https://community.element14.com/technologies/internet-of-things/The Internet of Things (#IoT) becomes a popular industry topic and data illustrating perspectives are very impressive: IHS predicts 29.2 billion of connected devices by 2020. Huge opportunity! Let's discuss about technology, market trends and solutionsen-USTelligent Community 12https://community.element14.com/technologies/internet-of-things/b/blog/posts/ascii-aquarium-turns-cyd-into-a-tiny-interactive-fish-tank-for-your-deskFri, 29 May 2026 18:51:00 GMT93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:66eaf1f7-9525-4318-a31f-6995b4754968CatwellPOWER-PILL came up with an interactive aquarium that runs on ESP32 hardware. (Image Credit: POWER-PILL) I love, love, love, love this. I'm a huge fan of ASCII art, probably due to my BBS days. This is one of those situations where I'm thinking, "why didn't I come up with that?" So, cool. There are countless nifty devices engineers can make, including a tiny animated aquarium. POWER-PILL’s creation takes the prize with their ASCII Aquarium , a mini underworld with fish and other sea creatures. Running on an ESP32 Cheap Yellow Display (CYD), the device uses lightweight real-time graphics to make everything come to life. The ASCII Aquarium has swimming ASCII fish, rising bubbles, swaying seaweed, tap-to-feed flakes, and other visitors like a seahorse and an octopus. Additionally, it comes with touch controls, Wi-Fi time synchronization, persistent settings, and SD-card screenshot capture. Great! GIFs work here. This is mesmerizing. (Image Credit: POWER-PILL) However, instead of a video loop, the aquarium is generated live on the ESP32 display. Fish wander around the tank, avoid one another, school, turn around, adjust brightness, and chase food if you tap the glass. And it’s actually very simple to install the ASCII Aquarium through the browser-based flasher . All you need to do is connect a supported CYD board via a USB data cable, open the flasher page in the Chrome or Edge browser, click “Flash ASCII Aquarium”, select the CYD serial port, and allow the installer to complete the process. POWER-PILL says the firmware is designed for the ESP32-2432S028R CYD board. This comes with the ESP32 MCU, an ILI9341 320x240 display, an XPT2046 resistive touchscreen, and an optional SD card support for BMP screenshots and frame capture. The creator also says that other CYD-style boards may appear similar, but use different display, touch, or SD hardware, which could affect compatibility. Users can customize the tiny aquarium by adjusting fish population, bubble amount, and visitor frequency. (Image Credit: POWER-PILL) The ASCII Aquarium has interactive tools and customization for the user. For example, by tapping the top-left corner of the screen, you can see a hidden HUD, and tapping the tank drops food for the fish. Meanwhile, users can adjust fish behavior, bubbles, visitors, seaweed, clock, and backgrounds, including blue fade, black, purple fade, and a randomized SpongeBob-inspired floral backdrop. A Wi-Fi panel features network scan, saved credentials, on-screen keyboard, reconnect handling, and internet time sync. The capture panel saves BMP frame sequences to the SD card. However, this is a slow process as the tank simulation is slowed down so all the frames can be recorded. Lastly, you can press and hold the BOOT button on the back of the CYD to save BMP screenshots to the SD card. Although the ASCII Aquarium runs on compact ESP32 hardware, it comes bundled with a wide range of features. POWER-PILL’s aquarium supports multiple glyph species with different colors, depth shading, school behavior, wandering patterns, and smooth screen wraparound. Users can also adjust the fish population ranging from 6 to 36, bubble count from 0 to 50, and animated seaweed with tunable sway, randomness, and length settings. Octopus, seahorse, and other characters can appear at selectable spawn rates. A built-in clock supports manual and internet-synced time, 12-hour and 24-hour time. Have a story tip? Message me here at element14.projectasciiretroAscii Artarthttps://community.element14.com/technologies/internet-of-things/b/blog/posts/engineers-develop-a-wireless-communication-system-with-112gbps-speedsWed, 27 May 2026 19:56:00 GMT93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:8523ded9-0989-4e1f-b558-8f8c1f205c75CatwellSchematic of the 560GHz wireless communication system with 112Gbps data speeds. (Image Credit: communications engineering ) Researchers from Japan’s Tokushima University, the University of Tokyo, and Gifu University created a new terahertz wireless communication system . It uses the 560GHz band and sends data at 112Gbps. This wireless breakthrough exceeds the performance of modern terahertz systems running on similar frequencies that reach gigabit-per-second speeds. The team says this is the first for wireless technology to surpass 100Gbps at frequencies above 420GHz. This may lead to ultra-high frequency communications and 6G mobile networks that could deliver significantly faster data speeds, extremely low latency, and support a greater number of devices simultaneously. However, the team said that producing stable, high-quality signals above 350GHz is very challenging due to phase noise and declining power output. They solved those issues by combining fiber-coupled microcombs with high-order data modulation together. The microcomb maintained stable soliton operation for over 24 hours under 1W pump power. These small photonic devices split a laser into multiple evenly spaced optical frequencies, providing a stable source for terahertz communications. Two distributed-feedback lasers were phase-locked to adjacent comb lines to generate stable optical carriers. That improved linewidth and reduced error vector magnitude compared to free-running lasers. Afterward, the microcomb-generated optical tones were used in an optical heterodyning process to produce the 560GHz carrier, generated through a high-power uni-travelling-carrier photodiode. Fiber-to-chip coupling configuration for a silicon nitride microresonator. (Image Credit: communications engineering ) Additionally, the team made the system more durable and compact by coupling an optical fiber to a silicon nitride microcomb chip. As a result, this reduced optical misalignment issues and kept the optical coupling stable. The researchers could then make bulky laboratory equipment smaller for easier integration. The researchers implemented thermal regulation to improve the reproducibility of its optical resonance and resistance to temperature changes. When they finished the device, the team proved its high-speed capabilities. They did this by producing two stable optical carriers via optical injection and used QPSK and 16QAM formats to achieve 84Gbps and 112Gbps. Have a story tip? Message me here at element14.researchjapanon_campuswirelessuniversitydatacommunicationhttps://community.element14.com/technologies/internet-of-things/f/forum/56986/iot-connection-issue/235864Wed, 27 May 2026 13:05:00 GMT93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:be0e1a4a-cfba-4673-8747-9b872817db80SamanthaChThank you very much, it was a wiring connection issue.https://community.element14.com/technologies/internet-of-things/f/forum/56986/iot-connection-issue/235863Wed, 27 May 2026 13:04:00 GMT93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:2f2a0db2-d6ff-4257-8e39-985c27aa7be7SamanthaChThanks very much, I solved it. It was a wiring issue.https://community.element14.com/technologies/internet-of-things/f/forum/56986/iot-connection-issue/235827Tue, 26 May 2026 09:40:00 GMT93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:903cce92-cf62-4778-96fe-7f07ab2cf023obonesWithout the code you are running on the ESP32, it's hard to tell. I mean, it could either be a faulty connection, or a faulty setup code inside the ESP32https://community.element14.com/technologies/internet-of-things/f/forum/56986/iot-connection-issue/235819Tue, 26 May 2026 03:31:00 GMT93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:f88a9166-0ece-43ec-9c65-f9103cab12c3shabazYour connections locations look fine to me, perhaps it is a software issue. There's also a chance it could be a breadboard or jumper wire quality issue. Ideally you'd use an oscilloscope to check that you can see I2C data is occurring or not. A logic analyser could be used, but better to start with an oscilloscope and examine the supply, SDA and SCL lines. Without an oscilloscope, I think the best you can do is swap out the jumper cables in case they are faulty, and maybe try a new breadboard unless you know you can trust it (some of the very cheap ones have poor non-nickel-plated contacts for instance), and double-check the code to try to get confdence that I2C is functioning.https://community.element14.com/technologies/internet-of-things/f/forum/56986/iot-connection-issueTue, 26 May 2026 02:07:00 GMT93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:feb567f8-ae9e-4ef2-8893-f9c445087e50SamanthaChHii, may I ask if there might be any connection error between my ESP32 and MAX30102? I used male-to-male jumper wires to connect them, but it seems like the ESP32 still cannot detect the MAX30102 sensor. Does anyone know what could be the issue? Thank you.https://community.element14.com/technologies/internet-of-things/f/forum/56812/converting-the-sensecap-to-standard-lora-wan-gatewayWed, 01 Apr 2026 02:47:00 GMT93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:1dbe580c-36c4-4b98-9bc7-9a53ae0dadc1meera_hussienI have a SenseCAP gateway that I used previously for Helium, but I am not using it anymore. I am planning to convert it into a standard LoRaWAN gateway. I searched online and found that it seems possible. Just wanted to ask if any members here have tried this before, and was it successful? The link for this product is below https://www.sensecapmx.com/docs/sensecap-m1/overview/heliumlorawanseeeduinosensecaphttps://community.element14.com/technologies/internet-of-things/f/forum/56686/industrial-internet-of-things-iiot-solutions/233971Mon, 23 Feb 2026 15:59:00 GMT93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:4d9a153e-1646-4a89-a810-e5445423df49BigGI too struggle with acronym's. It's a bit like suncream... You need to apply liberally when out there in the field... or at trade shows. Otherwise you get burnt. For me, "Industrial" implies environmental conditions. So temperature rating is a big thing (to -40C to 105C etc). Other aspects that apply are voltages (typically can accept 24V) and then immunity to noise etc. Arduino Opta is a great case study of how you take a consumer led IoT product to switch it over to industrial: https://www.arduino.cc/pro/hardware-arduino-opta/https://community.element14.com/technologies/internet-of-things/f/forum/56686/industrial-internet-of-things-iiot-solutions/233950Mon, 23 Feb 2026 04:04:00 GMT93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:274988ab-b40a-4f4d-8b98-82c5094b7549colporteurYou got all that out of I am here looking for IIoT solution for organization.". Wow!https://community.element14.com/technologies/internet-of-things/f/forum/56686/industrial-internet-of-things-iiot-solutions/233942Sun, 22 Feb 2026 23:16:00 GMT93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:c01771c1-893b-471d-851f-5c5417f0a044shabazHi Sean, I suspect IIoT is an informal acronym than the full phrase Industrial IoT. The trade shows mentioned are industry/business focused so would have been ideal for the OP as a first step, if they are serious about moving forward. The industrial part trickles down to requirements such as not having access to the devices for upgrades (I.e. remote upgrades become more important than USB update for a consumer item), needing to have security usually (and proving it), ability to not need to manually configure every single device (because the particular industry/enterprise may be purchasing hundreds, versus a consumer who doesn't mind a slower onboarding per device), maybe far more expensive cloud data storage (might need to mine data later, or might need to process more in near-real-time), more power options perhaps, or run for the life of the product without needing to change batteries, and a bit more ruggedness perhaps, run in colder/hotter temperatures etc. There are all manner of sensors and actuators etc., but it's not a solution, just a bunch of components or at best systems, until the work is done to understand the specific business and technical requirements, and design a solution that provides whatever processing, storage, presentation, control, reports etc that are needed to meet those requirements (i.e. to me it's illogical to ask the original question 'which IoT solution to choose', because no IoT solution already exists for the OP; they have to do the hard work (or hire someone) to design that, and then implement that.https://community.element14.com/technologies/internet-of-things/f/forum/56686/industrial-internet-of-things-iiot-solutions/233938Sun, 22 Feb 2026 20:57:00 GMT93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:89c7a6fe-a5e5-4bb2-811f-4eede83a5568colporteurWhile IoT refers to consumer technology, IIoT specifically targets industrial applications. I didn't know that. You didn't inquire about the industry and the question didn't provide that detail. It involves interconnected devices, such as sensors, actuators, and advanced analytics platforms. Predictive maintenance, which prevents equipment failure, as well as supply chain optimization and increased operational efficiency are some applications. Does IIot match an industry or is it just a collection of data generating sensors and their collectors?https://community.element14.com/technologies/internet-of-things/f/forum/56686/industrial-internet-of-things-iiot-solutions/233812Wed, 18 Feb 2026 16:43:00 GMT93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:fe3a49d8-2d17-4029-913e-df54283df2dfshabazHi, (Long answer): Technically what you'll find are often components or bits of systems or SaaS, it's not a solution. The solution cannot exist until you (or someone on your behalf) has designed it, and then developed and deployed it, ideally to meet (amongst other things) your business needs. If initial needs are very basic (e.g. for a simple initial trial) then you could ask any IoT device manufacturer (for say one of the types of things you wish to monitor or control) to set you up a simple demo, using whatever platform they use (might be their own, or one they are familiar with). Or, even more basic, you could have a play with any IoT platform, most have demonstration software or products, e.g. Azure, AWS, even Arduino I think. It doesn't matter too much since the solution has not been designed at this point, and you're rather using the trial as part of your research to decide what you want in your actual solution. If you really want to move forward and design and implement a solution, then you could hire someone to help you with this, but often you will also need at least a few people in your firm (particularly developers) to dedicate time to the project too. If you really do want to hire someone for a period of time to design the solution for you, if you place the job requirement on your work website or normal site you use for recruitment, or maybe provide the link to it or detail here, I am sure someone may reply (I might depending on the circumstances). However, if you're not at that stage yet, or wish to see what others have done, and if you're completely new to this, it's best to visit a trade show (e.g. there was a free-to-visit large IoT show in London just a week or two ago - and there's a less focused, more generic but larger show in London Excel in two weeks time from now) where you will find hundreds of firms showing their components or SaaS and so on. They will all be able to tell you how their offerings were used in solutions, and it's easier then to see which ones align with your needs, and they may even point you to individuals and firms that they worked with to help build those solutions for the end customer. I'd strongly recommend it, because it's a very quick way to start seeing some of the possibilities, and roughly gauging what you will want or need. I don't know your location, but if you keep an eye out I am sure there will be similar shows at least in your region (and sometimes it is worth visiting trade shows for similar-ish industries too, to see what others may be doing if they have similar requirements.https://community.element14.com/technologies/internet-of-things/f/forum/56686/industrial-internet-of-things-iiot-solutionsWed, 18 Feb 2026 08:41:00 GMT93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:a03b9355-506b-4be6-ab38-52a3fade6d01athangI am here looking for IIoT solution for organization. I also searched this on many different website and found many solutions. We are bit confused to which one to choose. One of my friend suggest me this platform, and i am hoping i will get the solution from here. So can anyone please suggest the good solution platform?iiothttps://community.element14.com/technologies/internet-of-things/f/forum/56442/has-anyone-built-a-truly-low-power-camera-iot-device-on-an-off-the-shelf-som/232548Sat, 27 Dec 2025 15:47:00 GMT93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:7cb5d0c3-fc5f-4849-88be-73f1be382553lichurbaganWhat camera did you use? Was it the ESP32-CAM or something else?https://community.element14.com/technologies/internet-of-things/f/forum/56442/has-anyone-built-a-truly-low-power-camera-iot-device-on-an-off-the-shelf-som/232545Sat, 27 Dec 2025 13:26:00 GMT93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:273fb3d7-d556-440c-a51e-5c9a557ea09fWorkshopshedI've used a simple transistor switch to control the power to things like servos and sensors when trying get the best battery life from a project. Also used a lower power sensor to wake the board and camera before.https://community.element14.com/technologies/internet-of-things/f/forum/56442/has-anyone-built-a-truly-low-power-camera-iot-device-on-an-off-the-shelf-som/232544Sat, 27 Dec 2025 10:55:00 GMT93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:1538e5dc-90a8-4ed1-b9f4-fb689f29b278lichurbaganIf you need months of battery life, MIPI camera and <1 s perceived response then custom hardware is unavoidable, even if you reuse an existing SoC.