I've written before about just how many Internet connected gadgets I have. I've also blogged about my dodgy WiFi lightswitches which send data back to China. Every IoT device you put in your home brings a certain level of risk to the other devices in your network. For example, my Smart TV and my Lifx don't require a password to access. Any device on my network can control them. That's…
Even in the depths of British winter my solar panels'll still happily convert what little sunlight we get into delicious, free-range, organic electrons. Nice! Most of our domestic energy use is in the evening. So, when I'm out at work I can schedule the tumble dryer, robot vacuum cleaner, and WiFi rice-cooker to consume energy when the sun is shining. The rest is sold back into the grid for…
I've got three Raspberry Pis around my house. Well... at least... I think I do. I can certainly ping three of them. I know the physical location of two of them... It's a testament to the success of the Raspberry Pi. Anyone with £30 to spare can pick one up and start hacking. Want to build an IoT fishtank? Start with a Pi. Need to monitor air pollution? Start with a Pi. Have a vague idea...? You …
I've just got a WiFi light switch. As I've explained previously, swapping out all my existing light bulbs with Smart Bulbs would be hugely expensive and has the disadvantage of not working when the switches are off at the wall. A WiFi light switch (theoretically) allows me to control the lights from my phone - and anyone else to use the physical buttons on the wall. That helps avoid this…
In the glorious future, every device you own will have WiFi connectivity. With a tap on your app, you'll be able to switch on your TV, dim your lights, and set the air-conditioner to "frosty". We're not quite there yet - we live in a world where even the newest fangled kit relies on technology from the 1970. Yes, I'm talking about Infra-Red. Good old IR has been around for ages - you're bound …
I closed the window before I left for work this morning. I mean... I'm pretty certain I did. It would be crazy to drive back home just to check... No... I did it. Or was that yesterday... I'm always doing stupid stuff like that. Leaving the fridge door open, forgetting to switch on the washer, having lights on well after sun rise. How can I use technology to automate away my idiocy? Let's…
In 2002, I wrote this dissertation as part of my B.Sc. at UEA. I've kept this edition as close to the original as possible. I've added in links (where they still survive) and inserted a few comments where I was ludicrously wrong or unexpectedly right. This paper is not especially well-written and, if memory serves, received only a adequate mark. Terence Eden - 2016 Executive Summary This…
