Each team must design and build an IoT device (aka "smart device") that performs a useful task within a specific context (such as home, school, business, etc.). Your team must also design and code a companion web app that interacts with your smart device by sending and receiving data over the internet.
Your team will build a functional prototype of your smart device using an IoT electronics kit, which contains a microcomputer with Wi-Fi capability, along with various physical inputs and outputs that can be connected. Your smart device will need to use at least one physical input (such as sensor, button, etc.) and at least one physical output (such as motor, LED light, etc.).
The provided IoT kit has a limited number of parts, so here are some recommendations:
Creative thinking and innovation will be required to identify possible ways to use each part, as well as possible ways to combine parts. For example, how many different ways can you think of to use a light sensor? What other inputs or outputs could be combined with a light sensor to perform some kind of task?
Your smart device prototype might have to be a smaller-scale model or a limited version of your intended product. For example, a smart security system prototype would most likely be a smaller-scale model of what would actually be installed in a home or building and might feature a limited number of sensors.
If necessary, you can simulate certain parts or actions as long as the main task of your device can still be demonstrated. For example, a smart thermostat prototype could use red and blue LED lights to simulate heating and cooling systems that are turned on and off by the device based on readings from its temperature sensor.
If necessary, you can construct parts (using cardboard, 3D-printing, etc.). The constructed parts could provide functional value by helping the device perform its task and/or provide aesthetic value by adding to the device's appearance for demonstration purposes.
Your team will need to design and program two apps that interact with each other: an app that runs on the smart device and a web app that runs in a browser.
The device app will gather and process data from the device’s inputs and respond automatically through the device’s outputs based on certain conditions.
The web app will interact with the device app by sending and receiving data through the internet. For example, the web app could be used to:
display data from the smart device
receive a notification from the smart device
change the smart device’s settings
send a command to the smart device
turn the smart device on or off
etc.
FYI: This project focuses on coding a web app (using JavaScript) that interacts with your smart device. However, it is also possible to code a native mobile app for iOS or Android (using Objective-C, Swift, or Java) that interacts with your smart device.
Each team will create a product marketing website for their smart device. The website should include a product demo video.
At the end of the semester, all teams will demonstrate and explain their smart devices and apps at a public poster presentation.
