Posted by:
Posted on: March 10,
2015
LoFi is a low-power, low-cost way to connect
sensors to the Internet
LoFi is a
small, affordable, auto-transmitting module that Makers can attach to
any appliance or project.
With the
emergence of the Internet of Things, it’s only a matter
of time before the walls of homesarea dorned with smart gadgetry and
nearly everything around us are laden with sensors. However, the
price point of these devices keeps many out of reach for a vast
majority of consumers. Aside from that, there are countless third-party
transceiver modules and data loggers available on the market today that
are still a bit pricey and tend to complicated to deploy in
volume.
In an effort to
solve this conundrum, Maker David Cook has devised a readymade,
self-transmitting module that enables hobbyists and hackers alike to
add wireless connections to any appliance or DIY project in a much more
affordable, less power manner. A user simply needs to attach the
aptly-dubbed LoFi to circuit points or sensors
throughout a home or garden, and its acquired data can be
relayed to either a PC or sent to Internet via Wi-Fi. There’s no
programming or protocols to learn, or carrier boards to be made. The
best part? The entire thing will cost less than a morning cup of
coffee (approximately $3).
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“Using your
desktop or laptop, you can set trigger levels on individual modules to tell
them when to transmit. For example, send an update when the voltage changes by
more than 1 V on the vibration sensor near the garage door opener. You can also
set the module on a timer, such as hourly on your garden monitor,” Cook writes.
The low-cost,
low-power solution is comprised of a cheap transmitter and receiver
along with a pre-populated board that users can wire with appliances
or projects, ranging from a doorbell to a thermostat. By
pairing sensors and a battery, LoFi can be used as a standalone sensor
station outdoors. The pre-programmed board boasts five analog inputs, an internal
temperature sensor, a voltage reference and is based on an ATtiny84A,
which is tasked with monitoring the inputs and outputs of the data. The compact
sender module is also equipped with a red and green LED to indicate status,
and an optional coin-cell holder and pushbutton to manually activate
transmission. What’s more, sensors such as light, humidity and
vibration, and an infrared motion detector can be added as well.
After the
device is all wired up, Makers can take their smartphone, attach it to
the Serial cable and read all sensor values. Users can set minimum/maximum
thresholds and a timer by which they’d like LoFi to relay the
data. Once configured, the inexpensive transmitter and receiver
are attached, connected to a listening gateway, and linked to a
home PC using the aforementioned Serial cable. By doing so, users can
receive all the information that has been sent. Even better,
a Wi-Fi board can be added to enable wireless
transmission to Internet or a home network. It should be noted
that LoFi is compatible with data.sparkfun.com, a free
open-source Internet repository.
LoFi is capable
of achieving low-power by being in deep slow mode most of the time. On
average, the module consumes just 18μA of power, allowing it
to last a year on coin-cell or 10 years on a AA batteries. Given its
power consumption and 1.25 square inch package, the board can be used in a
wide-range of applications.
For instance,
the combination of LoFi, a tilt ball switch and some velcro inside
a Tic-Tac box can serve as a garage door detector. Or, LoFi, an infrared
reflective sensor and a bead jar can alert a user if they’ve got mail. By
gutting an iPhone charger and adding a coin cell, LoFi can create a disguised
in-house temp monitor. The list goes on and on…
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