into consideration various factors such as the large AVR community, availability of open source libs and the quality of the support and tools from the chip manufacturer. The mindset, reputation and philosophy of the brand (Atmel and Arduino) helped steer my uC choice. In fact, startups today are very closely tied to Maker Movement, reflecting Arduino and Atmel. That’s why I’m very confident when choosing Atmel, because Atmel and the Arduino community really support the Maker Movement today.
TV: How does Ootsidebox differ from other platforms on the market?
JN: It’s really a control device that computes touchless gestures versus touching and manipulating. Most of us are quite familiar with the ongoing touch revolution, as we use the very same interface interacting with smartphones and tablets on a daily basis. In addition, there are already commercially viable products such as Android devices equipped with sensor hubs that are designed to process gestural movement of the hand.
Ootsidebox differs on many levels, as the device is meant to be an add-on or fitting to an already existing device. Easy modification will encourage HMI enhancements for existing products or emerging devices. Remember, a consumer/user does not have to be married to just one product line from a major manufacturer. With Ootsidebox, you can control the devices without touching; move up, down, side-to-side, rotational, and even emulating the click of a button. Perhaps most importantly, the touchless interface will undoubtedly inspire future design roadmaps. For example, the touchless form factor is perfect for industrial and medical use. Just imagine a dentist needing to activate or handle various devices during treatment when messy hands are not necessarily ideal.
TV: What is the future of Ootsidebox? Do you plan on making it open source?
JN: Yes, there are plans to launch a campaign on Kickstarter or Indiegogo to attract more involvement in the development and use of this touchless sensor solution. The platform and innovative slope for additional development is limitless. We plan on releasing Ootsidebox as open source / open hardware, complete with specs for mechanical design. Crowdsourcing will help spur additional innovation, while allowing the platform to accommodate a wider degree of functionality.
JN: Afew years ago, disruptive products and ideas were conceived in garages. Today, the very same process takes place in Hackerspaces, where creativity thrives and technical skills abound. By designing projects in Hackerspaces, Makers and engineers are fully connected with a worldwide network of creative people boasting different backgrounds. This synergy significantly accelerates the innovation process.
TV: What is your personal experience with AVR microcontrollers (MCUs) and Arduino boards?
JN: I was using other brands before I discovered the benefits of AVR uC during my discussions about Ootsidebox with my friends at Elektor Labs.
Also during my stay at Noisebridge Hackerspace, Mitch Altman was using AVR Arduino to teach electronics for newbies (I really love what’s happening there). My first experience with the Arduino environment was with Teensy++ 2.0, based on the AT90USB1286 MCU. This Atmel AVR microcontroller is the one I used for my last prototype of the Ootsidebox tablet accessory, which will be launched soon on Kickstarter or Indiegogo. We are also working on a smaller project with Elektor Labs. Essentially, it’s a “3D Pad” built in the form of a shield for Arduino.
TV: Are touchless gestures the future of user interfaces?
JN: Touchless gestures are a part of the natural evolution of the more traditional user interface. It’s a way to provide a more natural and intuitive user experience, which is somewhat of a growing requirement due to the proliferation of complex equipment in our everyday life. Of course, touchless gesture interaction is also more natural. In the future, with the help of Ootsidebox technology, product designers and Makers will not create electronic platforms to “manipulate” or “interact” with devices, but rather, for individuals to directly “communicate” with them instead.
Really, people expect them to be as smart as living entities. I learned that during various discussions with scientists about the project. In the brain, “communicating” vs. “manipulating” simply does not invoke the same connections pathways. Clearly, touchless and gesture UI are paving the way to a very fascinating evolution of consumer electronics in the near future. That being said, I see touchless user interfaces complimenting, rather than replacing, multi-touch, much the same way the mouse didn’t replace a keyboard.
Clearly, this kind of technology can help save lives, while reducing nosocomial risk in healthcare environments. It may also allows drivers to stay more attentive to the road when navigating with gesture-based infotainment. Personally, I’m dreaming of disruptive aesthetic designs in the field of high-tech consumer electronics. I can’t wait to see what a guy like Philippe Starck will be able to create. As I noted earlier, this project is 100% open and we invite everyone to participate on Twitter. Just post your questions and suggestions here: @OOTSIDEBOX, while including the hashtag #AtmelBlog. I’ll answer you personally. You can also check us out here on Facebook.
The modded device – which recently surfaced on Indiegogo – is aimed at DIY Makers and hobbyists interested in a versatile remote control platform.
“You can use and program the controller for robotics, RC cars, planes, helicopters, drones, boats, hovercrafts and FPV,” Smith explained.
“The controller uses an ATmega328P, the same as on the Arduino Uno. This makes it easy to adapt the Arduino platform on the controller. You can upload your sketches via the USB port. The hardware and software is open for everyone, this makes it possible to program your own functionality into the controller.”
Makers can also directly configure the Xbee/Wi-Fi module via USB using X-CTU by simply setting the UART software switch in the right direction.
“The controller sends serial messages to the USB port, so even without wireless module it is possible to control something like a game on your computer with the controller (force feedback),” Smith added.
As Akarel creator Karel Kyovsky notes, the platform is targeted at devs and Makers who require a touch screen interface to implement their respective projects.
The development platform is currently available in two iterations: Akarel 7 (7-inch display) and Akarel22 (22-inch display). The former features an industrial grade projected capacitive multi touch connected via I2C, while the latter is equipped with a USB-linked capacitive single touch.
“Some development kits are missing displays or touch, [while] others use obscure software stacks. Imagine implementing your hack ideas within hours instead of days like you’ve been doing until now,” Kyovsky explained.
“Akarel integrates Android OS running on [the] ARM Cortex A7 via UART, with Arduino software running on [Atmel’s] ATmega328P MCU. Integration and connection of both chips on [a single] PCB [offers a number of] advantages.”
According to Kyovsky, these include:
Graphics and UI capabilities of Google’s flagship Android OS
Optimized environment for application development
Seamless network connectivity via WiFi or Ethernet
Access to extensive Arduino community libraries
Kyovsky says he envisions Akarel being used to develop smart home automation and security systems, kiosks/payment terminals, along with Internet of Things (IoT) devices and appliances.
On the software side, the Akarel kit offers Makers and developers access to a Git repository stocked with Uboot source code, Linux kernel source (3.4.39), fine-tuned Android OS sources (4.2.2), Arduino firmware sources, Arduino tools (i.e. avrdude) and example apps.
“We want you to concentrate on writing an application not on spending time to make the basic things work. We have done it for you already. And if you want to dive deeper and modify the Linux kernel or Android OS…Why not? You have all the sources available for you to change and compile,” Kyovsky added.
“In order to save you from the hell of installing all the toolchain (correct version of gcc, libs, headers, automake, make, java, you name it) we have also prepared a Ubuntu virtual machine for you which may be downloaded and which has [the entire] toolchain preinstalled so that you can start recompiling your complete stack within a few minutes.”
