It's been a very interesting challenge! 3 months to learn a bunch of new things (specially in server and services implementation) and one common enemy... TIME! Only the basic structure of the proposed plan was implemented in the end. However, this is only the beginning
Thanks to element14 for this chance. And thanks to y'all who commented and helped. Of course, thanks to all who read thru these post and maybe found some interesting information.
It was also amazing reading what other participants were doing (that is a good use of the challenge period time), all the projects are incredible and there are some extremely original ones ^^
Alright! Let's do a wrap up:
List of past posts:
- [Pi IoT] Smart Competition Home #1: Introduction
- [Pi IoT] Smart Competition Home #2: The plan
- [Pi IoT] Smart Competition Home #3: Smarthome I - Connectivity setup: MQTT
- [Pi IoT] Smart Competition Home #4: Smarthome II - Sensors Node & other clients
- [PiIoT] Smart Competition Home #5: Central Node Upgrade
- [Pi IoT] Smart Competition Home #6: Competition system I - Platform overview
- [Pi IoT] Smart Competition Home #7: Competition system II - Android Competition application: tracking the distance
- [Pi IoT] Smart Competition Home #8: Competition system III - Android Competition application: communicating with the server
- [Pi IoT] Smart Competition Home #9: Competition system IV - Adding the competition to the central node
- [Pi IoT] Smart Competition Home #10: Competition system V - Adding the competition status in the phone
- [Pi IoT] Smart Competition Home #11: User's Node all in one
- [Pi IoT] Smart Competition Home #12: System recap
Sources and links
Most of the code is available on GitHub https://github.com/clazarom/SmartCompetitionHome_2016
The plan: what was planned and what is
In the end... I let time past by and most of the work was done during the first weeks or the last ones ^^u I am not even going to think of how many post I uploaded tonight u.uzZ. Lesson learn!
Looking back to that optimistic first weeks...
SMART HOME
Green = completed
Basics | ||
Function | Devices | How to |
Connectivity setup: MQTT | Raspberry Pi 3 Raspberry Pi 1 Smartphone | Broker installed in Raspberry Pi 3 Publisher client in Raspberry Pi 1 Subscriber client in smartphone Subscriber client in Raspberry Pi 3 |
Sensors reading | Sensors type 1:
| I2C protocol – connect to the corresponding Raspberry Pi 1 I2C ports |
| Sensors type 2:
| Direct connection to Raspberry Pi 1 GPIO ports |
| Raspberry Pi 1 | Reads GPIO ports Implements MQTT publisher client -> sends data to Raspi 3 |
| Raspberry Pi 3 | Implements MQTT broker |
Data storage | Raspberry Pi 3 | Implements MQTT subscriber client -> read data from Raspi 1 MySQL database to store data |
GUI – general home access | Raspberry Pi 3 | Same MQTT subscriber client Displays read data |
Mobile app – individual home access |
| Implements MQTT subscriber client -> read data from Raspi 1 Displays info |
Web portal – remote access | Raspberry Pi 3 | TBA |
Extra 1: Announcement board | ||
Function | Devices | How to |
User sets
| Raspberry Pi 3 | Include a menu to input: Notes Task that should be finished within a deadline (i.e. cleaning) |
Data storage | Raspberry Pi 3 | Database |
Display task/announcements | Raspberry Pi 3 | Update main GUI to include an “Announcements” tab |
COMPETITION SYSTEM
Green - completed
Basic: Run competition | ||
Function | Devices | How to |
Record user’s run distance | Android smart phone | Mobile app. 1) record run distance with either:
2) send distance to smart home - Send to home server IP address |
Data storage | Raspberry Pi 3 | Implement home server – Apache Create PHP interface to fetch data coming from phone Store data in smart home database - MySQL |
Display data | Raspberry Pi 3 | Update home GUI:
|
Extra 1: Tourist/Discovery system | ||
Function | Devices | How to |
New destination selection | Raspberry Pi 3 | Select a reasonable location to visit Display it on the home GUI Allow remote access to the selected location |
Mobile app- geo location | Android smartphone | Update mobile app:
|
Extra 2: Smart house inner challenges | ||
TBA |
|
|
Well, the basic modules were developed. A pity that the extras, more interesting ones, were left behind.
What now ??
Interactivity - Central Node and User Node
Even though technically both nodes are working, they are to simplistic! I want something to actually be used in the house and even appealing to my roommates. Which means that:
- Central node needs a better GUI
- Nicer touch and look
- More competition options and some grand announcement of the winner
- User node application could include also Google map integration
Casing, covers and finishes
All the components and elements were wired up and left as they were brought to this world. However, there are multiple options (ie 3D printed models) out there to have each node decently cover. It will make it more protected, easier to deal with and not so prototype like looking.
It is difficult not wanting to start with this after seeing what other participants have done, that is a great work !
The extras
While I feel I should implement some of the proposed extras, I have discarded the tourist option (it is too complicated). The announcement board though, it looks like a nice must! (Cleaning schedules are difficult to keep in the new house u.u).
Also, the new apartment I recently moved in gave me another interesting extra (for the laziest if you may): have a camera intercom in the main door of the building. We live in a 3 stores house and everytime the door rings we should walk one full floor (aaaaall the way ) down. However, there is a convenient window thru which one of the cameras could be looking thru.
Tools for improvement
All the development process has been built from scratch. Nevertheless, there are plenty of tools (specially server kind of plugins) which could give the platform a more efficient, easier and professional solution (cloud is quite popular these days). My knowledge is kind of limited here, so I can not really give any practical example, but will be looking for something of the sort :3
Security
Always key in a smart house, and yet, I left it for the very end... till it was too late
That's been all for now
Greetings!
Caterina Lazaro
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