IDF 2015: Games, labs and talks about IoT and robotics
Throughout IDF 2015 there were various seminar, chat sessions and hands on labs.
Bringing the Internet of Things to life
Speakers: Charlie Sheridan and Mark Kelly
The topics covered on this session focused on the Intel IoT platform, “an –end-to-end reference model designed to unify and simplify connectivity and security for the IoT”. Intel is looking to work with partners, researchers, academics and technology leaders to understand the issues and solutions available for IoT. Its important to look at both the technology and the demand, the Intel IoT platform goes through an ideation phase to rapid prototyping to ensure the solution is ready to be tested on the field. Through trial and error the prototype can be perfected and ready for production. Some of the hardware used in the field included Intel Galileo, Intel Edison with a combination of sensors and software.
Cycle to prototype with Intel platform:
Understand the issue -> Implement -> Evaluate -> Exploit -> See results
For a successful solution you need a team that has critical views. It is different for an engineer to test the prototype in the lab than in the field by academics. The Intel IoT platform reference model and family of Intel products is intended to work with 3rd party solutions to provide a foundation for seamless and secure connected devices. The Intel Gateway provides a level of management and computational at the edge that goes beyond processing data. With a flexible gateway one has the power to decide how much data is processed on the edge vs the cloud.
Hands-on lab: Programming the Internet of Things and Robotics with Node.js and HTML5
Robotics is closely related to IOT, we are able to connect sensors in the robots and act on data saved in the cloud. Michael McCool led an incredible hands on IoT robotics lab. From unboxing, assembling of parts and coding this hand-on labs was ambitious and comprehensive. Attendees were able to create and server an HTML5 interface and stream data telemetry using a publish-subscribe model.
By the end of the course one could control the robotic car through the web. Michael suggested to add other sensors and enhance on robots capability.
Build a Tweeter Monkey powered by Intel Edison
This fun hands-on lab aimed to teach attendees how to use the Intel Edison along with Javascript and Node.js to get a toy monkey to act on a Tweet. The code could be adjusted to have the monkey activated depending on a given hashtag such as #tweetmonkey.
If you are a fan of the flying inflatable remote controlled shark imagine adding a web cam and streaming live, spy kit on the making. This hack included the Air Shark with a combination of a SparkFun board and the Intel Edison chip hooked to a web cam.
In the Intel Maker zone there were a number of boards attendees could interact with, create new designs and upload new code. Some examples such as LEDs triggered by light sensors and a drum set were provided. This was an excellent way to have people interested in trying out the various hardware and see their creations come to life.
If you wanted to take a photo with Bill Nye the Science Guy a photo booth waited for you on the 3rd floor. You could chose from a variety of backgrounds and the best part is that they would provide you a hard copy along with a digital copy of your picture. No need for selfies when you have a fun interactive photobooth.
To motivate attendees to visit as many Intel stands as possible RFID bands were provided to attendees that wanted to participate in the coin scavenger hunt. The RFIDs were loaded with your personal data, as you visited the various stands you could scan your band through an Intel Galileo reader and collect coins to redeem for rewards.
Attendees could get their body 3d scanned with Intel RealSense powered cameras. Then, if you participated in the virtual skating game your image would already be pre loaded when you scanned your RFID band.
Imagine being able to control the claw arcade game with your gesture. This was possible at IDF15 and take home an Intel lion or elephant stuffed animal.
To wrap it up, Intel’s attendee appreciation party included arcade games such as skee ball, poke a mole, electrical bikes and air hockey along with a live concert by The Fray. Way to go Intel!
