Denmark becomes the fifth full-country supporter of SIGFOX’s IoT network

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SIGFOX and IoT Denmark have unveiled plans to roll out the low-cost IoT network in the Scandinavian country.

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SIGFOX, a French company that has developed a network tailored for electronic sensors and a host of other smart devices, has announced plans for its network to arrive in Denmark next year. Through a partnership with Copenhagen-based startup IoT Denmark, the Scandinavian nation will join France, Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands to become the fifth full-country supporter of the network, which is also available throughout a number of cities in the U.S., Germany, UK, Italy, Poland, Ireland, Chile and Colombia. These include San Francisco, Mumbai, Santiago, Medellin, Milan, Warsaw, Dublin and 10 British metropolises.

Unlike systems that are still in the development stage, SIGFOX’s Ultra Narrow Band (UNB) technology for connecting devices is already providing scalable, long-range, two-way communication and very high capacity. IoT Denmark will bring partial Danish support for the network this summer with complete coverage expected by May 2016.

Through its SIGFOX Ready program, the startup ensures that compatible devices have optimal radio performance and are promoted in the global SIGFOX Ready solution catalog. Moreover, the company has partnered with Atmel, among a number of other chipmakers to give IoT users a wide selection of transceivers, systems-on-chips (SoCs) and modules for connecting their devices with its network. No other system offers this truly open approach. In fact, Atmel’s ATA8520 transmitter IC became the first certified system-on-chip (SoC) solution after achieving the SIGFOX Ready stamp of approval back in November 2014.

Earlier this year, the French startup had raised $115 million from various industrial, telecommunications and satellite companies and has lined up a long list of partners who will employ its network for a spectrum of solutions, from deterring auto thefts and  managing parking spaces to tracking medical patients and monitoring water consumption.

As a SIGFOX network operator, IoT Denmark will manage deployment of the network, work with Danish entrepreneurs and engineers to grow the IoT ecosystem and spur new innovation, and provide cost-effective connectivity subscriptions to customers.

“Demand for SIGFOX’s low-cost, energy-efficient connectivity and its unmatched data capacity and reliability is very strong in Denmark, and we are in discussions with several future partners who are eager to begin using the network,” explained Daniel Bachman, CEO and founding partner of IoT Denmark. “We compared a variety of IoT network solutions, and determined that SIGFOX is the only one that is truly open to device manufacturers, and that can reliably handle the very large number of devices that will be connected across Denmark.”

Peeple is like a caller ID for your front door

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Peeple sends you mobile notifications when someone knocks or opens the door.

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Hundreds of years ago, a breakthrough in door design enabled people to see who was at their front step without the risk and inconvenience of actually opening the wooden portal. When someone wanted to look out, they simply glanced through the tiny door to take a peek. (Think Wizard of Oz.) Fast forward several years, that hole not only shrunk down in size but became outfitted with a fisheye lens to allow for a one-way, wider field of view of visitors. This innovation, which is commonly known as a “peephole,” first debuted in an issue of Popular Science in the 1950s and would remain unchanged for decades.

With countless connected doorbells and locks already on the market, it was only a matter of time before someone devised the idea of a smart peephole. Created by Austin-based entrepreneurs and graduates of the Highway1 accelerator, Peeple is a disc-shaped gadget that attaches to the inside of one’s door, captures a live video and sends it to an owner’s smartphone whenever someone knocks. This way, whether a user is home or away, they can easily monitor visitors coming and going.

The system consists of a circular box housing a camera, an accelerometer, a battery and a wireless chipset that mounts to an existing peephole or affixes to the glass paneling of a door. Peeple works by connecting to an in-home Wi-Fi network and then transmitting a mobile notification whenever someone approaches the door. An embedded sensor detects vibrations from a visitor’s knuckles, which triggers the device to record a live feed and wirelessly relay those images and its timestamp to Peeple’s servers. From there, a user receives a push notification on their smartphone via its accompanying app (available in both iOS and Android).

What’s more, Peeple is activated if the door opens. This means users will be alerted if an uninvited guest has entered their home, a child or an elderly family member has let themselves out, or if an intruder has broken in. There is also a history of all knocks and openings.

For those who have ever wondered how many people come by when they’re not home, now they’ll know. Whether it’s securing the premises, keeping tabs on housecleaners or tracking UPS deliveries, this modern-day solution gives users the ability to screen their doors in the way that they screen their incoming calls with caller ID. Not to mention, since it only wakes up when someone is knocking, Peeple has a battery life of up to six months on a single charge.

Looking for an IoT savvy accessory for your front door? Take a peek at Peeple’s Kickstarter page, where the team is currently seeking $50,000. Shipment is expected to begin in May 2016.

My Driving Pal lets you keep tabs on the things that matter most

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Get ready for the Internet of Important Things!

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Created by Shahram Rezaei, My Driving Pal (MDP) is a multi-purpose solution that allows users to keep tabs on a variety of facets in their everyday life, whether that’s a child, a bike or a vehicle.

The system is comprised of a credit card-sized device, an accompanying mobile app that wirelessly communicates over Bluetooth Low Energy and a backend server. Built around an AVR MCU, the gadget packs a GNSS receiver, a cellular modem, an accelerometer, a temperature sensor, a 1500mAh lithium-ion battery, a SIM Card and a mini-USB connector — all housed inside a 3D-printed case.

Whenever the MDP unit and its paired smartphone are within the maximum range approximately 50 feet of one another, the MDP tracks the item and the device goes into idle mode. The data remains on the smartphone and is not transmitted to the MDP server. However, once the thing being monitored goes beyond the designated area, the MDP’s built-in GNSS receiver and cellular modem are activated. From there, the user receives a push notification.

Beyond merely offering location-based services, the MDP can even forward a user alerts regarding the temperature inside of their car, which can come in handy for those with a child or pet. That being said, there is an assortment of other uses for the all-in-one system, ranging from identifying the whereabouts of pets, keeping an eye on older loved ones suffering from Alzheimer’s in danger of wandering off, or locating a drone that has gone astray. What’s more, the device can also be helpful in simply recording and logging distances on a road trip, biking or leisurely stroll.

The MDP server runs on the Amazon EC2 cloud. While an iOS version of the mobile app is already available, Rezaei notes that a beta version for Android is currently in development.

Intrigued? Head over to its official Kickstarter page, where the team is seeking $35,000. At the time of its campaign, My Driving Pal comes in a variety of colors — white, green, blue, yellow and pink — and begins shipping in November 2015.

StoryHome is a connected storytelling device

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This device is like Hallmark’s recordable storybooks for the Internet of Things era.

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Everyone can agree that one of the most exciting things about being a kid is having a vivid imagination. Back in the day, one of the ways to stimulate those creative ideas was through bedtime stories. Aside from strengthening the bond between parents and their children, these tales were an excellent way to gradually ease a young one into their nightly slumbers. Though recent advancements like Skype and FaceTime on mobile devices are helping keep loved ones together like never before, the magical aura around listening to a narrative as you hit the hay has been lost.

This is what led to the development of StoryHome. The white, eggplant-shaped device, which resembles a Russian nesting doll, was designed as a simple way for families to connect and share stories with one another. This enchanted audio system enables users to tell and record, listen and play, as well as store some of their fondest memories.

How it works is pretty straightforward. A grandparent or another loved one plugs in the unit to their Internet router or connects to their Wi-Fi network, and presses a button to begin recording. This is uploaded to the company’s cloud service, and transmitted to a child’s companion device. Before bed, the gadget begins to glow, prompting a young one to pick it up and listen. What’s more, unlike those Hallmark recordable storybooks, everything remains stored in the cloud where those recordings can be managed, edited and organized using a web-based portal via smartphone or PC. Users can even invite extended family members to link their StoryHomes together.

While it may not beat having a parent tuck a child into bed, this product certainly makes for a great alternative for when mom or dad is away on business, vacation, or simply steps out of the house at night.

Based on an ARM-based processor, each StoryHome features a microphone, a speaker and a 3.5mm audio jack for easy listening, a micro-USB connector, Flash memory for more than four hours worth of stories and messages, a built-in battery that can last up to several days on standby, as well as a magical RGB LED interface for visual notifications.

Think this gadget would be put to good use in your home? Head over to its official Kickstarter page, where the Campfire UG team is currently seeking $153,804. Should their funding goal have a happy ending, delivery is expected to get underway in February 2016.

Report: Internet of Things market to triple to $1.7 trillion by 2020

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According to IDC, the Internet of Things market will grow from $655.8 billion in 2014 to $1.7 trillion in 2020.

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The global Internet of Things market is expected to grow to $1.7 trillion in 2020, up from $655.8 billion in 2014, as more devices become connected and a bevy of vendors and enterprises begin to embrace the opportunities. According to the latest report from International Data Corporation (IDC), the market will rise at a CAGR of 16.9%.

The research firm projects that smart devices, connectivity and IT services will make up the majority of the IoT over the next five years. Together, they are estimated to account for over two-thirds of the worldwide IoT market in 2020 with modules and sensors alone representing 31.8% of the total.

By 2020, IDC anticipates that IoT purpose-built platforms, application software and “as a service” offerings will represent a much larger percentage of revenue as the market matures. IDC also goes on to note that the number of IoT endpoints will increase from 10.3 million last year to more than 29.5 million in 2020.

“While wearable devices are the consumer face of the Internet of Things, and where recognition of IoT appears to begin, the real opportunity remains in the enterprise and public sector markets,” explains Vernon Turner, SVP and IoT research fellow at IDC. “The ripple effect of IoT is driving traditional business models from IT-enabled business processes to IT-enabled services and finally to IT-enabled products, which is beginning to disrupt the IT status quo.”

The Asia Pacific region captured 58.3% of the revenue from IoT in 2014 and is forecasted to shrink slightly to 51.2% in 2020. IDC reveals that, in China, the combination of a growing population using mobile devices and a push to improve manufacturing efficiency could potentially drive an increase in new gadgets and IoT standards. Meanwhile, North America is expected to maintain revenue share of just more than a quarter (26%) over the five-year period, while Western Europe is projected to jump from 12% to 19.5%.

Want to learn more? Download the entire report entitled “Worldwide Internet of Things Forecast 2015–2020“ here.

Creating realtime IoT dashboards and maps with PubNub

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EON is an open source JavaScript framework for creating beautiful realtime dashboards, charts and maps.

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The realtime publishing and streaming of data is a key component of the Internet of Things, especially when it comes to tracking and monitoring connected devices. We need a way to easily collect, detect, and distribute data as it’s created or changes, and immediately have it be received and acted upon.

There are several great frameworks for bringing data to life: D3.js, C3.js, WebGL, the list goes on. However, the missing component is how to deliver and reflect changes in that data in realtime, a vital requirement of the ever-growing IoT. Whether you’re streaming sensor data to a dashboard, monitoring device(s) health, or tracking a fleet of vehicles on a live-updating map, delivering the data in realtime is essential.

With this in mind, PubNub wanted an easier way to stream data to create beautiful IoT dashboards, charts, and maps. And so, the team built Project EON, an open source Javascript framework. EON not only enables you to build these dashboards and maps, but stream the raw JSON data to them as well.

Let’s check out the details! Then we’ll show you EON in action, using an Atmel MCU (because what’s better than connecting hardware and software?).

Realtime Charts and Dashboards for Connected Devices

The charting and graphing component of EON is based on C3.js, an open source charting library. This allows you to build realtime line, bar, pie, gauge, and donut charts. When new data is streamed, transitions are animated and changes are reflected in realtime — no manual refreshing required!

These charts are especially useful when it comes to monitoring and displaying data from Internet of Things connected devices, and gives you flexibility on how you want to display that data.

EON bar, pie, and gauge charts

IoT use cases include:

• Home automation: Temperature readings, power usage and consumption for individual devices
• Connected car: RPMs, state of fleet of vehicles, analytics on vehicles including gas usage, capacity, or money earned, vehicle telemetry
• Industrial and factory: Oil field sensor readings, brewery analytics (eg. pressure, capacity), factory statistics

Mapping for Connected Vehicles and Wearables

Realtime maps are a staple of any connected transportation application. For applications on the move, you need a way to track movement and current location.

The mapping and geolocation component of EON is based on Mapbox, a series of APIs and tools for building custom maps. Give EON a marker icon (bus, train, plane, person), and a geolocation. When the geolocation is updated, the market animates and travels to the new location.

EON maps for bus systems, aircrafts, and wearables

IoT use cases for live-updating maps include:

• Connected car, fleet management and public transportation: navigation, taxi/rideshare dispatch based on proximity, collect and publish road conditions, hailing and fare calculation for car services, monitor and calculate route and arrival times for public transit
• Wearables: navigation and tracking, fitness applications
• Air and sea: track and monitor location of aircraft and sea craft for consumer travel, freight, and delivery.

In Action: Atmel MCU Realtime Temperature Sensor

So let’s see EON and the Internet of Things working together!

Our demo application is a realtime temperature sensor built using an Atmel | SMART SAM D21 Xplained Pro and a temperature sensor. The concept is fairly simple, we collect the data using the Atmel sensor, and stream it in realtime to a live dashboard, where the temperature data is displayed as it changes.

That streaming and visualization is EON at work. And with some CSS added on, we have something that looks like this:

Just think, this is just a simple demonstration. Imagine having hundreds or even thousands of these sensors spread across a region, all collecting and streaming that data to a single dashboard. Or even a single sensor streaming to hundreds of dashboards, all simultaneously.

The use cases are endless, and it really comes down to collecting data, streaming data, and visualizing that data. And that’s where EON does the work.

To learn more about the Atmel Realtime Temperature Sensor demo, check out our full tutorial and code repository, or watch the video below.

Atmel tightens automotive focus with new Cortex-M7 MCUs

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Large SoCs without an Ethernet interface typically have slow start-up times and high-power requirements — until now. 

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Atmel, a lead partner for the ARM Cortex-M7 processor launch in October 2014, has unveiled three new M7-based microcontrollers with a unique memory architecture and advanced connectivity features for the connected car market.

According to a company spokesman, E70, V71 and V70 chips are the industry’s highest performing Cortex-M microcontrollers with six-stage dual-issue pipeline delivering 1500 CoreMarks at 300MHz. Moreover, V70 and V71 microcontrollers are the only automotive-qualified ARM Cortex-M7 MCUs with Audio Video Bridging (AVB) over Ethernet and Media LB peripheral support.

Atmel is among the first suppliers to introduce the ARM Cortex-M7-based MCUs, whose core combines performance and simplicity and further pushes the performance envelope for embedded devices. The new MCU devices are aimed to take the connected car design to the next performance level with high-speed connectivity, high-density on-chip memory, and a solid ecosystem of design engineering tools.

Atmel’s Memory Play

Atmel has memory technology in its DNA, and that seems apparent in the design footprint of E70, V70 and V71 MCUs. The San Jose-based chipmaker is offering a flexible memory system that is optimized for performance, determinism and low latency.

Jacko Wilbrink, Senior Marketing Director at Atmel, said that the company’s Cortex-M7-based MCUs leverage Atmel’s advanced peripherals and flexible SRAM architecture for higher performance applications while keeping the Cortex-M class ease-of-use. He added that the large on-chip SRAM on SAM E70/V70/V71 chips is critical for connected car and IoT product designers since it allows them to run the multiple communication stacks and applications on the same MCU without adding external memory.

On-chip DMA and low-latency access SRAM architecture

Avoiding the external memories reduces the PCB footprint, lowers the BOM cost and eliminates the complexity of high-speed PCB design when pushing the performance to a maximum. Next, Tim Grai, another senior manager at Atmel, pointed out another critical take from Cortex-M7 designs: The tightly coupled memory (TCM) interface. It provides the low-latency memory that the processor can use without the unpredictability that is a feature of cache memories.

Grai says that the most vital memory feature is not the memory itself but how the TCM interface to the M7 is utilized. “The available RAM is configurable to be used as system RAM or tightly-coupled instruction and data memory to the core, where it provides deterministic zero-wait state access,” Grai added. “The arrangement of SRAM allows for multiple concurrent accesses.”

Cortex-M7 a DSP Winner

According to Will Strauss, President & Principal Analyst at Forward Concepts, ARM has had considerable success with its Cortex-M4 power-efficient 32-bit processor chip family. “However, realizing that it lacked the math ability to do more sophisticated DSP functions, ARM has introduced the Cortex-M7, its newest and most powerful member of the Cortex-M family.”

Strauss adds that the M7 provides 32-bit floating point DSP capability as well as faster execution times. With the greater clock speed, floating point and twice the DSP power of the M4, the M7 is even more attractive for applications requiring high-performance audio and even video accompanying traditional automotive and control applications.

Atmel’s Grai added an interesting dimension to the DSP story in Cortex-M7 processor fabric. He pointed out that true DSPs don’t do control and logical functions well and generally lack the breadth of peripherals available on MCUs. “The attraction of the M7 is that it does both—DSP functions and control functions—hence it can be classified as a digital signal controller (DSC).”

Grai quoted the example of Atmel V70 and V71 microcontrollers used to connect end-nodes like infotainment audio amplifiers to the emerging Ethernet AVB network. In an audio amplifier, you receive a specific audio format that has to be converted, filtered, modulated to match the requirement for each specific speaker in the car. So you need Ethernet and DSP capabilities at the same time.

Grai says that the audio amplifier in infotainment applications is a good example of DSC: a mix of MCU capabilities and peripherals plus DSP capability for audio processing. Atmel is targeting the V70 and V71 chips as a bridge between large application processors and Ethernet.

Most of the time, the main processor does not integrate Ethernet AVB, as the infotainment connectivity is based on Ethernet standard. Here, the V71 microcontroller brings this feature to the main processor. “Large SoCs, which usually don’t have Ethernet interface, have slow start-up time and high power requirements,” Grai said. “Atmel’s V7x MCUs allow fast network start-up and facilitate power moding.”

The SAM E70, V70 and V71

Atmel’s three new MCU devices are aimed at multiple aspects of in-vehicle infotainment connectivity and telematics control.

SAM E70: The microcontroller series features Dual CAN-FD, 10/100 Ethernet MAC with IEEE1588 real-time stamping, and AVB support. It’s aimed at automotive industry’s movement toward controller area network (CAN) message-based protocols holistically across the cabin, eliminating isolation and wire redundancy, and have them all bridged centrally with the CAN interface.

SAM V70: It’s designed for MediaLB connectivity and leverages advanced audio processing, multi-port memory architecture and Cortex-M7 DSP capabilities. For the media-oriented systems transport (MOST) architecture, old modules are not redesigned. So Atmel offers a MOST solution that is done over Media Local Bus (MediaLB) and is supported by the V70 series.

SAM V71: The MCU series ports a complete automotive Ethernet AVB stack for in-vehicle infotainment connectivity, audio amplifiers, telematics and head control units. It mirrors the SAM V70 series features as well as combines Ethernet-AVB and MediaLB connectivity stacks.

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Majeed Ahmad is the author of books Smartphone: Mobile Revolution at the Crossroads of Communications, Computing and Consumer Electronics and The Next Web of 50 Billion Devices: Mobile Internet’s Past, Present and Future.

WIOT is an open-source, Arduino-compatible dev board for the IoT

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WIOT is an Arduino-compatible board with an ESP-8266 interface and lithium-ion battery support.

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The brainchild of Ubld.It Electronics’ Chris Cockrum, WIOT is an open-source, rechargeable development board for the Internet of Things.

Based on an ATmega32U4, WIOT features integrated Wi-Fi capabilities through an on-board ESP-8266 module. The extremely compact device, which measures just 3.82” x 1.02” in size, is also entirely Arduino-compatible. This lets users design and develop their connected project within the Arduino IDE.

“I designed this board to be an easy-to-use way to get connect to WiFi from an Arduino-compatible board. This will allow anyone to write Arduino compatible sketches that can easily use 802.11b WiFi using the ESP-8266 (ESP-01) Wi-Fi module,” Cockrum writes.

The Li-Ion battery powered device operates at a voltage of 3.3V with a recommended input voltage of 5V, and can run for approximately 40 hours on no sleep. Meanwhile, on-board switching enables complete power-down of the ESP-8266. In terms of I/O, WIOT includes nine digital pins, five PWM channels and six analog input channels.

“With proper power management and intermittent Wi-Fi usage, the battery can last for days to months (depending on sleep time, Wi-Fi usage, Wi-Fi transmit usage, and other peripherals) without recharging,” Cockrum adds. “Since the board auto switches between external and battery power, a USB solar charger may be connected to power the unit indefinitely.”

Key specs include:

• MCU: ATmega32U4
• Flash memory: 32KB
• SRAM: 2.5KB
• EEPROM: 1KB
• Clock speed: 8MHz
• On-board lithium-ion battery management
• Automatic switching from external 5V power to battery
• Any 5V (500mA) source may be used to power and charge the unit
• ESP-8266 Wi-Fi module (ESP-01) with updated firmware
• Uses a through-hole mini-USB connector

Interested? WIOT is currently selling on Tindie for $45, while Cockrum has provided details on the board here.

This smart water bottle alerts users when they’re not drinking enough

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Hidrate Me syncs to your phone to track water intake and glows to remind you to stay hydrated. 

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Everyone knows that proper hydration is important. Each cell in the body relies upon water to function properly. When depleted of that good ol’ H2O, humans can experience a wide range of symptoms such as dry mouth, headaches, lethargy and confusion. Yet even mindful of its benefits, it can sometimes be a bit difficult to remember to stay hydrated throughout the day — whether it’s at work, in class or at the gym. Fortunately, one Minnesota-based startup has designed a connected water bottle that tracks water intake and ensures optimal hydration even when the most minute distractions get in the way.

Called Hidrate Me, the 24-ounce smart bottle will alert a user to appropriate drinking levels based on temperature, humidity, elevation and personal settings based on their location through its accompanying mobile app. By communicating with the phone over Bluetooth, the container is able to take into account personal parameters like gender, age, weight, height and activity, while an embedded sensor stick automatically tracks water consumption and sends a helpful reminder when in need of a few sips. In addition, a user will receive visual indication when they have not taken a sip for an extended period of time through the illumination of a built-in LED light.

Since water bottles and fitness go hand-in-hand, it’s no surprise that the bottle can also be synced to wearable devices to better monitor intake during high-performance workouts, where rehydration is required the most. And for those wondering, Hidrate Me is comprised of BPA-free Tritan plastic, is dishwasher safe and comes with a replaceable battery that lasts over a year.

The idea for the innovation first came about back in September 2014 when the startup’s CEO pulled together a team of fellow University of Minnesota students for a Google Startup weekend in Minneapolis. There, the crew of Makers built the first smart water bottle prototype using what would appear to be a LightBlue Bean BLE MCU (ATmega328P) to sync with the mobile app.

Looking to stay on top of your H2O intake and improve your well-being? Head over to its Kickstarter page, where the Hidrate team is currently seeking $35,000. For the launch of its campaign, users can choose from an assortment of colors including white, green, teal, pink and black. Shipment is expected to begin in December 2015.

Building a smart irrigation controller with Modulo

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The brainchild of Erin Tomson, Poseidon is an irrigation controller based on Modulo, Raspberry Pi and Flutter boards.

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Like many of us, Erin Tomson has vegetable garden in her backyard. While having fresh, organic crops right outside your door seems like a great idea, often times it can become a daunting task having to constantly water the plants. And though there are a number of commercial sprinkler systems available to automate and monitor the process, the Maker decided to take it upon herself to devise her own irrigation controller with the help of Modulo boards, Raspberry Pi and Flutter Wireless.

For those unfamiliar with Modulo, the tiny set of modular circuit boards — which is wrapping up an extremely successful campaign on Kickstarter — provide DIYers with an easy-to-use, hassle-free way to devise electronic projects. Each board is equipped with its own little processor (ATtiny841) that communicates with an ATmega32U4 driven Controller. Makers then can slide their modules right into the so-called Modulo Base which securely holds them in place.

Dubbed Poseidon, this recent project is comprised of three parts: the Modulo hardware that controls the system and provides a visual display of its status, a Raspberry Pi running the Open Sprinkler Pi software and Flutter Wireless modules to command the remote sprinkler valves.

As Tomson notes, piecing together the hardware was pretty straightforward. The Pi connects to a Modulo Controller via USB. Each valve is then linked to a pair of outputs on a Modulo Motor Driver, which in turn, provides power to the valve with positive and negative polarity to turn it on/off.

“I used Galcon 3652 valves, but any DC latching solenoid valve should work. For AC valves, you’d need to connect relays between the motor driver and valves,” she adds.

As for its web interface, the Maker ran Open Sprinkler Pi software that enabled her to display the various zones, set schedules, delay water based on weather forecasts, as well as manually operate the sprinklers. In order for the program to control the Modulo hardware, Tomson wrote a plug-in using the Modulo Python API to handle the outputs.

What’s more, should a garden be too far away from a home’s Wi-Fi network, she was able to add wireless connectivity to Poseidon through Flutter’s boards. Those units are equipped with an Atmel | SMART SAM3S Cortex-M3 MCU, while an ATSHA204 crypto engine keeps it protected from digital intruders. This allows Makers to easily (and securely) develop projects that communicate over a half-mile across a house, a neighborhood, or in this case, a backyard.

Tomson connected the Flutter controller over USB to the Raspberry Pi, which relays commands to the Flutter board and transmits them wirelessly to the remote station. Out in the garden, a second Flutter module is connected to a Modulo Base with another motor driver and color display.

“This secondary flutter setup controls the vegetable garden’s sprinkler valve and also show’s the system’s status. It’s a simple setup that works great,” the Maker reveals. “DC sprinkler valves like these don’t require very much power so you can even run the remote station off a solar panel and battery!”

With spring in full swing and summer just about here, make sure your garden and lawn are cared for with this DIY irrigation controller. Want one of your own? Head over to Modulo’s official project page here.