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In this episode, Treehouse Teacher, James Churchill, talks to Andrew Chalkley about the Internet of Things.
Internet of Things - IoT
Industrial IoT
Consumer IoT Examples
- Thermostats
- Fitness Trackers
- Other
Sensors
Boards
Operating Systems
Job Market
IoT Kits
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Welcome to the Dev Team Show.
0:00
My name is James.
0:01
In this episode, we're gonna talk
about the Internet of Things.
0:02
Joining me today is Andrew Chalkley.
0:09
Andrew is a teacher here at TreeHouse and
he leads a local JavaScript and
0:12
the Internet of Things meet up.
0:16
Welcome to the show, Andrew.
0:18
>> It's good to be here.
0:20
>> So let's start by just answering
a very basic question which
0:21
you'll help me out in doing this.
0:25
>> Okay.
>> What is the Internet of Things?
0:26
>> So the Internet of things is described
as objects with embedded electronics
0:28
senses and software inside that's
connected to the Internet.
0:34
So it could either be connected
directly to the Internet via Wi-Fi.
0:39
Or it could be connected through get
way a device like a mobile phone be
0:43
a Bluetooth and information from
the device is sent to the Internet or
0:47
vice versa retreat from the Internet to
perform a particular task on that object.
0:52
>> Do you think of like a obvious example
or something maybe I interact with daily?
0:58
>> Sure, there's thermostats from Nest,
1:03
the smart they can
control from your phone.
1:07
Is even my fitness truck is to some degree
internet of things because they connect
1:12
to your mobile device and then the data or
sync with the cloud with services online.
1:17
>> Wow, that sounds interesting and
1:22
potentially like a lot of different
use cases that technology.
1:25
>> Yeah, definitely.
1:28
This comes hear me use, for example, with
that master some security systems now,
1:30
it can make still mine so
you can even let people in.
1:35
So like if you go beyond baby and
1:38
you want to let people into your home,
you can give them digital keys to access
1:40
your property while the way
people use it in manufacturing.
1:46
So people can look at production lines.
1:50
>> So it's there's sensors sensors and
1:54
sounds like there's a big part of this,
right?
1:56
>> Yeah.
1:58
>> And so, sensors help bridge
the gap from the physical world.
1:59
So if it's like a machine or some sort of
material and you put a sensor on there.
2:02
>> Anything that you can physically
sense you can have a sensor for
2:08
which basically translates into digits
ones and zeros which can be interrupted
2:12
by hardware and
then be controlled with software.
2:17
>> Sensors are connected to hardware.
2:22
So there's probably just like in the PC
world, there's a lot of options for
2:25
hardware.
2:28
I would assume.
2:29
>> Yeah, so there's this two main types
of hardware that you could use with
2:30
the Internet of Things.
2:34
There's microcontrollers, which
are basically instant on computers and
2:35
with a little bit of memory and
a little clock cycle but because
2:40
it's doing a specific task, it's very
fast, stop doing that and it's instant on.
2:45
>> [CROSSTALK] Okay.
>> Whereas like single boat computers or
2:49
embedded Linux computers
require a boot up time, and
2:52
then it can perform multiple tasks.
2:56
So like, if you switch on your router,
for example, at home, and that's probably
2:59
got an embedded Linux system on it, and
it takes a little while to kick in and
3:03
then it kicks in with all the-
>> I'm familiar with that.
3:08
>> Yes.
[LAUGH]
3:10
>> [LAUGH] So
3:11
a route is an example of one of
these embedded Linux systems.
3:12
Well, these small computers
like the Raspberry Pi or
3:16
the Intel Edison are basically
full-fledged computers
3:21
that can run any software stack like PHP,
Ruby, Java, C#, and JavaScript.
3:26
And all of these languages will
have some sort of like bindings
3:34
to control the hardware that's
connected to these devices.
3:38
>> I'm a developer now, what my background
is there's an easy path or an easy way for
3:42
me to get started it sounds like
>> I wouldn't say, necessarily easy.
3:46
>> [LAUGH]
>> Cuz
3:50
there's always a bit of a learning curve,
a lot of tasks.
3:51
It's getting better every day.
3:54
So if you're a .NET Developer,
for example,
3:55
you can install Windows on
a Raspberry Pi or an Intel Edison, and
3:58
you can deploy your C# code relatively,
easily to it.
4:03
But say, if you may be doing
something like PHP, that may be a bit
4:07
more difficult to set up because I think
Microsoft wants a control end to end,
4:11
the whole experience with like
that universal Windows platform so
4:16
you can deploy things to IoT all
the way through to a XBox or HoloLens.
4:21
It's like, in the other software languages
well that it's like you said like it
4:26
is and all those things and Linux
subsystems and all that sort of thing.
4:32
So there's a lot more set up
in involved with languages.
4:37
>> So the software side of
the field is pretty familiar.
4:43
There's things to learn there clearly but
it feels like a pretty maybe
4:46
easier transition hardware,
that can be a little intimidating for me.
4:50
>> Yes, yes.
4:55
So a lot of the hardware often
comes with tutorials and and
4:56
you're in a place where you have to maybe
translate it from one language to another
5:02
like I'm doing a lot of whack
right now translated in C++ or
5:06
C into JavaScript because these
devices can run jobs right now.
5:10
And if you're a pioneer in your language,
5:16
you've got to get down to the very-
>> To the metal?
5:18
>> Yeah, to the metal like
binary they've got a binary now.
5:22
So if you could then you being on the Web,
you may have the binary life and
5:27
there's a lot of these
operations that happen that
5:31
if you haven't done computer science,
it can be quite challenging initially but
5:36
once you get used to it,
just flip in ones and zeros off.
5:40
It's a piece of cake.
5:43
>> Easy peasy.
5:45
>> Easy peasy.
5:46
>> So what about electronics like if
I start connecting up sensors and
5:47
doing things, how much do I need to
understand about life circuitry and
5:51
that kind of thing?
5:54
>> Most components have tutorials all
about guides with the wiring on how
5:55
to set things up.
6:00
There's probably a handful of things that
you really need to know because a lot of
6:01
the senses.
6:05
So with electronics you can
get into trouble if you don't
6:08
have the correct resistance.
6:11
>> Mm-hm.
6:12
Can you actually damage the parts?
6:14
>> Yeah, they can blow up,
pop and start smoking-
6:15
>> That sounds exciting.
6:18
>> And different things.
[LAUGH]
6:19
>> Yeah, it can be and
6:19
expensive if you keep doing it.
6:20
But a lot of these components on these
things called Breakout Boards way breaks
6:23
out the pins on the census of the pin
send information to the hardware and
6:27
normally there's a resistor on the
Breakout Boards to solve the resistors and
6:34
things that you need.
6:38
So it's just a matter of like
Lego like put this into that.
6:39
>> Plugin into the right place gives you
the risk but you have to that look up and
6:43
figure out
>> Okay.
6:46
Got it, okay.
6:47
>> So you don't need to know too much.
6:48
I don't know too much but
I'm able to make awesome projects.
6:51
>> Excellent, so it sounds like it's
long as you kinda have that spirit
6:55
of experimentation and kinda diving in and
being bold, you're gonna be good.
6:58
>> Yeah, exactly.
7:02
I mean it's technology, right?
7:03
Like if you're happy with
making a fool of yourself and
7:05
constantly challenging yourself,
is a great place to be in and that's what
7:09
got me into in the first place, is that
[SOUND] a program did so many different
7:14
languages of the years and it's like
a crack that to a certain degree.
7:19
It doesn't feel like it and
that's a really a challenge in a motel and
7:23
a new language.
7:27
But I wanted to push myself
into the hardware the physical.
7:29
>> Yeah.
>> When I first got into a computer and
7:33
program and it was like, this is exciting,
I can push pixels on a screen and
7:35
people can interact with that but
7:39
there's something more fun with
a physical tangible device.
7:41
>> They have more possibilities.
7:44
>> Yeah,
it's more engaging to a wider audience.
7:45
It's like a different user interface
anyone can push a button, it's like using
7:47
a mouse in the case or in tabs, it's a to
go into things and things like that.
7:53
So I think it opens up possibilities for
the use cases.
7:58
>> So this seems like
there's a huge potential for
8:05
this to be this word is overused but
disruptive in a lot of different ways.
8:08
Do you have some thoughts about like
like what do you think the future?
8:13
>> Yeah,
I think it's gonna be this delicate
8:17
balance when Kim came out the iPhone.
8:22
Everyone wants to create a map and do all
these things and they have these ideas and
8:26
some of the ideas were like, the cost
of actually pulling out a phone and
8:30
opening up and up and up and
8:34
doing something was more expensive than
actually doing the traditional thing.
8:35
So I think that's the same thing
in IoT that people will think of
8:39
all these problems, that aren't problems
try to solve them with this device and
8:43
try sell it for like 50 bucks like, hey,
this is the first smart toothbrush.
8:48
Maybe people aren't really concerned about
having a smart toothbrush that, I mean
8:52
the smart enough anyway., that didn't
need to be connected to the Internet.
8:56
>> Maybe you could track when your
kids have brushed your teeth or not.
9:00
>> Yeah, exactly but-
>> For how long?
9:02
>> If you're a responsible parent,
you should be doing that right.
9:04
Even if you know I mean.
9:07
And maybe that's the selling point, some
of those parents is like, you don't need
9:08
to do children and it's like, no, I mean I
think you need to have those discussions
9:12
with the children rather than using
technology to solve a human problem.
9:17
And I think that's an issue
in the industry and
9:20
didn't you know the world
at large is the only you
9:24
know technology can be this
saving Alman in the well but
9:29
it could also be this
detaching from people.
9:33
>> So I'm a developer, IoT is brand
new to me I'm interested in this,
9:38
should I take the time to do this?
9:43
Is this gonna benefit my career?
9:45
>> Potentially has several
studies out there that say,
9:48
it's gonna be a multi-billion
dollar industry.
9:52
But I guess it's what interests you.
9:55
Like, for me it was something
that I wanted to pursue,
9:58
as in to stretch my abilities.
10:02
>> Yeah.
10:05
>> But I guess if you're in a small
agency, maybe explore a little,
10:05
because maybe you can offer
services in languages
10:11
that you already use,
like JavaScript, or Ruby, or
10:16
even Java,
that would benefit some of your customers.
10:21
>> And I suppose there's an application or
data side of this, as well.
10:27
So maybe even just knowing
a little bit about IoT and
10:31
the hardware in the sensor side, might
make you look at where is that data going.
10:34
>> Mm-hm.
>> And there could be a lot of
10:39
possibilities there, as well.
10:41
>> Mm-hm.
>> So
10:43
just having a general awareness
probably would be beneficial.
10:44
>> Yeah, I think just exploring it.
10:46
There's several kits
out there that you can
10:50
just explore likes send information about-
>> So
10:54
you don't have to make all decisions of
what pieces I get, I can buy a kit and
10:56
that makes it easier-
>> Yeah.
11:00
>> Going.
11:01
You can check moisture in plants.
11:01
You can-
>> Light sensors.
11:04
>> Light sensors, yeah, all like them
to detect whether photos being up and
11:06
when it should be in them and
things like that.
11:11
So what's the diff little projects
like that because once you've given,
11:12
if masted on and off, that's basically
everything you know like every day.
11:17
I'm a log signal in which is a scale
of said 256 to 0 of information
11:22
coming in even you really kind of go to,
if you're over the technical.
11:28
You know that once you've assigned a
variable, you can stick anything in there.
11:34
>> Now, you know.
11:40
>> So once you've played around with it,
and it all that's kinda cool.
11:41
Maybe I'll keep that in mind when
talking with clients in the future.
11:46
But I would imagine that more and
more industries will be affected by I
11:50
would say so, I think it's something
that you gonna keep on the RED app,
11:55
the tools are always maturing a lot of
things are still in an immature state.
12:00
And people think it's gonna be
like the next big thing like
12:05
everybody will want a nap,
everybody want an IoT device but
12:10
it's about the, the ubiquity of
computing is gonna be everywhere.
12:15
And if you look at department stores,
some have the smart signs now that can
12:21
deploy like new price in to all
the stores and things like that.
12:28
So instead of having someone manually walk
around and change the signage of the wanna
12:33
do a flash sale and
maybe AB test between department stores.
12:37
All those type of things
you can do with IoT.
12:42
>> If you have some recommendations for
kids will get those in the notes-.
12:48
>> Show, yeah.
>> For the show.
12:51
>> Excellent.
>> Definitely.
12:52
>> Andrew, thanks for joining us today and
talking with us about Internet of Things.
12:53
>> You're welcome.
12:56
>> For more information about
the Internet of Things,
12:58
be sure to check the notes that accompany
this video, also, rate this video.
13:00
Let us know how we're doing.
13:03
Give us your feedback, or if you have a
topic that you like to see as discussed in
13:05
the future, tell us about that.
13:09
Thanks for watching.
13:11
And we'll see you next time.
13:11
[SOUND]
13:12
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