Weather Station part 1

We are suppose to build a weather station for IoT showcase during the MATLAB and Simulink Day 2017 at Singapore. We have created a completely working weather station simulation that update via Thingspeak in Simulink

now we want to build the real device

here are the list of components we use

raspberry pi 3
sense HAT for raspberry pi
anemometer  or weather station kit with anemometer and rain bucket
arduino nano - for doing i2c with raspberry pi and anemometer as raspberry pi doesn't do analog
or RPI B&A
logic converter (3.3V-5V)
8GB micro SD with NOOBS
PC104 header pin - for accessing GPIO with sense HAT installed
female to male jumper wires

reference
accessing GPIO with sense HAT installed - youtube video

Echo Show makes science fiction home video conference nearer to reality

I have just decided to get my hand onto the new Amazon Alexa Echo Show
It is equivalent to an Echo Dot with a touch screen. What i like to explore is I can call another echo show owner by voice. What i watch as a child in science fiction show is now becoming a home consumer product. I have being using video conference products in my work since 2007, like webex, lifesize, skype for business, but none of them is voice activated. People will argue that Siri can do it but so far it is not of my liking. Not to mention, the iphone is much costlier than a device like echo show. I have actually also combine laptop, webcam and skype to video conference with my family member as early as 2009 but the usage is not very friendly from senior citizen. The Echo Show comes with 2 colours. For me, i prefer black :)

Age of embedded GPU Processing

As deep neural network (DNN) is becoming more popular in cognitive applications as such object detection, so is the embedded device meant to power it. For the past one month, i am trying out vision application for some demos to customers as well as self hobbyist project. I have run the Renesas GR Peach camera module and its video is noticeable not fast (although considering that it is an ARM MCU, it is still very impressive). I then try to do video processing with Zedboard, a Zynq powered FPGA board, but the workflow is rather tedious and requires lots of work. A latest device that i am looking at is the NVidia Jetson TX2.

It is a credit card size embedded board powered by dual core NVIDIA Denver2 and quad-core ARM Cortex-A57. It boasts a 8GB 128-bit LPDDR4 and integrated 256-core Pascal GPU. NVidia has a developer zone that provide resource for developer to play with the kit. So far i am still at the stage of literature review. The embedded board is meant for doing robotic and drone application.

I am planning to perform DNN with it. To ease learning curve in CUDA, i am going be using MATLAB to develop it. The parallel computing toolbox currently enable us to write algorithmn that can make use of GPU with simple syntax. In addition, the forthcoming the CPU Coder enable user to convert it into CUDA code, subsequently deploy it onto an embedded board like Jetson TX2.

The developer kit is launched somewhere in March 17 and now can be purchased online at Amazon. It can be shipped to south east asia free of charge.

Alexa remote for echo dot (2nd generation)

I have decided to give this remote control a try. it allows me to give commands beyond standard listening range of the echo dot. One still need to push the button on the remote to talk.

IoT Training

I have first conducted my IoT talk 2 years ago at Singapore. Subsequently on and off i have talked and engaged with IoT related presentation and deployment with various people. Yesterday encountered an impromptu request to showcase Thingspeak at customer. Then only i have to summarized that it would be great if i can just permanently create a small IoT deployment example with the small microcontroller like ESP8266. I have used Arduino Mega with WiFI shield but it is slighlty bulky.

Next trip to Saigon

Next month early March i will be on my first business trip to Ho Chi Minh city, or previously known as Saigon. In fact its airport still carries SGN as name. It will be my 3rd trip to the city, the first more than at 2008, the second just last year. I have observed huge change to the city. Many new buildings but lesser motorcycles. Perhaps the population is getting richer and can afford car.

In my last trip 9 years ago i stay at New World Hotel, one of the best hotel back then. Last year i stayed at a budget hotel nearby the walking street. For next month, i will attempt my favourite hotel chain Accor. It is fascinating to find that there is a Pullman as well as Novotel at Ho Chi Minh and the Pullman seems cheaper. As a former French colony i would have wondered Vietnam is filled with Novotel, but it is not.

Right now, work aside, i am planning what to buy. Coffee bean, anyone?

The Amazon Fire tablet is on sale during this valentine season, discounted by $10
that makes the 8GB version around US$39.9 RM178 and the 16 GB around RM267
It is really a bargain, considering that other than having some amazon contents BUT also ads, it can interface with Alexa. considering that Echo dot cost $49.9, this is a cheaper version that can also act like tablet and as Kindle ebook reader.

I am really seriously considering getting it but haven't make up my mind whether i should go for 8GB or 16GB. Take note that it does support microSD card but some apps needs to be installed on built in storage. Now get by clicking the link below