Just plug any sensor into the board, download the necessary libraries and you have yourself an IoT device.
Created by Dutch startup Avionics Control Systems, Plug ‘N’ IoTis an extremely easy way for Makers of all levels to design connected gizmos and gadgets. Whether it’s a securing a home with motion sensors or tracking a cat through GPS, anything is possible with four clicks of the mouse on a PC.
Plug ’N’ IoT comes in two versions: basic and premium. Both models are comprised of an Atmel | SMART SAM3X8E processor, a GSM module and connectors, with the latter also including a shield. The Cortex-M3-based MCU boasts 512 KB of memory, operates at 84Mhz and features a maximum of 103 I/O pins. What’s more, the unit is compatible with just about every sensor and Arduino shield available today.
How it works is pretty straightforward: A user plugs a sensor into the unit, drags and drops the suitable libraries, and uploads the code to the board. That’s it. What’s nice is that Plug ’N’ IoT is designed for everyone — no programing experience required. However, well-seasoned Makers have the option of devising and adding their own sketches. This opens the door to a countless applications, which range from monitoring air quality inside a home to keeping tabs on the temperature of an aquarium, maintaining optimal soil moisture or protecting an entryway. In any case, the sensor can detect a change in the environment and send a real-time reminder by way of text message to its user.
Have an idea for an IoT project that you’d like to bring to life? Head over to Plug ’N’ IoT’s official Kickstarter page, where the Avionics Control Systems crew is currently seeking $39,733. Delivery is set for March 2016.
Every Friday, we’re taking a look at some of the smartest, most innovative projects that have caught our attention on Kickstarter and Indiegogo over the last seven days.
Model 01
This open source ergonomic keyboard is giving your overworked pinkies a break and putting your thumbs to work. Keyboardio is currently seeking $120,000 on Kickstarter.
Doppel
This performance-enhancing wearable can naturally make you feel more alert or relaxed on demand using the innate human response to rhythm. Team Turquoise is currently seeking $155,412 on Kickstarter.
Pebblebee Stone
This all-in-one device allows you to track your belongings, control your favorite music and snap selfies along the way. Pebblebee is currently seeking $30,000 on Indiegogo.
This Keurig-like machine enables you to create delicious cocktails at home without fancy recipes or multiple ingredients, just a capsule. Bartestian is currently seeking $100,000 on Kickstarter.
This kegerator plugs right into your 12V outlet and lets you enjoy draft beer from anywhere, whether that’s your next tailgate or picnic. Hank the Beer Tank is currently seeking $75,000 on Kickstarter.
This laser cutter and engraver comes with supper easy Gcode software to bring you a more delightful experience. Makers Wei and Sunny are currently seeking $2,000 on Kickstarter.
T-Rex
This pair of earphones connect via Bluetooth to any device, providing you with completely wireless-free listening. T-Rex is currently seeking $50,000 on Indiegogo.
Flitchio
This first-ever smartphone case with a built-in controller lets you play games, browse the web, pilot drones and more. SUPENTA is currently seeking $77,809 on Kickstarter.
Tyia
This luxurious smart bracelet filters notifications to discreetlly alert you only when it’s important. Viawear is currently seeking $50,000 on Indiegogo.
Did you happen to miss last week’s notable campaigns? If so, you can check them out here. Also, if your project is powered by Atmel MCUs and you’ve been featured on our blog, be sure to download the respective badges here for use in your ongoing marketing efforts.
Aumi is a Bluetooth-enabled, multi-color LED night light that you control with your phone.
Fear of the dark, also known as nyctophobia, is an all too common developmental challenge for children. And although it is most typical for younger kids, even adults can be afraid of entering a pitch-black room or what may be lurking under the bed. Fortunately, this is where night lights have become an age-old remedy, offering just enough of a sense of security while illuminating the general layout of the space without having to turn on an entire ceiling lamp.
While the wall-mounted units have evolved ever so slightly throughout the years, they all still lack in terms of aesthetics and functionality — especially when compared to the smart home appliances of today. In an effort to change this, Maker Mitch Thompson has developed what he calls Aumi— a Bluetooth-enabled, multi-color LED night light that plugs into any outlet and be controlled right from a person’s smartphone.
Like others before it, Aumi features an LDR sensor that automatically triggers the light when it detects darkness. However, what separates Thompson’s innovation from those on the market today is that the sleek, puck-like unit is equipped with fully-adjustable RGB LEDs. Meaning, when paired with its accompanying app, users can choose from over 16 million color options. (That sure beats the traditional white glow.)
What’s more, Aumi allows users to turn on/off, dim and set timers for their lights all from their handheld gadget, as well as receive notifications like texts and calls. Or, should someone prefer to manually modify the brightness, this can be done by simply turning its aluminum bezel.
Based on an ATmega328P, the light packs a built-in LiPo battery that can last between eight to 10 hours per charge — plenty of juice to last through the darkest hours. Another nice feature is that it was designed with utmost portability in mind. In other words, children can safely leave it lying on their nightstand, and when they need to get up, just grab their Aumi and proceed out of the room. And parents, aside from being an ideal bedtime companion, Aumi can also be employed for some accent lighting around the house.
Sound like something you or your child would love to have? Head over to Aumi’s Kickstarter page, where Thompson is currently seeking $32,476. Delivery is expected to begin in December 2015.
Making your car ‘smarter’ is now as easy as plugging a USB drive into your computer.
While one in five vehicles are expected to be Internet-enabled by 2019, there are more than 253 million cars on the road in the U.S. that remain disconnected from the web. Not to mention, even as this technology continues to evolve, the average car is still about 11 years old. With this in mind, one Dallas-based startup has developed a device that simply plugs into an automobile’s computer system and transforms it into a smarter set of wheels. Since it’s designed to work via the OBD II port, it should be compatible with any vehicle made after 1996. (Good news for that late ‘90s Civic sitting the garage!)
Nearly nine months after its initial debut, the company has garnered over $6.5 million in a Series A financing round led by Samsung Venture Investment Corporation along with Cox Automotive, Continental and The Westly Group. Beyond that, the team has revealed several significant product updates, partnerships, and of course, the launch of an Indiegogo campaign.
Vinli works by plugging into an OBD II port, which allows the dongle to connect to a driver’s smartphone over Bluetooth and open up a plethora of apps. These include SmartThings to control devices upon arriving home, Dash to optimize a car’s performance, Beagle to keep teenage drivers safe, as well as Otto to identify and diagnose any mechanical issues before they become a problem. In its entirety, the startup hopes to have about 150 apps in its app store in the coming months, and even encourages developers to explore their creativity and build an app based on one of nine comprehensive sets of services, ranging from analytics to infotainment.
The Wi-Fi connection, which is provided through an exclusive deal with T-Mobile and its national 4G LTE network, will cost $15/GB of data, or $40 for 3GB. However, drivers can still access Vinli using their smartphone by way of Bluetooth. Under the hood, Vinli boasts a three-axis accelerometer for collision detection, a Bluetooth 4.0 module for connectivity, GPS and GLONASS for location tracking, SMS for emergencies, and runs on Linux.
What’s more, Vinli offers services such as roadside assistance, automatic accident alerts, routine maintenance, real-time traffic reports and even helps locate a car should someone forget where it was parked.
Ready to turn your old 1998 whip into a futuristic ride? Head over to Vinli’s Indiegogo page, where its team has already surpassed its initial $75,000 goal. Delivery is expected to get underway in August 2015.
This family of 20+ wireless sensors enables Makers to devise their own connected solutions.
Recently launched on Indiegogo, Aistin is a small, lightweight and modular sensor platform for the Internet of Things. The brainchild of former Nokia R&D team members who together make up iProtoXi, these low power, wireless devices are helping Makers bring their ideas to life by focusing on three main elements: compactness, expandability and mobility.
“Instead of functionally limited ready-made IoT sets, or flexible but unpractical self-wired desktop hassles, we wanted to inspire people to create new mobile products by providing the best that can be achieved with current technology,” the Finnish startup shares.
Aistin is comprised of various sensor heads including environmental, motion and passive IR modules, as well as programmable LEDs, switches and other dev boards suitable for a wide range of IoT projects. Makers can choose from Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy, wireless LAN and IQRR radios for connectivity, while example firmware, a web-based interface and a mobile app are provided to accelerate development.
“You can setup the logic how your Aistin sensor node works, what is the sensor reading interval and what is the trigger to start the sensor readings. You can also read the stored sensor data from the sensor node internal memory, if you have left your sensor node alone and connect it afterwards. Mobile application visualizes the sensor data. Sensor data can be stored in the application and then forwarded for further use,” its creators explain.
What’s nice is that the sensors can be used either as a standalone, a smartphone accessory or attached to anything to become part of a complex IoT solution. The fully expandable Aistin family currently has about 20 members and comes housed inside a variety of 3D-printed covers. At the core of every unit is an open source Bus24 interface, which is a combination of standard I/O buses (like I2C, SPI and UART), along with intelligent power management signals to enable long battery life. Development kits with the Bus24 provide a low-cost, easy-to-deploy series of sensors for developing IoT nodes and corresponding applications.
“Aistin wireless sensor nodes are connected to a gateway. GW provides connection to Internet/intranet. Typically WLAN or USB is used. Sensor GW/nodes makes TCP connection to an Aistin server that is located in laptop, Raspberry Pi or other computer which has Linux, Windows or MAC operating system. Aistin server (SW) provides a web socket interface for web client. Web socket is used to carry sensor data from the server to the visualization page,” the team writes.
To really make use of the revolutionary Bus24 connector, Makers have the option of selecting from a comprehensive set of add-on MCUs. Among those already compatible is the popular ATmega32U4. Meanwhile, iProtoXi hopes that the number of available expansion boards will continue to grow exponentially in the future.
As for the sensors — each of which are named after the owl, an extremely intelligent and intuitively knowledgable animal — are compact enough to fit on just about anything, from a milk cap and a sink faucet to a power outlet and inside the refrigerator door. One device in particular, the Owl Brain, measures 36mm x 18mm in size and is based on the ATmega32U4, allowing it to be easily programmed using the Arduino IDE.
Depending on the version, Owl Brains are equipped with several Bus24 connectors, a microUSB port, controllable RGB LEDs, a Li-ion battery charger, current and battery measurement circuitry, a real-time clock and a multi-functional button. The board also packs an accelerometer, a barometer, a humidity sensor and 256KB of EEPROM. Beyond that, two of its models (the CPU242 and 252) include an integrated Wi-Fi module, making it what the iProtoXi team calls “probably most feature-rich Arduino conformant board ever created.”
Those wishing to explore Aistin’s entire lineup can head over to its official Indiegogo page, where the team is currently seeking $56,000. Delivery is expected to begin later this year.
SODAQ is bringing the Internet of Things outdoors with its new matchbox-sized, solar-powered board.
It’s safe to say that a vast majority of Kickstarter projects focused around the M2M and IoT space are seemingly designed with indoor connectivity in mind. As a result, Makers are often challenged with finding a decent solution to power their smart devices that can be easily and reliability implemented outdoors. Cognizant of this, SODAQ has developed a next-generation, Arduino-comaptible board that is capable of recording data and triggering actions in any environment — whether it’s in a rural area, on the beach or throughout the house.
If the name of the Dutch startup sounds familiar, that’s because the team had launched an incredibly successful crowdfunding campaign back in 2013 for their LEGO-like, plug and play prototyping board. With an ATmega328P as its brain, the multi-feature microprocessor enabled both Makers and engineers to easily connect a wide variety of sensors and devices to the Internet.
Back again with a new matchbox-sized board, Autonomois built around an Atmel | SMART SAM D21 MCU andis equipped with a Bee Socket that can host up to 10 different communication modules, including Wi-Fi, GPRS, 3G, LoRa, SIGFOX and Bluetooth to name a few. Given its Cortex M0+ 32-bit core, the unit can do just about as much as a Raspberry Pi while consuming 100 times less energy. Impressively, the board can be powered by a solar panel no larger than a smartphone, thereby allowing it to become self-sufficient and autonomous, hence its name.
“The new M0+ processor packs computing power which is comparable to the first Mac. It will make you wonder why you ever used anything else. We also have created a Grove shield for you to use with all of your favorite Grove modules (sensors and actuators),” the team writes.
With all of the data services available online today, the Autonomo comes with a simple set of visual programming tools that will help Makers easily upload their codes to any gadget. What’s more is that the focus lies on outdoor applications that run efficiently and on extremely low power. Meaning, if a user wants to devise their own application, such as a solar radiation alert, SODAQ has made a plethora of open source example code readily accessible. Next to that there is a complete library to let FIWARE developers upload data to the Orion context broker.
Looking forward to tinkering around and bringing your hacks to the most remote corners of the planet? Neither can the crew at SODAQ. In order to bring their technology to the masses, its creators have launched Autonomo on Kickstarter with aspirations of garnering $11,380. Delivery is slated for October 2015.
Telefonica and GFI Informatique have developed a wearable device that will be able to stop heatstroke before it occurs.
Recent studies have shown that long distance running involves a slightly increased risk of death but it’s heatstroke, not heart-related issues, that are the culprit. Luckily, when racers take their mark this weekend at the Proniño six-mile race in Madrid, they will only have to focus on battling each other, not so much high temperatures. That’s because Telefonica and French IT services group GFI Informatique have announced a new device that will be able to prevent heatstroke before it occurs.
The battery-powered gadget, which measures just 58mm x 30mm x 27mm, can be comfortably clipped onto a wrist and head band, or any part of a runner’s clothing for that matter. Still in its prototype stage, the wearable is based on an Arduino Pro Mini (ATmega328), and features a GPS module, a Lilypad temperature sensor and an M2M SIM card with global coverage. Additionally, it packs a LiPo battery with a life of about eight hours, which should be plenty for the duration of the event.
During the race, staff will use a special web-based app to monitor a runner’s position and body temperature, ensuring that the latter doesn’t exceed 104°F — one of the first signs of heatstroke. Meanwhile, the unit’s built-in GPS will provide accurate positioning of the wearer’s whereabouts throughout the course. The prototype will be connected to S.A.M.U.R. (Servicio de Asistencia Municipal de Urgencia y Rescate) should any emergencies arise.
Beyond spotting potential risks in marathons and other strenuous sporting activities, its creators say that the device can be used in outdoor work environments that entail high exposure to heat, as well as by the elderly and children — two segments of the population most likely to suffer from heatstroke.
This IoT platform enables users to build their connected product in a matter of days.
Thingsquare, an IoT startup who has emerged as one of the pioneers in connected product development, has launched an open prototyping tier enabling engineers, designers and Makers to envision and prototype their smart devices in a matter of minutes.
For those unfamiliar wtih Thingsquare, the all-in-one software platform provides Makers with all of the necessary tools to quickly add Internet connectivity to their product via smartphone. Ultimately, this easy-to-use solution reduces the time typically required to bring an idea to mass market from months to just days.
The platform works by connecting smart devices, such as lights and thermostats, which have a programmable wireless chip running the Thingsquare firmware. The wireless MCU and the firmware securely sync the gadget to the cloud backend server that handles the API for the app. From there, Thingsquare builds a resilient wireless mesh network where one router offers seamless Internet access for all mesh nodes, also allowing users to upgrade their firmware over the air.
“Devices form a wireless mesh network and connect to the Internet. Devices use their Internet connection to authenticate with the Thingsquare cloud and begin announcing their presence. The smartphone app discovers devices and authenticates with the Thingsquare cloud. Users can login and control devices either locally or remotely. The app can notify the user if something important happens,” the team explains.
“A virtual device acts as a real wireless hardware device, but runs as software on your smartphone. To the Thingsquare platform, the virtual device looks just like a normal hardware device. Virtual devices send and receive data in the same way as wireless hardware devices do.”
As for the hardware, the solution will support a wide range of SoCs — most notably the Atmel | SMART SAM R21. This calls for at least a pair of SAM R21 Xplained PRO evaluation boards, two microUSB cables (one for each device), an Atmel Ethernet1 Xplained PRO extension board, an Ethernet cable, a Wi-Fi router with an Ethernet port, as well as a PC for uploading the firmware to the chips.
What’s nice is that the Cortex-M0+ processor supports external devices on GPIO pins that can be controlled from the smartphone. The SAM R21 creates a self-healing wireless mesh with one MCU acting as an Ethernet gateway with the Xplained PRO Ethernet extension board. This process, including all of the necessary code, has been made available on Github.
What’s more, the newly-revealed open prototyping tier will help resolve a number of problems often encountered throughout development. This is accomplished by providing wireless connectivity by way of a self-healing and self-forming mesh network, a simple app that users can build themselves, and if necessary, secure remote access.
“The cool thing with connected product is how many different markets it touches. Anything that benefits from being connected is rapidly becoming connected,” the startup adds. “Further, the Thingsquare platform lets you put your next product’s app in the hands of your potential customers right from the start, and provide remote support.”
Evident by the sheer number of malicious hacks in recent months, smart gadgets require protection, something of which the company has embedded into its platform from the start through secure authentication. Beyond that, other features of the app include discovering, interacting, positioning and sensing nearby devices as well as collecting data from the wireless mesh. At the moment, the app runs on iOS (version 8.0) and Android (version 4.3) smartphones.
“Our customers are demanding complete, easy-to-use IoT solutions that can quickly bring a full system to market,” explains Magnus Pedersen, Atmel Product Marketing Director. “Our cooperation with Thingsquare is an example of that, with a web-based toolchain and open source firmware to offer our customers a fully integrated hardware and software solution for various IoT applications.”
One Shenzhen startup is looking to democratize the wearable industry with its affordable fitness band.
Unlike other fitness trackers available on the market today that can run anywhere from a $100, a new wearable device from Shenzhen-based startup TRASENSE packs much of the same punch as industry heavyweights but at a mere fraction of the cost.
Priced under $30, the MOVEMENT is a super easy and affordable way to begin dabbling into the quantified-self era. Boasting a sleek, unisex design, the unit comes in black and purple with more colors likely to follow its crowdfunding campaign.
The lightweight device is comprised of a TPSiV bangle and a Polycarbonate/aluminum hybrid case, which houses a Bluetooth Low Energy module, an accelerometer and a custom PCB. The incredibly power efficient piece of hardware boasts a battery life of one to two weeks, while recharging its battery requires just about an hour.
The information collected through the wearable band is transmitted to an accompanying app named LYTICS. Much like those of its competitors, TRASENCE has designed its program to provide all of the data configurations that users have come to expect, including steps taken, calories burned and sleep cycles. What’s more, MOVEMENT is focused on making data more action-oriented, hence its name. For instance, if a user has not been achieving their regular targets, the app will offer up a small tip to help get back on par.
While time will only tell as to how it lives up to the rest of the market, at $23, it’s certainly worth a try. Want one of your own? Head over to its Kickstarter page, where the TRASENCE crew has already surpassed its $12,000 goal in a matter of hours.
Thanks to these app-controlled insoles, you can say goodbye to sweaty and smelly feet this summer.
Did you know that the human foot has more sweat glands than any other part of the body and is responsible for producing nearly a half a pint of perspiration each day? Pretty gross, right? Not only can wet socks be uncomfortable, there’s nothing worse than the rotten smell that often coincides with it. Now think, how great would it be if there was a way to wear your favorite shoes any time of the year without having to worry about that issue?
This was the basis behind a newly-launched project from a group of Dutch entrepreneurs. Dubbed uGale, these smart insoles are meant to prevent those sweaty and stinky feet through microcompressed air directed at those otherwise inaccessible areas of the foot. This enables wearers to maintain optimal temperatures within their shoe, thereby alleviating the humidity in the bacteria-ridden space.
Users can adjust the airflow to their liking by way of an accompanying Android or iOS app, which communicates to the insole via Bluetooth. Not to mention, come time for those frigid winter days, the uGALE can provide up to 104° F of heat per foot. Each unit is comprised of a temperature and a humidity sensor, along with an accelerometer, all housed in a water-resistant cover.
“uGALE has been designed so individuals can wear any pair of shoes at any time of the year. In the winters, uGALE will warm the feet in the cold outdoors and prevent them from sweating indoors,” the Vay Technologies team notes. “The same shoes, by the use of uGALE, will allow your feet to stay cool in the summers under the scorching sun or during exercises.”
Aside from its tech-savvy design, the insole was crafted with ergonomics in mind. uGALE provides its wearers with arch support and shock-absorption cushions near the heel and toes. Good news for those who are stuck in an office or class all day, the smart insoles can last up to 10 hours on one battery charge. What’s even cooler is the way that it charges: wirelessly via an induction mat.
