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I have been coding embedded systems for (*cough*) decades now. Mainly telecomms & satcomm, with some telemetry & SCADA. I can also produce Windows, Linux & browser based apps and have good database knowledge.

Sound like prime IoT developer material? I also have some free time, so, to keep me out of the pub, I would like to start a project.

I would prefer something which grows in phases. Maybe develop the server, then the clients, then some browser-based reporting, maybe some test tools. Perhaps a phase one with minimal functionality, then phase two adding more features, etc

I would like something to occupy my evenings and weekends for months, maybe years. I am undecided as whether to develop something open source, or something where I stand a slim chance of turning a shilling.

The one Teensy flaw in my grandiose scheme is that I haven’t go the faintest glimmer of an inkling of the beginning of the kernel of a close as what to develop.

Does anyone have a suggestion for me (preferably not involving hairbrushes)?

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Mawg
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2 Answers2

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This is a very wide question, but here is something I plan to do in my future house: make it smarter. Bonus for you, this may be a never-ending process:

  • what about a smart temperature management? You can set up some heat sensor in various places, then connect them to a central server. Then, find a way to know when your heating device(s) is(are) on, and make your system learn how the temperature where sensors are reacts to heater on/off. Now, you can save your habits into your server (wake-up at 7am, leaving for work at 8:30, going back at 5pm etc...) and set each temperature you want when present/absent. The ultimate goal is to make your system start heating just when needed, to wake-up in a comfy environment at 7am and let the house getting cold when absent, etc... You may need to find a way for your server to activate each heating device
  • in addition to smart heating, you can set up automatic shutter opening and closing. Winter time? Open the shutter when sun is up to heat your house for free, and close them when sunset to not let any degree get away via your windows. Summer time? Reverse the principe: protect from external heat at day, ...
  • you can set up smart access to your home too, like an automatic garage door
  • and so on.

To do so, you may have to:

  1. set up a server
  2. create a link between it and every sensor/actuator in your house
  3. create a client to monitor your house (temperature efficiency, time with shutters closed/open, etc...)
  4. imagine algorithms for the smart heating part and for shutter commands (and internet requests for sunrise/sunset time)
  5. make statistics and every data you want
  6. take a look on this question for informations about how to store your data on the cloud

What do you think about that? Let me know!

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le_daim
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Another approach is to buy the components and make them run,and then you decide what do to with the them. Surely you will come up with ideas while developing

You can start with one of the adfruits kits.

https://www.adafruit.com/

Adfruits for raspberry pi

Once you can control the I/O then the path to the remote control from the server is quite straightforward. You start turning On/Off LEDs then you can add relays and power something bigger, a Fan, Lights, motors, water pump... etc

Snake Sanders
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