During Google I/O this week, visitors to the Moscone Center will have their every movement tracked, but it's not as creepy as it sounds. Google's Cloud Platform Developer Relations team is spearheading a project called the Data Sensing Lab, which utilizes a network of Arduino sensors to collect ambient data and translate it into easily understood visualizations. Fluctuations in temperature, air quality and humidity will be recorded along with noise levels and foot traffic to provide a real-time breakdown of activity within the Moscone Center. The information from the Data Sensing Lab will then be displayed on a number of screens scattered around the conference floor.

The Data Sensing Lab is the next step in Google's quest to master environmental data collection after absorbing the team behind Behavio last month. Developer Programs Engineer Michael Manoochehri admits that the plan is "kind of futuristic, and maybe a little crazy," but emphasizes the practical uses for real-time environmental analytics. For example, information about air quality fluctuations can be monitored to adjust a room's temperature and footstep counters can provide valuable insight into which areas are most popular. In the spirit of open innovation, Google promises to make the Cloud Platform code, the Arduino sensor designs and the collected data available online after the conference. Big Brother might be watching, but at least we'll be able to watch right along with him.

Filed under: Misc, Google

Comments

Via: TechCrunch

Source: Google

How was your week? We got to spend a couple of days trekking around the Carnegie Mellon campus in Pittsburgh, PA to check out some of the latest projects from the school's world renowned Robotics Institute -- a trip that culminated with the bi-annual induction ceremony from the CMU-sponsored Robot Hall of Fame. Given all the craziness of the past seven days, you might have missed some of the awesomeness, but fear not, we've got it all for you here in one handy place -- plus a couple of videos from the trip that we haven't shown you yet. Join us after the break to catch up.

Continue reading Butlers, lunar rovers, snakes and airboats: the best of Carnegie Mellon's Robotics Institute

Butlers, lunar rovers, snakes and airboats: the best of Carnegie Mellon's Robotics Institute originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 27 Oct 2012 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

For Maker Camp, our virtual summer camp for teens, most of the materials for the projects use common household items, others, such as the Compressed Air Rocket Kit in the picture, can be purchased in the Maker Shed.

To celebrate the launch of Maker Camp, the Maker Shed is offering free shipping on all orders over $50! Just use coupon code MAKERCAMP upon checkout to get the deal. It’s the perfect way to stock up on camp supplies or to take your new found skills to the next level. With everything from Arduino, to guitar kits, to tools, the Maker Shed has something for every maker.

Want to attend Maker Camp? It’s easy and free, just follow MAKE on Google+!

Eric Schmidt has said that Google will make cash available through its investment into Teach First to buy Raspberry Pi and Arduino units for British schoolchildren. He was at the UK's Science Museum to talk about Mountain View's partnership with the charity, which puts top university graduates into schools to teach disadvantaged kids. The Android-maker wrote a cheque to fund over 100 places on the scheme, aiming to get bright computer scientists to reintroduce engineering principles to pupils. Mr. Schmidt hoped that with the right support, kits like the Raspberry Pi would do for this generation what the BBC Micro did three decades ago.

Google pumps cash into UK classrooms, will buy Arduino, Raspberry Pi sets for kids originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 05:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Here's an instance of NFC technology that's more exciting than yet another tap-to-pay scenario. Google employee Paul Carff combined a Motorola Xoom running ICS with an Arduino microcontroller to create KegDroid, a friendly green beer dispenser. The Xoom acts as a gatekeeper to that brewed goodness, only letting the bot dispense drinks after users swipe an authorized badge. The badge is read by an NFC scanner on the bottom of the case and is then authenticated (or rejected) by the Arduino board. Once the system grants access, users can choose from two selections on tap via a custom Android application displayed on the Xoom's screen. As Android Community points out -- and as you'll see in the video below -- the KegDroid hasn't mastered a bartender-level pour (read: there's way too much foam). Still, this is oodles cooler than your average keg, wouldn't you agree?

Continue reading KegDroid dispenses beer with the help of a Xoom tablet and an Arduino board

KegDroid dispenses beer with the help of a Xoom tablet and an Arduino board originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Apr 2012 17:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Light-based communication seems to wind throughout the MIT Media Lab -- it is a universal language, after all, since many devices output light, be it with a dedicated LED or a standard LCD, and have the capacity to view and interpret it. One such device, coined Droplet, essentially redirects light from one source to another, while also serving as a physical interface for tablet-based tasks. Rob Hemsley, a research assistant at the Media Lab, was on hand to demonstrate two of his projects. Droplet is a compact self-contained module with an integrated RGB LED, a photodiode and a CR1216 lithium coin battery -- which provides roughly one day of power in the gadget's current early prototype status. Today's demo used a computer-connected HDTV and a capacitive-touch-enabled tablet. Using the TV to pull up a custom Google Calendar module, Hemsley held the Droplet up to a defined area on the display, which then output a series of colors, transmitting data to the module. Then, that data was pushed to a tablet after placing the Droplet on the display, pulling up the same calendar appointment and providing a physical interface for adjusting the date and time, which is retained in the cloud and the module itself, which also outputs pulsing light as it counts down to the appointment time.

StackAR, the second project, functions in much the same way, but instead of outputting a countdown indicator, it displays schematics for a LilyPad Arduino when placed on the tablet, identifying connectors based on a pre-selected program. The capacitive display can recognize orientation, letting you drop the controller in any position throughout the surface, then outputting a map to match. Like the Droplet, StackAR can also recognize light input, even letting you program the Arduino directly from the tablet by outputting light, effectively simplifying the interface creation process even further. You can also add software control to the board, which will work in conjunction with the hardware, bringing universal control interfaces to the otherwise space-limited Arduino. Both projects appear to have incredible potential, but they're clearly not ready for production just yet. For now, you can get a better feel for Droplet and StackAR in our hands-on video just past the break.

Gallery: MIT Media Lab: Droplet and StackAR hands-on

Continue reading Droplet and StackAR bring physical interface to virtual experiences, communicate through light (hands-on)

Droplet and StackAR bring physical interface to virtual experiences, communicate through light (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 15:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Looking for another way to use that aging VGA CRT screen hogging space in the closet? Try making your own dedicated weather screen by mixing together Google's meteorological data stream and some Arduino magic. It looks like parsing that Google Weather data was a bit of a challenge on the miniscule 2KB of RAM, but a tinkerer going by the handle Zmashiah has managed to do it. He's even managed to cram in a few extra graphical flourishes, including icons and background themes that change depending on the temperature and time of day. The entirely PC-free device grabs the data through an Ethernet connection and flashes up all the weather goodness in stunning VGA. Any meteorological mavens reading this can grab the full shopping list and procedure at the Instructables link below.

Arduino kit beams low-fi Google Weather to VGA screens originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Nov 2011 08:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.