openPicus blog

How to Integrate Internet of Things with Webserver

2012-01-30T12:29:00.001+01:00

jmlambert, one of openPICUS Flyport Forum user, wants to share with us his project with Flyport, the embedded and programmable WiFi module.

The project is integrating several technologies, found during the investigation of Flyport :

- Web server

- Wifi connection

- Dynamic variables substitutions (in xml files)

- Ajax callbacks

- jQuery use case

- Dynamic Memory allocation (malloc/free) (see heap.s)

- Web service calls : for tweeter, thingspeak and nimbits

Flyport is connected to a PC for development and power. jmlambert used a tablet as a browser to controll the simulator User Interface, as well as to get the results of the web services published by the FlyPort on the right side.

You have to have accounts for Nimbits, Thingspeak and declare some channels inside to be able to publish.

He used for the test his own twitter, but it is advised to change by a dedicated account for the sensors you want to monitor. For twitter, you will get a key to let your sensor write into the stream. For Thingspeak & Nimbits, idem, you will need a key for sending your data to the right channel.

Posting messages to Twitter & others

While a button is pressed, the status is set in the server, in one variable that is shared with the main loop. A switch is used to select the right operation to make depending of the user’s choice

Then 2 libraries are integrated to the project

- Nimbits.c/.h

- Thingspeak.c/.h (included tweet and thingspeak, as well as query not demonstrated in that case)

jmlambert updated the nimbits (simplified, as it was crashing)

void wfNIMBITS (char* hostappspot, char* email, char* secret, char* namevalue, float* value);

He also integrated some dynamic memory allocation to avoid the static alloc of hundreds of bytes in each function that will not be released. Use of malloc / free. For that, he integrated a heap.s file in the project directory corresponds to a heap of 2000 bytes.

To download the project, see openPICUS Forums

Here's the video:

USB Mini Programmer is Now Ready

2012-01-26T16:43:00.008+01:00

Here it is! Our USB Mini Programmer is a small and low cost USB to serial converter. The mini USB connector has 6 pin at 2,54 mm pitch. USB Mini programmer has a standard interface.

USB Mini Programmer is a board for programming Flyport WiFi and Flyport Ethernet; it connects to the PC via USB. JP2, the programming connector, provides 5V.

The pinout:
1 +5V
2 +3,3V (optional)
3 GND
4 RX (must be connected to the URX pin of Flyport)
5 TX (must be connected to the UTX pin of Flyport)
6 Reset (must be connected to the RESET pin of Flyport)

PCB dimensions: L 47,5 mm, H 27,5 mm

USB Mini Programmer - advantages
- the FTDI chip won't be mounted on-board on all the products to save the cost
- low cost
- the programming is compatible with all IDE versions powerd by openPICUS.

Soon USB Mini Programmer will be available on line!

Flyport to measure the temperature (BMP085 temperature & pressure sensor)

2012-01-25T10:57:00.002+01:00

The BMP085 is a ultra-low power, high-precision, temperature and pressuresensor. This sensor offers a pressure measuring range of 300 to 1100 hPa with an absolute accuracy of down to 0.03 hPa. The BMP085 is based on piezo-resistive technology for EMC robustness, high accuracy and linearity as well as long term stability. The sensor is soldered onto a PCB with a filter capacitor and two pull-up resistors on the I2C pins.

The library shows the simplicity of this sensor, through the use of the esternal library importable from IDE.

The application explains the sensor interfacing with the Flyport module and the visualization on the embedded webserver

Download for free the Flyport & BMP085 temperature server Application

How to interface Flyport to cloud services -2nd part

2012-01-23T09:04:00.002+01:00

After we gave you a small taste of how to interface Flyport, the wifi programmable module, with the cloud services, now we are ready to give you all the information you need to do it by yourselves.

Simone, our geek, wanted to measure the temperature of Rome using Google Weather and Flyport, or to put it better, Internet of Things (IoT).

Internet of things is one of the most important technological advances of the 21st century

Why am I telling this? Well, IoT (internet of things) becomes more and more powerful. At present, there are 9 billion connected devices, and by 2020, there will be 24 billion devices (according to the Global Mobile Industry Trade Group, GSMA). Not bad, isn't it?!

This era was much anticipated because all the manner of devices can communicate to each other. The Cloud computing creates everyday new applications to support billions of connected objects. The business trends and the consumer are moving us toward the Internet of Things! You'll ask: what about the privacy? Well, if IoT means increasing benefits in my personal life, I can tell you that exists the way to do it in privately.

What does IoT really mean?

More connected devices such as cars, TVs, DVD players and smartphones and tablets.

Interfacing Flyport to Cloud Services (ThingSpeak)
This DIY gives access to the ThingSpeak Services. ThingSpeak allows to draw online charts, to store and recall values and to use specific APIs to work with Twitter, or to send HTTP requests directly from the ThingSpeak servers.

You can create private or public channels. Every channel can store up to 8 fields (the values) and creates charts with those fields. Every channel has a “Channel ID”, a “Name”, a “Write API Key” and a “Description”. The Write API Key is the most important information of the channel, since it allows to upload or download the field data.

We created a public channel to share with you the results of this Application. You can also use the private channels to respect the user privacy!

Hardware
The hardware used is really basic, but it could be easily upgraded with different connections, sensors, etc. Here are used 4 analog inputs with some very simple resistor-pot series to limit the input voltage above 2V, and 4 buttons with internal microcontroller pullup resistors.

Software
The using of thingspeak services is made easy by the “Thingspeak Library”. It is a ready to use library that allows to write data arrays to channels, or use the thingTWEET and thingHTTP APIs, by the calling of 4 different functions. Those functions automatically prepare the TCP message to send to thingspeak, and handle the receiving of the replies.

You will use also another library: the parse lib. This helper lib provides some functions to “select” a text inside some complex string like a TCP/IP reply of a webserver. The parse lib is used to take the Temperature in °C from the reply of the thingHTTP function.

The thingHTTP request stored inside thingspeak is:
http://www.google.com/ig/api?weather=Roma&hl=en,
and the parse is done at current_conditions parameter.

In this way, Flyport receives only data related to the “current_conditions”, and the other information are not received by the module, with a high reduction of memory space needed for the GENERIC_TCP_CLIENT Rx Buffer (650 bytes are enought).

Flyport WiFi module and all the hardware based on openPICUS framework is ready to download updated weather information, upload data to cloud servers, give access to online data charting functionalities and set custom statuses of twitter account.

Download for free the Interfacing Flyport to ThingSpeak Documentation and the Source Code.

Radio Controlled Car with Flyport openPICUS via Wireless Connection

2012-01-19T14:17:00.003+01:00

Do you remember HackItaly? Well, TheBoss Bear, a participant wrote for us his experience!

"Two months ago, I participated at HackItaly that allowed me to meet the young openPICUS Team and its wonderful jewel: Flyport.

So, me and my teammates, we interfaced a toy car built by Stefano Saccucci with the Microsoft Kinect, obtaining a guidance system controllable with the movement of the arms: great! In addition, we added a Nokia 5800 + "SmartCAM" software in order to have a webcam on board and make driving more interesting.

We won the first prize of Microsoft and the second prize of openPICUS which was of 2 Flyports. I kept one Flyport because I wanted to create a toy car similar to that created by Stefano and, with his everlasting help, I did it!!

The first problem I encountered was the following: "What do I need?"

Theoretically, said Stefano, you need an engine, a mini-servo motor and the bodywork. The engine to control the movement and the speed; the mini-servo motor to control the direction and the bodywork to put the circuits and the battery.
It seemed to be very simple. My second problem, was: "How do I control the engine with 5 or 6V if the Flyport OUT pins have lower voltage?"

L293D is a component which implements an H-bridge and it lets you control with an input voltage another voltage and it also allows the output to a pin rather than another, so as to control the direction (can control up to 2 voltages at a time). I managed to find the L293D but I had some problems to find the engines and the mini-servos. So I bought a radio controlled toy car at 20€: a small Mercedes-Benz GLK350 4Matic. Unfortunately I discovered that instead of having a servo motor to control the direction of the rear wheels, using an engine, making "discrete" rotations of the wheels: either all right or far left or straight. So with the purchase of the toy car, after removing the internal circuits, I was having the bodywork and 2 4.5V engines. I bought a breadboard card that I cut and adapted to the toy car, where I then soldered and connected a L293D to the engines, to the current, following the scheme:

The picture on the right there is a mistake: I reversed the "Out" at the left bottom with "Engine" on the red wire. "Engine" is the engine that moves the toy car, "Engine 2", controls the direction. Reading from left to right, from top to bottom, I have connected the "Outs" respectively to o2, i1, a3, i2.

Whereupon I closed everything and took a look to the firmware. After some test, I am was pleased to see that the motors work great. Here's some code:

#include "taskFlyport.h"

signed char vel = 0;

signed char angle = 0;

void FlyportTask()

{

/* PER COMODITA’ RIMAPPO TUTTI I PIN

IN INGRESSO E LI FACCIO DIVENTARE PIN IN USCITA */

IOInit(i1,OUT); //IN1

IOInit(i2,OUT); //IN2

IOInit(i3,OUT); //IN3

IOInit(i4,OUT); //IN4

IOInit(i5,OUT); //IN5

WFConnect(WF_DEFAULT);

while (WFStatus != CONNECTED);

IOPut(o5,off); //disattivo lucina del wireless

IOPut(o1,on); // accendo dei faretti anteriori

PWMInit (4, 100, 0); //inizializzo la PWM per controllare la potenza del motore 1

PWMOn (D4Out, 4);

xTaskCreate(listener, (signed char*) "tcp listener", 200, NULL, 1, NULL); //lancio task in ascolto su connessione TCP

signed char oldvel=0;

signed char oldangle=0;

while(1)

{

if(vel!=oldvel){

if(vel==0)

PWMDuty(4,0); // disattivo la pwm e quindi il motore

else{

int temp = vel>0?On:Off;

int temp2 = vel<0?On:Off;

IOPut(o2, temp); //OUT per l’avanti

IOPut(o3, temp); //OUT per il dietro

PWMDuty(4,vel>0?vel:-vel);

}

if(oldangle!=angle){

if(angle==0)

IOPut(i1, Off); //controllo il motore 2 solo con On o Off, giacché il movimento è discreto

else{

int temp = angle>0?On:Off;

int temp2 = angle<0?On:Off;

IOPut(i2, temp); //OUT per la sterzata a destra

IOPut(i3, temp); //OUT per la sterzata a sinistra

IOPut(i1, On);

}

The data are sent via TCP socket in the format: {SYMBOL} {VALUE}. Example: To set the speed to 40% I send the string "S (" symbol "(" has a value of 40. In bytes: 83:40 (decimal) To set the angle on the right I send "65:01" (65 stands for "A") If you want you can choose the symbols above the 100th (being careful to the negative values) to be sure that the symbols have different values from the % of power on the engine. This is the part of the task server:

void listener(){

static TCP_SOCKET Socket;

Socket=TCPServerOpen("1989");

while((Socket==INVALID_SOCKET));

UARTWrite(1,"Server creato\r\n");

unsigned char minibuff[2];

int tcplen;

while(1){

if(TCPisConn(Socket)){

if((tcplen=TCPRxLen(Socket))<2) //aspetto che ci siano almeno 2 byte da leggere

{

}

else

{

TCPRead(Socket, minibuff, 2);

if(minibuff[0]==’S’)

vel = (signed char)minibuff[1]; //-100 <-> 100

else if(minibuff[1]==’A’){

angle = (signed char)minibuff[1];//-100, 0, 100

}

else {

UARTWrite(1,"Non sono connesso\r\n");

vTaskDelay(50);

}

It was be missing only the client on the computer that I decided to develop in C#, for its convenience to manage the connections. I also wanted to put the Nokia 5800 as webcam in order to make the ride more interesting!  Here's the video:

Then I also tried to add a horn/buzzer, getting a funny effect. And to be honest, it's definitely been an interesting experience and I understood the potential and the limitations of Flyport, dictated mainly by the imagination of those who have it between the hands!"

Note: the original source of the firmware have been lost. Those proposed here, there are only to give an idea of the original operation. It could cause problems regarding the management of the buffer socket that is emptied slowly and may contain syntax errors. I apologize in advance", concluded TheBoss Bear. A big Thank you to TheBoss Bear for sharing with us not only his experience but also his project! Do you have a Flyport Project?! Well, contact us to publish it on openPICUS channels!

How to inteface Flyport to cloud services -1st part

2012-01-18T14:46:00.011+01:00

This article is just a small taste of a new Application Note that the guys from openPICUS Lab are developing.

We want to create our Internet of Things application using the cloud services. We choose ThingSpeak.

Thingspeak is an application platform. ThingSpeak Apps are apps that make it easier for devices to access resources on the web such as social networks, web services, and APIs. The guys at ThingSpeak describe it as "an open application platform designed to enable meaningful connections between things and people"

Interface Flyport to cloud services - To do what?

In this application we want to use Flyport using ThinkSpeak to draw charts, to update our Twitter profile and to read the temperature of a city (Rome in our case).

Stay tuned to openPICUS Flyport Blog not to lose the release of this new DIY.

Read the second part of how to interface Flyport to cloud services

Small PCB for a complete Geiger Counter with Flyport

2012-01-16T14:20:00.002+01:00

Geiger Counters are actually quite simple circuits. But what if you want to store the readings on a computer?! It's not a problem, because there are devices for this purpose.. but usually are very expensive! There is a very simple and inexpensive solution: Flyport embedded wifi module!

Vohburger signal us a new project with Flyport: he built a small PCB for a complete Geiger Counter, using Flyport. A Flyback Converter followed by a Diode Cascade Voltage Doubler creates 400 Volts DC to power a SBM20 Geiger Counter Tube. A small transistor then shapes the Impulse from the Tube, the Impulse is counted on the IN1 Pin with the using of a timer with external input. The results of the couter are managed by the using of also the RTCC internal module, and presented on both the webserver and the serial port.

Warning: HIGH VOLTAGES used in this project could be VERY DANGEROUS! Please pay particular attention when exerimenting with this kind of circuits!!

Full description (in German) can be found here.

Take a look on the openPICUS Forum discussion.

Visit for free Embedded World 2012! We offer the invitations!

2012-01-13T15:25:00.006+01:00

Who does not know the Embedded World Exhibition, the biggest exhibition of ist kind and meeting-place of the international embedded community!

This year the Embedded World Exhibition will take place from 28 February to 1 March 2011! openPICUS will be there at Halle 1 - Stand 270.

We know how much you want to be at the world's leading Embedded Conference, to see our applications with Flyport, to have in front of your eyes the power of Internet of Things, that's why we decided to offer some invitations.

Hurry up and email me privately so you receive your registration code!

openPICUS Flyport featured as Microchip Design Partner of the Month

2012-01-13T13:30:00.000+01:00

2011 gone out with a bang for openPICUS Flyport! Well, we have been chosen as Microchip Design Partner of December.

We won with "Wi-Fi control a RC car using Flyport and Microsoft Kinect" Application. Practically, it's an explanation of how to drive a car using body movement, from anywhere over Internet.

"In this application Flyport is connected to the car DC motors, using the PWM pins and it receives commands over Wi-Fi about direction and speed. The control occurs via Microsoft Kinect optical sensor, recognizing the depth of the left foot (to drive) and the hand positions (driving direction) gives us a realistic guide without any physical sensor or marker. The data is sent through a TCP connection, using the ubiquitous Wi-Fi infrastructure, to the Flyport who then proceeds to implement, through the PWM signals, the two engines (one for steering and one with H-bridge for the acceleration). The result is a futuristic interaction between people and embedded, or physical, world. Flyport enables a new scenario of embedded applications or controls, where the natural interface is the body movement.

To read the entire App, download the pdf (page 13).

How to drive a lamp from an iPhone using Flyport

2012-01-05T09:16:00.000+01:00

On youtube, we found a new application with Flyport: switch on/of a lamp with iPhone.

The user used the simplicity and flexibility of the Flyport connector (pinstrip 13x2) to develop a simple and a functional DIY PCB, that any hobbyist can mount, bypassing the difficulty of mounting SMD components as they are already present on the Flyport module.

I just want you to remember some application of Flyport:

And you?! What are you waiting for?! Start your project with flyport! ;)

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from openPICUS

2011-12-24T10:34:00.003+01:00

You better watch out
You better not cry
Better not pout
I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town!

We don't know of you were naughty or nice, but we want to cheer to our readers, who come on this blog every day, who knows us out of the network, who is happy, who is not.

May this Christmas be so special that you never ever feel lonely again and be surrounded by loved ones throughout! This is a good time for all of us to focus on what really matters — our families, loved ones and relationships.

Merry Christmas from the heart and a Happy New 2012!
openPICUS's Team

DIY Santa Claus Singer with Flyport - Second Part

2011-12-22T14:27:00.010+01:00

Stefano finished the DIY Santa Claus Singer with Flyport application and now he's sharing with all of us.

First we need to create an automatic control which, connecting with Twitter, is able to identify those tweet with specific hashtag (#). To do this, you have to register on paraimpu.crs4.it (it's a set cloud services for the IoT; more on paraimpu) and add a new “Sensor”: the Twitter Sensor with hashtags happynewyear,openpicus o merrychristmas,openpicus.

Important is that you put a hashtag control, ie openpicus, in fact the sensor controls in this case only the tweets with both words and that is an AND between openpicus and merrychristmas. Add an openPICUS or general type “Actuator”, by taking then the token to use on the firmware of Flyport.

You'll need two sensors, one per pair of hashtags, and a single actuator. We connect the sensors to the actuator through the black arrow “follow” and activate the connection you just created by clicking on the "play".

Now each time a user writes on twitter a tweet with selected hashtags, paraimpu will registrate them on the actuator.

Now, let's see the real electronics part!

I have a Santa Claus that lights up and moves when you turn on its switch. So bypassing the switch, you can build a virtual switch with an NPN transistor. The base is controlled by the signal coming from the "out2" of Flyport with a resistor to limit the base current. Our Santa Claus, it's like an active load between the collector and VDD (2 AA batteries) and the emitter to ground (GND) shared by Flyport and Santa Claus.

Firmware:

After setting the usual Wizard on openPicus IDE (with GenericTCPClient TX: 1200 and RX: 1200), we have to import the libraries dedicated to paraimpu (still in beta) named paraimpu.h e paraimpu.c .

The feature that interests us is this:

void jsonGETPARAIMPU( char* token, char* data);

Indicating a token and a string in which write data, the function allows you to connect to the paraimpu server, query the device that has that specific token and rewrite the data received on the given string.

For each request is taken and then deleted from the server only the oldest record among those available. Other combinations are also possible by adding various parameters to the command query http.

The code:


#include "taskFlyport.h"
#include "paraimpu.h"
void FlyportTask()
{
 WFConnect(WF_DEFAULT);
              while (WFStatus != CONNECTED);
 vTaskDelay(200);
 char mess[1000];
 mess[0]='\0';
 while(1)
 {
  jsonGETPARAIMPU("c7a3767b-ef29-469c-aee5-ad885e74d72 ",mess);
  vTaskDelay(50);
  if (strstr(mess,"merrychristmas")>0)
  {
   IOPut(o2,1);
  }
  else if(strstr(mess,"happynewyear")>0)
  {
   IOPut(o2,1);
  }
  else
  {
   IOPut(o2,0);
  }
  vTaskDelay(800);
  IOPut(o2,0);
  mess[0]='\0'; 
              }
}

in response we'll have: blank page, 204 No content or the received raw data (in this case from my account with the couple hashtags #merrychristmas #openpicus):

The "if" are for distinguish the various possibilities. "Else" is important because allows us not to switch-on Santa Claus when the page is blank or when there are no data available (ie no one tweet hashtags pairs).

Now just complilate, upload the firmware on Flyport and enjoy your singer Santa!

How to connect a humidity and temperature sensor to the Flyport

2011-12-21T14:06:00.000+01:00

Adonatelli, one of our openPICUS Forum user, connected a humidity and temperature sensor (RHT03) to the Flyport.

These are the Flyport and the RHT03 sensor mounted on a breadboard. Connections are straightforward. IN5 is connected to PIN 2 of the RHT03 which is also connected with a 1K resistor to power. PIN 1 goes also to power while the others PINs are connected to ground.

This is the web interface of the project that you will get pointing your browser to the flyport address:

The application contains a basic web page to show the functionalities of Flyport and how to control the digital IOs and monitor the analog inputs from the browser. The page uses AJAX requests to update the values of the analog and digital IOs.
The web pages contains images and is formatted with a css stylesheet.

In this example, the user frmware is very basic, it just connects to the default network using the command WFConnect(WF_DEFAULT) and awaits for the connection to be established (monitoring the system variable WFStatus). By default, Flyport creates an open ad hoc network, but all the parameters can be changed running the wizard.

Download the project from openPICUS Projects

DIY Santa Claus Singer with Flyport

2011-12-20T15:49:00.000+01:00

A Christmas application with Flyport, naturally! We all love "Sant Claus is coming to town!" song and, here, in the office, we have a Santa singer. Stefano wants to make this new application: go on Twitter and write: #merrychristmas #openpicus or #happynewyear #openpicus! Our Santa will sing! Practically, from your PC you'll switch on our Santa Claus.

The application is in progress! We'll let you know step-by-step how to control your Santa!

Meet the openPICUS Voice on the Web

2011-12-20T14:31:00.002+01:00

We just want to introduce you, Ionela, our voice on the network. Ionela will help you, will read your feedback, your applications or projects. She also sends your ideas or problems to the Engineer Team.

If you are working on an application based on Flyport, just send her a photo or a video and some info about it and she'll publish it on the Blog, on Facebook and Twitter, giving it a lot of visibility.

"Do you have an amazing idea?! I can not wait to hear it", said Ionela

Join the openPICUS Forum and Introduce Yourself ! Ionela will be there to welcome you!

Meet the Flyport Audio Board Developer!

2011-12-16T15:27:00.001+01:00

Yesterday came in our office, Andrea, the guy who developed the Flyport audio board. Arrived here, he played ping-pong with the guys and then he shown us his application.

Andrea presented his invention at LinuxDay in Urbino. This application is about controlling the lights on bus konnex, the multiroom music through speakers connected to FlyPort with audio nest. You can also monitor the temperature and the humidity thanks to a sensor connected to FlyPort.

Konnex is an European technologic standard which integrates all the bus systems for Home and Building Automation. Everything is remotely managed and synchronized in order to manage the house in the cloud on the google server engine: authomecloud.appspot.com/

We played a little! :)

We are always happy to meet our developers! You come here and present your project with Flyport and we'll publish it on our blog and offer you some cakes!... and a ping pong match! So, who's next? :D

[on the photo, Andrea - to the left - and Claudio talking about the application]

Internet of Things and Flyport at BTO 2011

2011-12-15T09:25:00.007+01:00

"Internet of things is the future [...] Italy, actually is a very very on top office research, so if you look, I have a device: that's Flyport from openPICUS, an Italian open source Company" - this was the description of Internet of Things and Flyport made by Dominique Guinard of webofthings at BTO 2011, the event dedicated to the long chain of tourist operators, to those who do research, study, work or will work.

BTO spoke to those who want to continue to improve their skills, understanding and interpreting the benefits of innovation.

If you are wondering what tourism and technology have in common, I will simply answer: Internet of Things, because internet of things connects the objects with the internet! The future sounds interesting!

DIY Relay Interface PCB for Flyport to remotely turn on the lights or appliances

2011-12-13T16:30:00.001+01:00

Vohburger, one of our user, created a small relay interface PCB for Flyport. This relay interface PCB houses the Flyport module and also supplies 5V Power via a Transformer and 5V Regulator.

Out4/Out5 are used to drive Relays (through NPN transistors). Also isolated inputs are there, provided by 2 Opto-Couplers.

The Layout/Eagle File are available for free upon request. The full project in German is here.

Very useful project to control your Garden irrigation or Boiler with your smartphone. Remember that you can customize the integrated Flyport Webserver with stunning pages!

Control your things over Internet with Flyport!

Released IDE 2.1 and Flyport Programmers Guide

2011-12-07T09:57:00.007+01:00

openPICUS team is happy to announce the released of the new IDE 2.1 and the Flyport Programmers Guide.

The IDE 2.1 main updates are:

- Energy saving functions: you can turn off the Flyport or just the Wi-Fi transceiver (Hibernation)

- Improved IOInit() function to easily remap all the peripheral pins

- Simplified management of the external interrupts with a simple instruction

- From Wizard it is now possible to modify the number of serial ports and their buffers size

- From Wizard it is also possible to select the number of UDP sockets and related buffers size

- Pushbuttons debounce function improved

- On code editor improved Autocomplete and Tooltips added for each function

- Added a timestamp at the end of compiling process

- Visualization of Ram status at the end of compiling.

- It is possible to add HTML documentation to each project

- Framework global performance improved

- Full compatibility with each C30 version >3.24

- Various minor bugs fixed

Download the new IDE 2.1

The Programmers Guide explains the software embedded inside the Flyport and how it works. More than 60 pages with explanations and examples.

Download the Programmers Guide.

New low cost programmer with mini USB connector

2011-12-06T15:58:00.002+01:00

We just designed our low cost programmer with mini USB connector! It is basically a USB to TTL serial converter with DTR signal that drives the RESET of our modules using a simple IRLM6402 Fet.

It means you can download firmware from your computer without any action on Reset buttons and during development you can save hundreds of pushbutton pressions!

So on the Nest and miniNest boards will be now present a FTDI chip. On all these boards will be present a 6 ways p.254mm connector that fits this new miniUSB PROGRAMMER.

Download the Schematic and PCB.

openPICUS on Technorati

2011-12-04T11:42:00.001+01:00

Do you know Technorati? It is an Internet search engine for searching blogs. The name Technorati is a blend of the words technology and literati, which invokes the notion of technological intelligence or intellectualism. Our blog received this code: 5JWYG39EAN4C

Paraimpu, Web of Things and openPICUS

2011-11-30T13:10:00.001+01:00

Alongside the current trend and the Internet of Things concept, the Web of Things is a web evolution that consists of multimedia documents, files, links and people, which involves also the inclusion of "intelligent" objects and the everyday use: appliances, sensors, digital frames, weighing scales, toys, electro-medical equipment and other ludic gadgets as Karotz, Chumby.

In the Web of Things vision, these "smart" objects become part of web, comunicate and interact with the persons and between them using the protocols that make up today's web (in the first place, HTTP): in a few words, the same protocols that we all use whenever we visit a web page or we interact with our favorite social network, or we make an online purchase.

In the past year, the research group of LBS (LBS http://geoweb.crs4.it/) of CRS4, have focused in this particular field and the researchers Antonio Pintus, Davide Carboni and Andrea Piras have initiated the project Paraimpu: a social tool for the Web of Things. It is a scalable Web platform that allows anyone to easily connect their smart objects to the Web, manage them, inter-connect with each other putting them in communication with an exchange of data in real-time and share them with friends and contacts, as how you share the photos or videos on the various existing social networks. Paraimpu's vision is that of an "extended" Web of Things, in which not only physical real objects, become part of it and communicate with each other but also the inclusion of "virtual" objects, ie applications, services, software, social networking, programming interfaces, and other objects on the Web. In this way, it's possible to realize real "mash-up" connecting between them both physical and virtual objects thanks to a powerful mechanism for transforming data (this mechanism is absolutely necessary given the high degree of heterogeneity of the objects, by nature and function). Paraimpu is available here: http://paraimpu.crs4.it and (pending the openness to all) you can request an alpha account simply by filling in a form. We would want to remember the social aspect of the platform: the idea of a social Web of Things provides not only the integration with the existent social network, such as Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare (which become, as we have seen, objects of the system), but Paraimpu materializes the concept of a real sharing of objects, things, between users on the Web.

An example: if a user buys a temperature sensor rather than a CO2 detector, he connects it to an openPICUS board, for example, and he installs it in its own terrace, why do not share the information with his friends or other people? The sharing of this information would prevent the latter from having to buy the same objects to capture data in the same city or in the same area, thereby producing the triple effect of a more collaborative consumption, of a reduction of waste and duplication of data on the system.

Once logged in Paraimpu, the user finds himself inside his workspace (FIG. 1), through which he can add and connect objects. This is possible thanks to the paddle that contains both the wizard for adding well-known objects in the system, such as Facebook, Twitter, Arduino, Chumby, OpenPiCUS, etc. ... and those to create generic objects. In the first case, the custom-made wizards allow the user to add objects and ensure that communicate with the system with the necessary configuration minimized or even without this need. In the second case the user has complete freedom of configuration.

Using the workspace, the user is able to connect together the various objects, possibly by setting rules on Adapting/filtering and sharing in a social as we mentioned earlier.

Among the well-known objects, Paraimpu team developed and now offers full support for Flyport Wi-Fi module.
In practice, the system allows the adding at the own workspace these boards both in a "Sensor" configuration, ie to send the data read by the sensors connected to the pins of the board to Paraimpu, both in a "Actuator" configuration, ie to read data from Paraimpu and perform an action, for example by activating something connected to the board.

Paraimpu helps the user writing automatically the C code for the particular configuration and making it available for download, directly from your workspace. In this way, through the OpenPICUS IDE is possible to compile and upload the code created by Paraimpu, directly on the board and see it working and connected it to the system in a few steps. In addition, the system assists the user in the test and in the creation of connections involving OpenPICUS, thanks to a graphical widget that allows you to set the values and the status in the various pins (Fig. 2).

A first tutorial on how to use OpenPICUS Flyport is available on Paraimpu official blog

Scenarios and Applications

One of the first tangible application, made by Paraimpu, is the permanent installation called Tlight, created by Quit which involving the T Hotel, a 5-star hotel, Cagliari, Sardinia. This artistic installation allows anyone to modify both the shades of color, and the behavior of the lights on the top of the glass tower
simply sending a message to the social network Twitter. To interact with the tower of T Hotel you can send a message on Twitter with hashtag #thotel and make a sentence (only one) with one of the following words: red, blue, green, orange, yellow, white, cyan, wave, different, couple, full, pulse and random.
For example: #thotel green is the color.

The Tlight installation is just a recreational artistic example, that everyone can use, wherever they are in the world, of the potentiality offered by the system. Paraimpu in fact enables the creation of numerous applications ranging from artistic installations to home automation, to tele-medicine, environmental monitoring; the real limit is the imagination and the real needs of users.

In addition, we began to experiment the monitoring of systems for solar thermal energy production, as well as Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) scenarios, in which the patients with a particular disease are assisted by the environment they live in major daily activities, such as hiring drugs; this thanks to the objects, to the things that surround them. On this last scenario, we also made a video, take a look:

New NEST board for lighting and home automation applications

2011-11-28T10:05:00.001+01:00

Finaly the requested NEST board useful for lighting and home automation applications will be ready on sale around mid Jan 2012. The NEST board can be used to turn on/off the loads or to dim the lights.

Two inputs are also available to monitor the switches or other digital signals. Nest board is compatible with Flyport WiFi and Flyport Ethernet

It has the following specs:
- Four Relays 220V/5A (for lamps or loads up to 1KW)
- One Dimmer 250W - optoisolated (to adjust the brightness of the lamps)
- Two inputs (dry switch or 0-5V or 0-10V)

The schematic is ready, now we design the PCB and then straight to prototypes! Download the schematic from Scribd

The product will be on sale around mid Jan 2012.

openPICUS website is now online!

2011-11-25T14:19:00.006+01:00

We finally launched our new website - openPICUS. With a clean and updated look our website now hosts categories for all, for hobbistics, for distributors, for resellers and Universities.

Stay tunned to our blog, for the release of IDE 2.1! Oh, feel free to send us your feedback!

openPICUS new site - Forum offline

2011-11-23T10:15:00.006+01:00

Do you remember when I told you to stay tunned on our blog because there will be some news?! One important news is for those who are registered on our Forum. Because of the new site, the Forum will be offline for a while - it will be online tomorrow, Thursday, 24th, November, 2011

Stay calm, we do not lose any data! All you have to do is to change the password (only the pass!) when you'll receive an email from us. So, don't forget to check your mail!Now let me tell you something about the new openPICUS site. With a really updated look, the site hosts information for Hobbyists, System Integrators, Distributors and Universities.

Do you want more?! Well, stay tunned to our blog!

Follow us on Social Network sites

2011-11-22T13:20:00.002+01:00

Get in touch with openPICUS! Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter and Re-tweet our tweets! We are also on Linkedin! There is also our email for any info or suggestions. Do you want to watch our videos?! Go to Youtube!
Oh, we are also on Google+! Follow us!

If you are already a follower, then help us grow! Suggest our page to your friends! It's easy and does not cost anything! ;)

Open Source Home Automation with FlyPort and Konnex Bus

2011-11-18T16:06:00.000+01:00

A new application with FlyPort on home automation! This is about controlling the lights on bus konnex (presented at LinuxDay @Urbino), the multiroom music through to speakers connected to FlyPort with audio nest. You can also monitor the temperature and the humidity thanks to a sensor connected to FlyPort.

The system doesn't connect Flyport to the konnex bus. It is a linux server installed on a router which enables the control of a konnex plant. It's possible to turn-on/off the lights, displaying everything on the web page. FlyPort is used for the audio streaming and for monitoring the temperature of the environement. By selecting a room from the webserver map it's also possible to select the source, such as particular song. The web interface is on linux server, not on Flyport.

The project is very interesting because it integrates into a single system Flyport with a supervision server konnex, which is the worldwide standard for home automation.

Here's the video:

AuthHome: Open Source Home Automation:
-bus konnex control
-streaming audio multiroom
-temperature and humidity control
-cloud integration

More on Konnex (KNX) bus:

Konnex is an European technologic standard which integrates all the bus systems for Home and Building Automation. The Konnex standard expresses in a single system the best solution for the development software and use.

openpicus Flyport, the protagonist at HackItaly

2011-11-16T17:10:00.002+01:00

The openPICUS team had a very busy weekend. Gabriele, the co-fonder of openPICUS project, participated in HackItaly in Milan. What did he do there?! 12 hours of geeking out!!! Together with other developers created some new hacks or applications.

Stefano from Rome University presented his FlyPort application with Kinect (Kinect to RC model) and Andrea from Urbino University, Flyport Stereo Audio Streaming. "Kinect to RC model" is a system for controlling a toy machine via wifi through the sensor of microsoft kinect.

Well, guys, it was fantastic! Everyone was fascinated by flyport applications, hereupon Microsoft has given us two HTC phones (with Windows phone 7) to interact with the real world through FlyPort.

We offered some FlyPort modules. The guys developped some cool applications with it; one of these is Flyport streaming songs from play.me over wifi. Cool, isn't it?!

On Flickr, see the photos; and also here.

openPICUS @HackItaly again! Now we reward you!

2011-11-11T12:28:00.014+01:00

Yes! After the success had with FlyPort at Hackitaly, last September, openpicus team returns with big surprises! HackItaly is the first event for hackers and developers all Past & API.

In September, we presented the FlyPort to Arduino socket board. The board is mechanically compatible with the Arduino shield and it has the same pinout. On the board there is an USB port to feed it and load the firmware on Flyport, which is equipped with a serial bootloader.

Play with FlyPort at HackItaly and you'll win:

1st place: 1 Flyport starter kit + 1 digital oscilloscope DSO QUAD (with a color screen)
2nd prize: 1 starter kit Flyport + digital multimeter DVM4000
3rd prize: 1 Flyport Starter Kit

The contest is co-sponsored by Futura Elettronica which is also an openPICUS official reseller.

Hurry up! We are coming!
Saturday, Novembre 12th, at 8:30 am
Milan Microsoft Innovation Camp

This time we prepared a big surprise.....Stay tuned on Twitter to discover it!

Discover more about HackItaly

FlyPort Ethernet is born!

2011-11-08T14:30:00.002+01:00

We are pleased to share the first pictures of the 6 prototypes of the new Flyport Ethernet. The module is mechanically identical to Flyport Wi-Fi, but it has a second connector (see picture below).

Flyport Ethernet has the same Microchip PIC24F microcontroller and the Ethernet controller ENC424J600-I/PT 10/100Mb also from Microchip.

We received several request to enlarge the storage space for web pages, so we decided to add an external 2Mbit memory on the module: SST25VF016B-75-4I-S2AF

A note on RJ45 connector: we decided to connect all its 8 signals to the second 2*13 connector because maybe there are some application where is better to use an external RJ45. Another reason is because in this way you can add a POE circuit on the Next (expansion board).

The standard version will be with the RJ45 connecton onboard, but it will be possible also to order the module without it.

We are gonna release the datasheet and pinout of the module as soon, together with some new Nest boards we are designing these days.

The Flyport Ethernet module will be cheaper than Flyport Wi-Fi, price will be published in December with the first production batch.

If you wanna receive the first modules in December send us an email to reserve your units!

Multiroom audio controlled wireless with FlyPort

2011-11-04T16:00:00.002+01:00

Speakercraft MZC-88 is a powerful multi zone audio controller/amplifier capable of switching eight different audio sources on eight zones. Lawrence Watts has posted a very interesting project to control the Speakercraft device using the Flyport. The UART port of Flyport has been connected to an RS232 transceiver to modify the signal level and to properly communicate with the Speakercraft, so bidirectional communication is assured. Then he has developed some webpage to control all the functionalities of the multiroom controller.

So, simply using a web browser, it's possible to change the audio sources and automatically switch them to a single room, or to the whole house, change all the volume in the zones, and even control the play/stop functions of the sources.

In the webpages is also possible to display a video server and control it to change the TV channels! All the webpages re optimized to a perfect view with the iPad.

Really a great project!

The schematic:

Here's the video:

On openPICUS Forum you'll find the project. Good job, Larry!

Easy 220V plug controlled by Flyport

2011-11-03T16:00:00.000+01:00

Antoine from Giga-Concept developed this application with FlyPort. The relay does all the job, as you can see on the picture bellow:

I use a transistor connected to the +5 because the output voltage on the d1out was not enough to switch the relay. So the d1out switch the transistor which switch the relay, said Antoine.

The load can be easily turned on and off via the Flyport webserver, using a very simple page.

openPICUS to Arduino shield socket is now available

2011-10-28T17:00:00.000+02:00

openPICUS partnered with Arduino for you! openPICUS to Arduino socket board let you use the Arduino shields with the openPICUS modules.

The board is 100% compatible with the Arduino mechanical and 3.3V electrical standard, but there's no Arduino processor inside. The processor will be the openPICUS module you will decide to use. For example you can use Flyport to have a powerful, programmable, Wi-Fi connected system. You can use this board also to download firmware to Flyport using the USB connector.

openPICUS to Arduino shield socket is available here

Robot with Flyport

2011-10-27T15:00:00.000+02:00

FlyPort was the VIP at IP Convergence thanks to Giga Concept.

Giga concept demonstrated, using our FlyPort, that an Android phone can become a remote control of a toycar, controlled by a touch pad or a robot by Microsoft Kinect.

Flyport is not just the connection module of the Robot, but it manages also the motors with the PWM outputs available.
This application is extremely useful to understand the real power of the Flyport hardware and the openPICUS integrated framework. Thanks to the framework the application, management of motors basically, and the Wi-Fi stack are smoothly working together. Remeber that openPICUS framework is based on freeRTOS that keeps all the processes, threads, perfectly coordinated.

So in the meantime Flyport is managing 2 dc motors it also keeps the TCP connection open to receive remote commands from the mobile phone or from the PC and Kinect.

We have used the original board sold with the robot and replaced the PIC18 with the Flyport to bring Wi-Fi communication capacities to the robot. The PIC18 was not soldered so we have removed it and adapted the pinout of the connector to the Flyport Nest. said Antoine of Giga Concept.

Connect to the Kiroerr-1EL

The code developed has been shared by Giga-Concept and it is perfectly in line with the philosophy of Open Source.

All FlyPort applications in Big Bang Theory movie

2011-10-25T10:20:00.007+02:00

Guys, get a laugh! If you're wondering what we do all day long in the office, just take look at this episode of Big Bang Theory! You'll find all (yes, all) the FlyPort applications that we or our users developed (switch on/off the lights on our house and others, switch on/off the stereo, control a car... everything wireless)!

Why?! Because we can! :)
Enjoy the video!

Click here to see the video

How to switch things on-off with FlyPort

2011-10-24T13:05:00.001+02:00

We all forget to switch-off the lights, isnt'it?! How many times you forgot to switch on the electric water heater before going out?!

Wouldn't be nice to switch on the things just using the iPhone or smartphone?! Now it's possibile with FlyPort and thanks to Adonatelli. He created this simple circuit to switch on his electric heather from anywhere, you just need an internet connection.

You can use a similar circuit to switch on and off anything in your house. Go to Forum to download the entire project.

Here is the circuit diagram:

Openpicus Open Source project will release the new IDE 2.1

2011-10-21T09:31:00.001+02:00

Good news for you, fellows! the new IDE 2.1 for the openPicus Open Source project will be released in a couple of weeks.

Here are the main updates:

remap all the functions

IDE 2.0

Simplified management of the external interrupts

Energy saving

Hibernation

debounce

Autocomplete

timestamp

Ram status

The IDE 2.1 will be released on the next weeks. Bookmark our blog so you do not miss the release of the new IDE 2.1!

Internet of Things: FlyPort turns-on/off the lights for you!

2011-10-20T13:05:00.000+02:00

This application is for all those who are not familiar with Internet of Things (IoT), with openpicus controlling things from web.

Rfvito send us an interesting application with FlyPort. Practically, FlyPort is working as WiFi webserver interacting with a ZigBee network to turn on and off the lights. Each light has a ZigBee connected to it. The video stream is a link to the wifi webcam and it´s embed in the website code. Rfvito used ZigBee and a GSM module (not yet full implemented)

Here are some photos of the project:

Go to Forum, to read more about this project.

FlyportLAN module: PCB is ready!

2011-10-19T11:24:00.007+02:00

The pcb development has been completed, the new Flyport LAN 10/100 module is ready!!!

This new module is mechanically identical to Flyport (35*48mm) and same JP1 connector (26 ways) in order to be compatible with some of the existing expansion boards.

There most interesting news about this module are:
1. A second connector, JP2, where are the Ethernet Signals (including power) and extra pins from the Microcontroller
2. RJ45 connector will be mounted onboard as option (otherwyse you can add an RJ45 on yours)
3. An extra 2Mb FLASH memory onboard. Bigger websites or firmware upgrade on the air will be possible.

Next week we'll receive the samples and we'll turn them on. We'll let you know here about first testing. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin to keep up to date with the latest news.

FlyPort @ Linux Day in Urbino

2011-10-18T00:24:00.001+02:00

Linux Day Urbino is a national event which aims to promote GNU/Linux and the free software. Each implementation is the responsibility of the local group of enthusiasts, who illustrate varied activities including seminars, workshops, conferences and Install Party.

Andrea and Gioele will show this application with FlyPort to control the lights, the temperature and the humidity. Practically home automation in Linux: a web based supervisor system will control bus konnex and actuators connected with FlyPort.

Everything is remotely managed and synchronized in order to manage the house in the cloud on the google server engine: authomecloud.appspot.com/

Interesting, isn't it?!

openPICUS @ IP Convergence with FlyPort and Weezy

2011-10-13T11:05:00.006+02:00

IP Convergence is the show for the IP communication and its applications, services and equipments. We'll be there with FlyPort and Weezy thanks to Giga concept.

Laurent Muckensturm, CEO from Giga concept, will welcome you on M30 - N29 stand. The IP Convergence exhibition will be held from 18th to 20th of October, Exhibition - Porte de Versailles. Tuesday, 18th of October, from 10:45 to 11:35, it will also host a workshop on "Internet of Things". Through this workshop, Giga concept will showcase three breakthrough solutions for the everyday professionals and the general public.

Giga concept will demonstrate, using our FlyPort, that an Android phone can become a remote control of a toycar, controlled by a touch pad or a robot by kinect Microsoft.

Giga concept will play also with Weezy, which offers the possibility to connect all types of audio amplifiers to your smartphone or tablet, without being limited by a short range.

The last solution (but not the least), is Gigaled, a new system of solar energy retrieval. Gigaled has a spherical shape that allows it to capture the solar energy at any hour of the day to optimize the efficiency and the power of the mobile products.

Save the date: 18th to 20th of October, Exhibition - Porte de Versailles

Party with FlyPort

2011-10-13T10:19:00.000+02:00

In the last days we are receiving nice videos about user applications like Home Automation on iPad.

This new application is very funny, since Flyport goes to party! :-)

Rooman953, made a prototype with FlyPort to control the party lights via iPhone. Everything runs on Flyport that offers the Webserver service.

FlyPort is not just a simple serial to wireless module, but a powerful system with no need of external host processor as it combines processor power (Microchip PIC24FJ) with Connectivity (WI-FI Certified Transceiver). So Rooman953 simply created a web page and, using the openPICUS IDE, he made a firmware to link actions on the web page to the module pins.

So basically the module drives the lights using Triacs, but the overall effect is really cool. Check this out.

NEST and miniNEST: we have got a standard and the plastic enclosure boxes!

2011-10-11T15:50:00.003+02:00

You just made the prototype of your wonderful application, but wait a moment….do you wanna show it just like a PCB with soldered wires and some glue? No, right? This is the reason why we started to think we need a standard for openPICUS, a mechanical standard in order to let you, or your Company, create Nest boards (application specific boards for Flyport) that perfectly fits on a nice plastic enclosure box.

It was a kind of long process, we discussed here and with the users and we finally found that the solution is not one, but two. Yes, because there are some projects where you need to make something nice and small and some others where you need space because, for example, you need 16 relays.

We started by choosing the plastic enclosure box, we decided for the following models from Hammond:

- 1593LGY (3.6inch*2.6inch*1.1inch) for miniNEST boards
- 1593XGY (140mm*66mm*28mm – 5.5inch*2.6inch*1.1inch) for NEST boards

On the website hammondmfg.com you can download the pdf, the dwg and 3d models.

The biggest advantages of the 2 solutions are:
- Enough internal space for your board
- Front and face panels that are easy to customize with holes for connectors
- The upper face of the box is perfect for a printed adhesive or to be drilled (for pushbuttons or leds)
- Low profile (both are only 28mm – 1.1inch thick)
- Low cost (price normally is under 2-5$)

Here’s the mechanical design for the 2 boards, Nest and miniNest.

How to use Flyport on a breadboard

2011-10-10T11:49:00.001+02:00

Our Forum user, Adonatelli, made this simple project and shared with us. Adonatelli shared the files, Gerber and NC Drill, created with Eagle.

This board makes your prototypes with Flyport easier, since you can use your breadboard. It powers up both the Flyport and the breadboard either using an external source or the USB Nest (you chose the source by using the jumper).

It allows to connect an USB Nest to receive serial debug message or to program the Flyport. Here is the list of the components.

C1: 100 uF
C2: 10 uF
C3: 100 nF
R1: 220 ohm
U1: 7805
D1: 1N4001 (I used a 1N4007)
LED: LED 3MM HIGH EFF DIFF RED
1 power female connector for PCB
1 Connector Female 26 Pos .100" Double
2 Connector Male 26 Pos .100" Single
1 Header 5 Pos PIN R/A 2.54MM T/H
1 Connector Male 3 Pos .100" Single
1 Jumper

Questions and ideas for improvements are more than welcome. Enjoy.

FlyPort in Home Automation

2011-10-07T10:05:00.000+02:00

Home automation is cool, but too expensive in our opinion and we think it will become cheap with the Open Source. This word has now become synonymous with technology, comfort, wellness and cost savings for our home. An automated house is, first of all, a modern house, designed with open and innovative criteria to the future.

Home automation. Why?

It's important to understand how an automated home does not need many more equipment than a traditional one, it has not a greater complexity. Selecting suitable electrical components so they can talk to each other through a common communication language, in fact, the "classics" devices - such as buttons, sensors, thermostats, lighting, actuators, etc - become able to perform tasks more integrated and "intelligent", which mean greater comfort, optimize energy consumption, safety and ease of use. Let's see some examples of issues that can be commonly managed by a home automation system:

- Lighting

- Temperature control and air conditioning

- Motorizations: openings gaps, curtains/motorized blinds, skylight

- Security: video surveillance, burglar alarm, smoke/fire/flood/gas detection, automatic voltage recovery.

- Access control

- Biocompatibility and biocomfort

- Comfort of the rooms and monitoring/optimization of the energy consumption

- Telephony and communications with the outside

They talk about it for some time on websites, blogs and magazines, and finally today the home automation open source is a reality. There is also, home automation over IP, home automation DYI (low cost), integration with VoIP and media center.

The market for the open source applications is growing exponentially thanks to the success of the cooperative development model, and especially thanks to the quality and strength of the offered solutions.

A wide range of wireless applications can be easily developed and run on Flyport with openPicus IDE, and no Wi-Fi expertise is required. The IDE allows to focus on application as openPicus framework (which is based on freeRTOS) manages the Wireless stack and its events.

We received a video from a French company, Apsi, about a new application with FlyPort, the Wi-Fi compact programmable module. As you will see from the video, the natural home automation interface will be a tablet or a smartphone, iPad in this case, and the communication is Wi-Fi.

It's a simple system to control a gate (open/close) with also a Camera. The big advantage of home automation over IP is that you can control your house potentially by any connected device to the internet, everywhere!

A big thank to apsidev for sharing this app.

Thanks for having stolen our PCs

2011-10-06T15:12:00.004+02:00

We are angry! Two stupid guys came into our office, last night, and have stolen our PCs. Hope you're happy now 'cause you'll have the money to buy your sweeties!

Nothing is more pestering than wanting to work and can not do it, because someone decided to stole them.

Nothing is more pestering knowing that someone turns on your PC and come into your life. I hope you're happy, you moron!

Flyport meets Microsoft Kinect - Video

2011-09-30T13:08:00.005+02:00

Yes, we like to play first of all :-)

We have been at Hackitalyday 2 weeks ago and we decided to work on the interesting Microsoft Kinect. The goal was to create something to be remotely controlled by body movement.....

Well, why not a car! We bought a RC car, we destroyed all the electronic inside and we putted Flyport Wi-Fi module connected to the Motor and to the Steering, using PWM outputs and some drivers.

We easily developed a firmware using openPICUS IDE to receive commands over Wi-Fi. In the video you see the Car with Flyport onboard, the Kinect sensor and PC. Everything is connected on the Lab Wi-Fi network and we are able to drive the car using body movement.

We can increase/decrease the speed, change direction and turn.

Do you have other ideas? Maybe a quadcopter? Tip us!

openPICUS has a new Logo!

2011-09-25T12:13:00.007+02:00

The story of a project like openPICUS starts from a discussion, an exchange of point of views.

Day by day the discussion takes a shape and becomes a sketch and a prototype.

And the speed increase, a blog, a website a forum and lot of interesting projects.

We started in March 2010 and now it's September 2011 and we had the honour to be invited to speak at Open World Forum 2011 in Paris last Friday.

We never expected such way for our project, we just wanted to create something useful to connect stuff to internet! :-)

We had a first Logo for openPICUS and to be honest we had to make it really running because no time that period. Now we wanted to change it, but keeping some points in common with it that maybe was an important part of our lucky project!

So, here's our new Logo and soon.....a new website will be there for openpicus.com!

We hope you like it, comments are welcome of course!

Pictures from Hackitaly – great interest for FlyPort

2011-09-21T17:54:00.009+02:00

We participated at HackItaly last Saturday in Milan, with some Flyport modules and the new openPICUS to Arduino socket board, so they could use Arduino Shields.

For openPICUS team this event was a fantastic success! Over 100 hackers and programmers played with Flyport.

The most interesting hack was a gadget based on Flyport: a box to display performance of your website. FlyPort connects to a remote server, it receives data related to site performance in real time and it displays them driving a speedometer via a servo motor. Beyond that it turns-on an LED when someone signs up to your newsletter. Cool, isn't it?!

HackItaly was born from Max Ciociola and Stefano Bernardi's idea involving companies and developers in one day of innovation and meeting.

Take a look to these photos (go to Facebook to see them all.. and become our fan!)

openPicus to participate @Open World Forum

2011-09-19T16:15:00.002+02:00

Open World Forum founded in 2008, is the leading global summit meeting bringing together communities and developers, decision-makers to cross-fertilize open technological, economic and social initiatives, in order to build the digital future.

It's with pleasure that we announce that openPICUS project is invited to show up at the Open World Forum in Paris at Eurosite George V. on 23rd September 2011. Claudio Carnevali will speak about The Internet of Things & Open Data: new forms of business?

The Open World Forum is governed by steering group that brings together the leading international technological communities (Linux Foundation, Open Source Initiative, OW2 Consortium, Qualipso Consortium), and the main Open Source software associations from the French-speaking world (Adullact, AFUL, CNLL, PLOSS, Silicon Sentier). It has the support from major European and French institutions (the European Commission, the Paris City authorities, and the Ile-de-France regional council and regional development agency) , Agence Régionale de Développement).

A big “thank you” to Rob from theinternetofthings.eu that gave us the opportunity to participate at Open World Forum.

openPICUS at HackItaly

2011-09-15T21:44:00.004+02:00

The openPICUS team will participate at HackItaly, Saturday 17th of September in Milan.

Over 100 programmers and hackers will have several Flyport modules mounted on the new openPICUS to Arduino socket board, so you can use Arduino Shields.

The board is mechanically compatible with the Arduino shield and it has the same pinout. On the board there is an USB port to feed it and load the firmware on Flyport, which is equipped with a serial bootloader. This board is very useful to build prototypes of wireless devices by combining the Flyport power and ease of programming on the standardization and the vastness of the Arduino Shield.

HackItaly is the place where the scientists defy each other on applications. HackItaly is the first event for hackers and developers all Past & API.

Registrations are open: http://hackitaly.eventbrite.com/

Don't forget! See you Saturday, 17th of September, 8:30 am to test our modules!
MediaTeca S. Teresa Via della Moscova 28 Milan

Campus project ends - no more free kits

2011-08-23T17:38:00.003+02:00

Today we decided to ship out the latest free starter kit (Campus project).

It's really sad for us, we wanted to help students, researchers and teachers, but the feedback is really under any kind of negative expectation.

The Campus project role was quite simple: we provide free hardware for your project, you develop and share the code with the rest of the community.

It's easy no? But except few universities (really a few....) all the others project presented didn't had any result in term of code and sometimes even in terms of news on their projects!

So we'll continue to support universities, giving them special prices or conditions, but no free kits anymore we are sorry.

openPicus development platform: How to create your first app

2011-07-25T16:00:00.002+02:00

It 'a step by step guide to create your first project using the openPICUS free IDE. The video shows the TCP/IP Setup Wizard, the utility to configure in an easy and intuitive way the features of the wireless network (whether it's network infrastructure, whether it's an Ad Hoc connection). The simplicity of programming is highlighted in this simple application because using openPICUS the multitasking framework based on FreeRTOS deals with the stack and the basic processes letting the programmer concentrate on only 3 files: the application itself, the network settings and events connection.

Integrating Wi-Fi stack with MPLAB would be possible but you have to work with more than 50 files and no OS. The real revolution of openPICUS is to make easy embedded applications even without any experience of using stack or operating systems. The application makes simply available an ad hoc network when a button is pressed. All this in 5 lines of code.

With the openPICUS IDE is obviously possible to compile the application, using the C30 compiler and download it on the Flyport module without any programmer (because there is a serial bootloader loaded on board).

Cool web server using jQuery on Flyport

2011-07-22T16:00:00.003+02:00

One of the most successful applications for openPICUS Flyport Wi-Fi module is the webserver. The webserver allows the programmer to create a micro website and to interact with the embedded world using a simple web browser.

This can be done in infrastructure mode (where there’s a Wlan) or in the interesting Ad Hoc mode in order to create a simple point to point connection without any router or Wlan.

The webserver opens a new scenario for your embedded system: let the things connect directly to devices like iPhone, Android, iPad and so on. Using the webserver you can avoid any host side app and all the Android or AppStore Market related issues.

In order to build a nice looking and powerful webserver you can use jQuery, a new kind of Javascript Library.

jQuery is a fast and concise way that simplifies HTML document traversing, event handling, animating, and Ajax interactions for rapid web development. jQuery is designed to change the way that you write JavaScript.

In this video is visible a nice example: the webserver displays analog and digital input status. Not only, the user can activate digital output or trim a PWM output (connected to a led)

Source code and info about the openPICUS platform are on www.openpicus.com

Documents about jQuery are on www.jquery.com

About openPICUS

Internet freedom for your things, control and communication for electronic devices. A Standalone platform for embedded applications to interact via web, email or messages with simple sensors or complex electronic equipment.

It’s open source, hardware and software, based on a multitasking framework including integration layers, logic and communication (Wi-Fi, Lan, Bluetooth).

Manage your vending machines via web, receive an email when the freezer is defrosting, control your irrigation system using the smartphone. These are just a few example of application you can easily create using the free development tool.

Speed up time to market to crate Internet enabled devices with OpenPICUS.

How to send environmental data to ThingSpeak.com

2011-07-20T16:00:00.003+02:00

Through Flyport and the SHT71 Sensirion sensor it is possible to project a weather wireless station. In particular SHT71 allows to acquire the environmental temperature and humidity, data that will then be sent to ThingSpeak for the storage.

ThingSpeak.com is a free service offering (upon registration) multi-functional database to backup any data. Each time you create a database, you receive a "Write API Key", an access password that identifies the database.

To start, we need two API libraries (thingspeak.c and SHT.c) to import on OpenPicus IDE 2.0. The system, once programmed and started, connects to the desired WLAN and initiates the sensor. The main routine includes the acquisition of environmental data (float) through SHT71 sensor, the Flyport processes them converting the temperature in °C and humidity as a percentage, all with the unique API SHTRead (). The routine then continues with the "WdataF" which takes as parameters: the write the API key, an array of float type and the number of elements of that array. The function correctly set, automatically connects Flyport to the server thingspeak.com through TCPClient.

In addition to sending a POST that accesses the database, specified by the "Write API Key", and sends the data of temperature and humidity for the storage. The data, now stored in the remote database, will be available to users through colourful graphics(downloadable from thingspeak originated) or downloaded to any device of XML-like files.

Go to openpicus.com to download simple commands to connect and send data from your Flyport to Thingspeak.com

Eikon makes an Arduino shield adapter board

2011-07-18T16:00:00.000+02:00

This is a brand new board, few prototypes are ready, we just received from Eikon. Arduino has a lot of shields and now is gonna be easier to build prototypes. How it works? Basically it's just a passive board with a FTDI USB to serial chip. It's longer than the Arduino boards since there's a female connector for Flyport.

So Flyport is gonna be the Core and the wireless part of it (of course there's not any other processor onboard). There are the standard female Arduino style connectors in order to be perfectly compatible with the shields. But we wanna let people understand that there are not libraries for each shield, so if you have an Arduino shield you must make the code porting to use it with Flyport.

Some nice shields to be used are:

Xbee - what to create a Zigbee to Wi-Fi gateway?

Motor Control - For the robotic apps

Relays shield - Turn off and on your devices at home, over Internet

Thingspeak and low power mode for Flyport Wi-Fi

2011-07-12T16:00:00.007+02:00

The Wi-Fi programmable module, Flyport, from the open source project openPICUS achieved 2 important milestones: hibernation mode and compatibility with Thingspeak.com cloud server for sensors.

The Hibernation mode is now working thanks to the freeRTOS that is the core of the openPICUS framework. Now with a simple instruction is possible to turn off and on the Wi-Fi transceiver avoiding the reset of the Pic 24F core Microcontroller.

The module goes immediately in hibernation mode and the programmer may also force to sleep the microcontroller as well. The system can be resumed using the RTC onboard or external trigger event. This is a great milestone that opens the doors to openPICUS platform to the world of battery powered sensors.

The second great step forward for the project is the new library, to let Flyport stream data direcly to Thingspeak.com, a well known cloud service for sensors.

A wide range of sensors can interfaced to Flyport, it has more than 20 remappable I/O pins and with a few rows of code your sensors goes online to the Thingspeak servers. In this way you avoid the server side work, database management and graphics and you have real time data visualization as well as trends and so on.

This also adds an important feature: the immediate compatibility with iPhone, iPad and Android and the possibility to add the diagrams to your website.

The Thingspeak library comes from a member of the community, Stefano Saccucci, student of electronic engineering in Rome who added his temperature sensor to his website www.notonlyelectronic.com/- Stefano decided to share the library and now is available on Download section on www.openpicus.com. Here is also a video where the system is shown

You can create easily your app on Flyport, remember that everything is open source and the IDE is free, create your account at Thingspeak and start to place your sensors. From weather stations to home/office monitoring, everything now is possible and easier. The startup cost is zero since you don't need any programmer because Flyport has a serial bootloader flashed onboard.

Flyport is available worldwide from the manufacturer, the Italian company Eikon, or throught your local reseller.

FlyPort smart Wi-Fi 802.11 module on Giga-Concept

2011-07-11T16:00:00.003+02:00

With more than 15 years of experience in electronic development (radio frequency, custom made coaxial connectivity, RFID and piezoelectricity) Giga-Concept helps manufacturers resolve their problems with cable or non-cable connectivity.

We are happy to announce that our WiFi module FlyPort is on Giga-Concept. Flyport is available in 2 versions:
- integrated PCB Antenna (MRF24WB0MA)
- external Antenna version (MRF24WB0MB) with uFL SMT connector.

Flyport provides the following services:
Webserver (even Ajax apps can be run),
TCP Socket,
UDP Socket,
SMTP Client,
SNTP Client.

ANSA/CNN RSS reader with FlyPort

2011-07-08T16:00:00.003+02:00

The Flyport wireless capabilities allow to design a powerful and affordable RSS reader. The reader in question is characterized by the dynamically acquisition of RSS feeds from not protected by SSL server.

The example provides the connection to ANSA server (Italian News Agency) or CNN which fetches an RSS feed with the latest news stories. Indispensable, in this project, it is the presence of the API library "parse.h" permitting to extrapolate the downloaded text parts from files.

The FlyPort firmware provides the connection to the wi-fi network you want, and via a single common HTTPdynamicPARSE feature, you can connect to the ANSA/CNN server (or any other) to download the RSS file and implement the parse.

The parsing rules are built with the utmost precision in order to achieve the best possible result, so you should read the documentation for the library "parse.h". In output through the virtual serial port, we'll have updated the latest news by ANSA/CNN.

Multi-robot with flyport at Iasi University Romania

2011-07-06T16:00:00.001+02:00

Veliche Mihai, student at Iasi University in Romania, is just graduated and he developed a project called Control of a multi-robot system using visual sensors. It focuses on getting the information required to control a robot system and the Flyport module was at the center of each robot. The project focuses on analyzing a kind of stereo images (He used just one camera for each robot, but a servomotor moves it to get two images from the same position). Then these images are processed by a .NET application.

You can find attached a document that describes both the hardware and desktop applications, plus the sources for both, and I am open to any of your questions. Also I attached some picture and a little demonstration of robot control can be viewed here

He will post the project on his website splitresearch.org, but the site is not yet fully operational. Mihai decided to donate the Flyport module that we gave to another student for a new interesting project. This is the right spirit, open innovation and share

Sensaris mHealth BT/Wifi Bridge

2011-07-04T16:00:00.003+02:00

Sensaris mHealth BT/Wifi Bridge Sensaris brings a new mobile health monitoring solution for mobile diagnostics to patients and caregivers - anytime, anywhere.

Sensaris mHealth devices.
A modular suite of Bluetooth-enabled devices, named SensDots, composed of:
• Pulse Oxymeter
• Blood Pressure Monitor
• Glucometer
• Thermometer

The Bluetooth/Wifi Bridge is designed for bidirectional communication to control each of these biomedical devices.

Thanks to Flyport, that is embedded into this new device, the time to market was shrinked to a few weeks instead of months.

How you can use it?
Using the Bluetooth/Wifi Bridge, you can:
• Use the Sensaris mHealth devices with any Apple devices: iPads, iPhones
• Use the Sensaris mHealth devices with any Wifi devices: Android tablet, plug computer…
• Control and monitor multiple devices through the bridge and handy web application hosted directly on the bridge embedded web server
• Send data to your remote server
• Set your own Bluetooth, Wifi and remote server settings
• Connect the bridge to your internet network

Flyport open source Wi-Fi module on Electronics-Lab

2011-07-01T16:00:00.000+02:00

Electronics-Lab is a free Electronic projects, schematics, diagramms, pcb, free electronic software and hobbilist electronics resources, electronic site. It's a cool site... and they published one of our articles: Flyport open source Wi-Fi modulehttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

I remember you that Flyport is not simply a serial to Wi-Fi solution, but a smart module with no need of an external host processor as it combines Processor power (Microchip PIC24F 256K Flash) with Connectivity (Microchip Wi-Fi certified transceiver).

Take a look at this application: FlyPort accelerometer graph

Hybernation mode, works!

2011-06-30T18:18:00.004+02:00

This is a great news for Flyport. It can be really integrated into battery powered applications!

Let's start from the beginning. In this month we started testing to switch Off and On the integrated Microchip Wi-Fi transceiver.

Using the standard Microchip TCP stack was possible to switch the Transceiver Off, but after that you needed to reset the Microcontroller to restart.

This was a big limitation for the applications and we decided to fix this great minus of the stack.

We slighly modified the original stack and thanks to the openPICUS framework, based on freeRTOS, now we are able to Turn off and on the transceiver without any Microcontroller resetting.

In this video we are showing the test we made: there are 2 amperometers measuring the Total Current and the Transceiver Current. We made a simple application on Flyport to control it by serial commands.

We are gonna make deep testing and release this important feature on the next updates.

Find a job opportunity with openPICUS

2011-06-29T16:00:00.007+02:00

We just received this news from France: openPICUS has a new parner there, Giga-Concept Company, that intends to actively promote our platform to the market, especially in automotive applications where Giga-Concept has lot of experience.

Promoting openPICUS needs a technical background and a good local technical support. Giga-Concept was impressed by an application we published in Projects section, the Android remote controlled WiFi car.

The developer is a young but talented programmer, Antoine Monmarché, who decided to share his cool application with the rest of community. This application was the final exam for him at University.

So they get in touch and had a meeting and they advised us that from September Antoine will start to work with Giga-Concept!

Claudio Carnevali, who's in touch with Antoine says : This is exactly what we wanted OpenPICUS to be. More than a project, a place where people are sharing their ideas and apps and, why not, they can find a job. We are even more happy that this person is a young guy just graduated, he believed in open source when he decided to share his code and now he has this opportunity. Today to find a job is difficult and we wish all the best for this new adventure

DIY web server with OpenPicus FlyPort 2/2

2011-06-27T16:00:00.005+02:00

The success of FlyPort WiFi module is due to the intuitive and easy programming essential software development environment thanks to the availability of APIs and functions already written and ready to be referenced in your code . The only bad thing is that you need to update the Framework to 4th version.

I think that a possible improvement of the IDE can be precisely to make it multi-platform, and then trying to implement it in Java, for example, as it was done for the Arduino; in this case, the IDE is essential in the size of files and above all there is no worry about the compatibility with your operating system.

The wizard driven on the configuration of the TCP/IP stack makes it easy to implement all the settings without worrying about what is written in the background in the various files that make up the overall project. Webinars whose links are listed at the end of this review show clearly all the ease of use of the IDE and Flyport.

FlyPort: web server exemple

From the OpenPicus site you can, among other things, download a sample project that includes the use of Flyport as a web server through which you can monitor the status of analog and digital inputs, plus you can interact with the board enabling or disabling the 5 digital outputs. Looking at the html code, what we see now is that it is a stylish remake of a web server made available by the Microchip as example of what it can be implemented by adopting their TCP/IP stack, so nothing new to this point of view.

The problem is that using the Ajax commands in the code and JavaScript functions to make the web page more interactive, if you don't know these type of languages (and unfortunately I am among them) is also difficult to reuse the code to your liking. So I asked myself, while giving up to update the page and then automatically to the status of the inputs, if you can create a Web page easier? On Microchip's website I found three webinar that demonstrate the use of dynamic variables and the GET and POST methods to send requests to the web server. Using the dynamic variables you can then monitor the status of the inputs, while with the GET method you can, for example, tell the server which outputs must go high and low. At the end of the review there are the links to download the pdf of the slides and the text of the three webinars.

The webpage is designed therefore quite simple: consists of 5 buttons of type "submit", each associated with a GET method, which pressed individually makes the toggle of its output. depending on the output state, the button will turn green if it's low and red if too high. Five dynamic variables defined and used as explained by Microchip define background color variation of the button. The following screenshot shows the web page as it appears.

As for the code to be inserted in the FlyPort IDE webserver, here are the C function that handles the reading of the data transferred through the web server using the GET method (for details refer to the Microchip webinar) and the function , also in C, for the returning of the appropriate value to the dynamic variables for the change of color of the button according to the state of its output.

The variable "lights" can have 5 possible numerical values from 0 to 4. Each value identifies one of the possible outputs of FlyPort. The function HTTP_IO_RESULT HTTPExecuteGet reads the value attributed to the variable "lights " through the GET method (the value is in the end of the URL) and through a switch-case structure makes the toggle of the outputs.

The "void HTTPPrint_led (WORD num)" manages the return of a string to the elements of the dynamic variables led (num) in function in the output state. In particular, for example, if output 4 is high, then the third element of the array "led " takes the value "red", while in the opposite case takes the value "green". These two strings define the value of the "background-color" property button on the web page.

Pressing the button 1, the variable "lights" takes the 0 value and this is given to end of the URL (GET method works behind this principle); the "HTTPExecuteGet" reads the 0 value and is the output toggle "o1" through API IOPut(o1,toggle); the "HTTPPrint_led" functions reads the state of o1 (actually it does it on all outputs at each cycle) through the API IOGet (o1) and if 0 returns to the LED (0) dynamic variable the string "green", otherwise the string "red ".

With the technique of dynamic variables and setting of functions similar to HTTPPrint_led you can read the status of inputs (including analog) and return the reading directly on the website. Following the instructions of the first link in Related Link, implement this monitoring is very easy.

FlyPort, future application

If you want to have multiple outputs/ inputs than the Flyport already has, I thought to redesign the "nest" board by entering an on-board expander I / O with 16 channels and managed via SPI. Looking through the suggestions of Microchip, I found the MCP23017 28 pin IC that exactly meets my specifications. This IC has 3 pins to address the device and manage up to 8 I/O expander (ie up to 128 channels) communicating on the same bus.

Conclusion

Flyport module is absolutely advise to anyone wishing to set up quickly a webserver controlled remotely via WiFi communication. The trick is to follow the configuration of TCP/IP stack and write your own code through the IDE software combined with the module and within the sections "Flyport Task" and "Webserver". The FlyPort code is organized and managed in the form of task FreeRTOS operating system, which frees the programmer from having to organize and combine the various parts of the firmware. The ease of use and programming make this module ideal for those who don't want to get lost in the configuration of the TCP/IP stack. The IDE is compatible with only Windows operating systems and is not cross platform. This may be the only downside of the Flyport system.

For the codes, please, contact us!

Related link:

slide+text Microchip related to the webinars about the dynamic variables on Get and Post methods
http://techtrain.microchip.com/webseminars/documents/TCPIP_p1_092007.pdf
http://techtrain.microchip.com/webseminars/documents/TCPIP_p2_092007.pdf
http://techtrain.microchip.com/webseminars/documents/TCPIP_p3_092007.pdf

For more information and webinar about Flyport tab:
http://www.openpicus.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&i...

For more information about Nest board:
http://www.openpicus.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&i...

Other useful links:
http://openpicus.blogspot.com/2011/03/accelerometers-jquery-and-flyport....

Flyport on Thingspeak.com

2011-06-24T16:00:00.000+02:00

Behind openpicusandy (forum user) reporting, Stefano Saccucci (stefacc nick on the forum) has interfaced the Flyport with www.thingspeak.com. Now Flyport, connected with a temperature and humidity sensor SHT75 Sensirion constantly sends data on temperature and humidity. Data can be viewed at http://flyport.altervista.org/index.html.

The integration was made particularly easy thanks to the features of the 2.0 IDE, libraries, previously developed by the OpenPicus Team for the sensor SHT75 and new libraries developed by Stefano for the communication with thingspeak.

It was enough to import the libraries in the project, set a few simple parameters to measure and to send data, and that's it. In the coming days the libraries for interfacing with thingspeak will be released on OpenPicus

OpenPicus Flyport, Review (1/2)

2011-06-22T16:00:00.001+02:00

FlyPort represents the evolution for the web server implemented on a PIC microcontroller based on the TCP/IP protocol stack available on Microchip as a framework for managing and monitoring remotely via Ethernet protocol. With FlyPort we have done more, we have joined the hardware and software capabilities of a 16-bit 24F family PIC with the advantages of having a wireless communication according to 802.11/b/g IEEE standard.

Essentially, if some time ago, to interface a PIC and its web server to a local area network you needed a physical wiring, now in WiFi mode you don't need cables. This is mean that the flexibility of the interface is increasing (if our interface equipped with the web server should be far away enough from the router to which we want to connect it, with the WiFi connection the problem of laying cables and wiring disappear immediately).

Leaving aside the undoubted advantages of using a module like this, I am going to review this hardware. In particular, the boards I'm going to talk about are: FlyPort (the real one) and the Nest which looks like a support to connect the Flyport module getting a real starter kit on which you can test codes and hardware solutions to project a web server. The rules of creating the website and how to interface between this one and the hardware, are the same as documented by Microchip for the web server on PIC microcontrollers physically wired via Ethernet.

In fact, it is not the TCP/IP that is chaging but only the physical and link layer of the OSI stack, (the designer thinks that the firmware does not change anything).

Flyport: circuit diagram

The FlyPort is a Wi-Fi compact module (only 35 x 48mm) based on the Microchip PIC 24FJ256GA106 processor (256K Flash,16K Ram,16 Mips) and MRF24WB0MA/RM WI-FI Certified Transceiver. The microcontroller's features are: 32MHZ clock, 256k Flash, 32k di RAM, 16MIPS; 5 digital outputs, 5 digital inputs, 4 analog inputs; 4 PWM outputs (which become 9 if you consider that the 5 digital outputs can be controlled in toggle to generate via software PWM signals), 4 physical UART (although with the current software you get to be able to manage only one), an SPI (2 SPI if the second one is generated by software), a native I2C device.

Being a fully Open Source project, the FlyPort developers made available on the official website the schematic, from which we can deduce certain design choices also quite interesting. Below the schematic.

All the components of the module are powered to 3.3 volts, but the possibilities of supply are two: to supply everything with 5V, the LT1117/SOT (U4 in the schematic) linear regulator lowers the voltage to 3.3V or to supply 3.3 V directly bypassing the regulator. A green LED located next to the WiFi transceiver gives information on the status of module current. ADR5040 (U2 in the schematic) is a shunt voltage reference with high precision. It fixes the reference voltage of pin RB0 to 2,048V (which remind 2^11) with initial accuracy of +/- 0.2% and a temperature coefficient equal to 100ppm/°C.

The WiFi transceiver, MRF24WB0MA, is everything you need to implement the hardware (because the software configuration is a different thing) the physical layer of the OSI protocol stack according to the 802.11 standard. It is powered with a voltage whose range is from 2.7V to 3.6V (3.3V typical) and it communicates with the microcontroller through 4 lines SPI. So a hardware setting is fairly simple. Through the DSSS modulation, the communication should be seen in the ISM frequency band ranging from 2,405 to 2.48 GHz, it supports 14 selectable channels via software (and therefore includes also the American standard) and it has an AES128 encryption algorithm. It supports sleep and hibernate modes, which allow to lower the current consumption from 150mA in transmission to less than 0.1uA in hibernate mode.

The PCB hosts a patch antenna tuned and adjusted to the working frequency, thus avoiding adding extra bulk to the minimum occupied by FlyPort. The WiFi module 20pin, if brought down, puts in hibernate mode the module itself, bringing the power consumption to the minimum allowed. The R11 and R12 resistors from 0ohm are shown in the diagram to take up space on the PCB of the two components, but the module only one of them is actually installed and in particular there is just R11 while of R12 there are the only prestagnati pads. These resistors are connected to the reset pin of the wifi module (R11) or to an output of the microcontroller (R12 solded and R11 absent) to manage the module restart via firmware . There are also two red led (D1 and D2) connected to two outputs of the micro through its current limiting resistors.

Nest board

The Flyport module has all the components necessary to operate in stand alone mode, ie with the web server programmed it can be added directly to our final application through the convenient 26-pin strip connector. To program it and to be able to interact more easily with the connections, the OpenPicus team has created a board called the "nest" on which the FlyPort hosts. Here you have the photos of Flyport (left) and Nest (right).

You can download the schematic of the Nest board from the OpenPicus official site

From the schematic we observe immediately the presence of an FT232RL IC used as the UART – USB bridge which acts as the interface the Nest board to the PC via a virtual COM port. In fact, the PIC24F is fitted in the Flyport does not support USB communication and even if he supported it. Nest board is a support for hardware prototypes-only. The 14pin (CBUS3) controls the switching on of TR1 mosfet which brings the power of 5V of the USB to the D1 diode thus becoming the Vcc that will be transferred to the FlyPort. If you apply a voltage of 5V to the Vcc terminal, the D1 diode would block the cycle of current to the USB port, thus selecting and automatically the power source. If the Nest board is supplied from USB, the TR1 mosfet is not turned on until you complete a procedure for the establishment of communication between the PC and FTDI.

On Nest you'll find the button to reset the entire StarterKit connected in parallel with the TR2 mosfet that is used to reset the micro of the FlyPort when it should be placed in programming. The mosfet is managed from the FTDI DTR output in order to enter in bootloader mode. The virtual RS232 communication is used for TCP / IP debug by returning on a specially configured terminal (the Windows Hyperterminal is good) of the messages indicating all the steps of the establishment of TCP communication.

2 free Flyport starterkit for the new Bucharest hackerspace

2011-06-20T16:00:00.005+02:00

openPICUS team is happy to announce a new partnership with harkopen.com, the Romanian open hardware community. 2 Flyport free starter kits have been shipped to Bucharest where a new hackerspace is near to be opened: http://inventeaza.ro/

The name inventeaza means to invent in Romanian and for sure the guys have in mind a lot to invent using the WiFi possibilities that Flyport module offers.

openPICUS team just released the RTC library for Flyport

2011-06-17T16:00:00.003+02:00

Now it is possible to use the integrated Real time clock on Flyport (have you noticed the second 32.768Khz quarz on module?) to have a time/date/day of the week info.

Not only!! The real time clock library allows also to set ALARMS events. From a minimum of 0,5 second up to 1 year. This library is very important especially for battery-powered applications, to awake the system. It will be important for us to release the code to send in Hybernation mode the Wi-Fi transceiver.

A great step forward for Flyport, lot of users needed and we are happy. This can help developments.

You can download the new Library from openpicus/download

Claudio Carnevali from OpenPicus core team & Council Interview

2011-06-15T16:00:00.006+02:00

Council is a group of professionals with different ideas and opinions that sometimes differ and, probably, clash. They want to host the full range of opinions on what will be a small avalanche of disruptive innovations. Council interviewed Claudio Carnevali. The first question was: how did the project FlyPort start? Claudio said: We were talking around a table drinking a good wine, as quite often happens, here in Rome. We were talking about the lack of an easy to program, economic and powerful embedded wireless module. We decided to make it and to share the information with an online community. We created a Blog in March 2010 and we started to brainstorm and to create. In June we had our first sample FlyPort and in September the first production batch.

Read the interview, here.

Flyport flies on EECatalog

2011-06-13T16:00:00.003+02:00

Our intelligent module, FlyPort is on EE Catalog too! EE Catalog is part of Extension Media team. Extension Media produced more than one hundred custom magazines, newsletters, websites, events and market research studies for a variety of different industries. Extension Media publications serve several markets including Electronics, Software/IT and Mobile/Wireless. Take a look at their revision!

Flyport for stress monitoring

2011-06-10T16:00:00.000+02:00

The University of Alabama in USA, one of the first who joined the openPICUS Campus Program, has under development an interesting application on Flyport Wi-Fi module. They are using the Ant+ technology from Sony Ericsson, EEG and EKG to collect, to the S.m.a.r.t. board, the stress status in real time. Flyport acts as simple Wi-Fi gateway to the system to let the device connect to an Android phone wirelessly. Here's the complete project description.

Flyport webserver demo app: HTML buttons to Serial port

2011-06-08T16:00:00.001+02:00

Today openPICUS team released a useful demo application to show how Flyport can send serial data on the UART port when the user is pressing virtual push-buttons on the integrated webserver page. You can create the html page using your favourite editor and after that import the code on Flyport using the openPICUS free IDE.

Flyport runs the integrated webserver service, in Ad Hoc mode, so you can connect directly using PC or a Smartphone without any router or access point, just point to point connection.

The same application may be modified to be used in Infrastructure mode (on existing Wlan) to have remote control of Flyport from anywhere in the world if an Internet connection is provided.

Download source code here: openPicus Googlecode

University of Missouri-Kansas City, Department of Ophthalmology, choose Flyport for intra-ocular pressure and testing near infrared radiation

2011-06-07T01:00:00.000+02:00

The Department of Ophthalmology of the Missouri-Kansas City University in USA received a Free StarterKit for Flyport Wi-Fi module. The module will be an important part of a research project about intra-ocular pressure and testing near infrared radiation. Flyport will be programmed to manage several analog sensors and the Wi-Fi connection in order to transfer the important data in real time over the Wireless Network, locally or anywhere in the world. Claudio Carnevali, co-founder of openPICUS project, affirms "we are very happy that our Flyport is gonna be used in such critical application in medical field. Wireless connectivity is extremely important in such applications where the cables may bother the specialist at work".

Audio over IP with OpenPicus

2011-06-05T01:00:00.001+02:00

A researcher from the Pesaro-Urbino University, Andrea Seraghiti, has developed an application to transmit audio files with Flyport. He used an encoder VLSI VS1053 encoder, a chip that can play multiple audio formats, including MP3. He connected the chip with Flyport via SPI bus, and used a UDP connection to transmit streaming audio from PC to the device. He wants to create, using a UDP broadcast connection, a multiroom audio distribution system. In this way it will be possible to hear the same music in multiple rooms, just using the speakers connected to Flyport without the need for expensive dedicated wiring or audio arrays. Andrea is currently working to implement the device management (volume, track selection) directly from the webserver, so that everything can be checked easily from an iPhone or an Android smartphone.

Manufacturing trip

2011-06-03T22:48:00.012+02:00

Today I drove from Roma to the place where Flyport modules are manufactured.

Here you see the map of this beautiful trip, I crossed Appennini mountains and then straight to the Adriatic east coast. It's 300 km more or less, 3 hours driving, but I love this road, maybe because I'm over there quite often.

Turistic note: after 1 hour from Rome there's a 10 km tunnel that's under the highest Appennini's mountain that's called Gran Sasso, really amazing view.

So after 3 hours I'm in Fano, my own town. The adventure of openPICUS took me away, in Rome, from my friends, family and manufacturing.

Yes, electronic manufacturing is my passion. I remember when at 16yo I started to hand make some alarms for motorbike and I was designing and making my PCBs,drilling and mounting and then installing on motorbikes....I really miss those times.

Time passed fast, I finished my studies and created Eikon company. In a few years we created lot of products and customizations, for an hardware guy like me was like living at amusement park!

Now I moved my life in the chaotic Rome. I wanted this new adventure, to create something brand new and open source, because I strongly believe in it.

In Rome we started at home with Gabriele, like a standard startup, now we have a real place, picusLAB and we are really putting all our energies in this project, first because we have passion and then because it's a really cool to create a platform. He has more hands on the software while I'm more the hardware part.

So I arrived at the manufacturing just in time to see the first batch of Flyport with external antenna (uFL connector) mounted and tested, everything ok!

The module is basically identical, same PCB, but it changes the Wi-Fi transceiver (Microchip) that has the external connector.

We received lot of requests for this version and we were a little late because Microchip was out of stock for a long time. Now it's ready, here it is!

As you can see the modules are originally in an array of PCBs. 5*4pcs array in our case. I'll make a post soon explain how a professional SMT line is working and how to make good industrialization of a PCB to reach lower cost and higer quality level. Are you interested about?

Written by: Claudio

OpenPicus Flyport is availabe on Glyn Australia and New Zealand

2011-06-03T01:00:00.000+02:00

Glyn is one of the leading electronic component specialist distributors in Australia and New Zealand. Glyn is a good distributor because is trying to offer qualified technical and commercial service that meets the changing needs of customers and the market. They made a good presentation about FlyPort Wi-Fi Modules, by giving all the characteristics and applications... that we want to remember:

CPU: Microchip PIC 24FJ256GA106 processor (256K Flash,16K RAM,16 MIPS)

Wi-Fi: MRF24WB0MA/RM Wi-Fi Certified Transceiver (fully Wi-Fi compliant and certified b/g/n)

I/O: Digital, Analog, UART, SPI, I2C, PWM

Power: 5V or 3.3V DC

Weight: 11 grams

Dimension: 35 x 48mm

[Click on the photo to see their presentation]

OpenPicus Flyport Lands on Australian Robotics

2011-06-01T01:00:00.000+02:00

Australian Robotics is Australia's premier retailer for Arduino microcontroller, sensor, shields, emebedd ethernet and robotics equipment.

The guys from australianrobotics.com.au found the OpenPicus USB nest and Flyport Module to be an excellent piece of hardware because there is a lot of promising for very interesting web-enabled applications. “The device was incredibly easy to set up and has maintained a solid WiFi link for several weeks already,” said James F. [Click on the photo to read the review]

Flyport external Antenna uFL version, in stock

2011-05-29T12:47:00.000+02:00

Finally the first Flyport ext Antenna version batch, 200pcs, is ready. It's based on Microchip Wi-Fi transceiver with the external antenna option, uFL SMT connector.

Basically it's identical to the actual transceiver (MRF24WB0MA) on Flyport, but a uFL connector is there and the PCB track antenna is disabled by 0 Ohm resistor. The Transceiver code from Microchip is MRF24WB0MB

The External antenna option is extremely needed when you have a metallic case or when you need a reliable connection even if the Wi-Fi signal is weak. You just need a 50 Ohm Coaxial cable to place the antenna in the right position.

There are lot of applications and users waiting for this news and finally Flyport ext Antenna is available here

openPICUS is growing, styling needed

2011-05-27T15:00:00.000+02:00

Yes, the project is growing. That's good, we are happy to see that new resellers are interested to Flyport and people are talking about on blogs, social networks and forums.

So now it's time to grow up. We started the project as 2 people with enthusiasm and goodwill but now it's not enought. We are very busy on development of applications and working on the core of openPICUS framework and IDE, but we also need to answer on Forum and to communicate on the network.

We are now trying to find somebody here to follow communication, because we want that the openPICUS platform grows in professional way.

2 days ago we were at Lab and we started to look to our website and the rest of communitation. We thought that in comparison with other project we must make a beg step, we need to renew (or to create maybe!) an image for the project.

New Colors, Logo and website are the first goals. Where to find this professionals? In our community!
Yes, there's an guy, he's also programming on openPICUS, who has a small graphic and webdesign studio. We spoke, we saw his past works and we liked!

It's very nice that the community is useful also to create new small or big business opportunity. Actually we have another idea for this (to let you create a business on your passion) but I'll tell you later, when from the idea will have a shape!

If you have any suggestions, about logo, colors, website or any idea you think is useful for the project, please comment here or on Facebook, we appreciate brainstorming!

Forum fixed!

2011-05-20T00:15:00.000+02:00

We inform that the Forum is now working normally. We had some days of troubles (was not possible to create new accounts) because of maintenance and minor fixing.

Thanks for understanding

Think an app and win a Flyport!

2011-05-16T17:29:00.001+02:00

Today here at the picusLAB we made some experiments and there's a way to make Flyport update your Facebook status or Tweet something!

Now we wanna start brainstorming with you about some possible applications and the best idea will be prized with a FREE STARTER KIT

We will also develop your idea and publish it! Let's squeeze your brain!

Openpicus open source project released the new IDE 2.0 to give users an improved programming enviroment. The openpicus IDE is made for Flyport

2011-05-10T12:09:00.001+02:00

Rome, 10th May 2011

Openpicus open source project released the new IDE 2.0 to give users an improved programming enviroment. The openpicus IDE is made for Flyport, openpicus wi-fi module and makes the development of wireless application easier.

Flyport is a smart Wi-Fi module based on PIC 24F microcontroller and MRF24WB0M certified Transceiver from Microchip. Flyport runs wireless stack and your application, all in one. Openpicus framework, based on freeRTOS, allows the user to easily manage the interaction between hardware (UART, Analog and Digital I/Os, SPI, I2C, PWM) and Wi-Fi events.

OpenPicus IDE 2.0

The new IDE 2.0 introduces the project Templates concept: you can create, save and share a Template for your hardware configuration and stack settings.

Another important feature is the webpage import: Flyport can work as wireless webserver and with this feature you can easily import the html, javascript, images you developed with your favourite WYSIWYG html editor.

From the picusLAB in Rome the core team declares: "The IDE 2.0 is a great step ahead for the project. It comes after only 3 months after the 1.0 and we collected all the informations and suggestions from the community. Openpicus IDE is used from more than 1000 people around the world and this give us the energy and effort to go ahead better and better. Also a lot of companies started development with Openpicus because they understood that Flyport is not just a "serial to Wi-Fi" module, but a smart, highly integrated low cost solution for their wireless needs."

Some examples of applications on Flyport are: wireless sensors, robotics, energy monitoring and many more. The IDE 2.0 is free, you can download it from "Openpics IDE 2.0 Getting started"

LCD and EEPROM Library + IDE 2.0 User Manual

2011-05-06T18:10:00.000+02:00

Here we are again. Website is up (thanks to Andrea!) and we just uploaded some useful stuff for you.

First of all the IDE 2.0 User Manual. It's an introduction to the new IDE, with the Templates and all the news.

Second we released 2 new libraries to make your development easier:

- LCD Alphanumeric 4 bit display

- EEPROM Memory I2C

Everything is here http://www.openpicus.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=70&Itemid=78

We are working now to some interesting applications to release some source code as soon as starting point for your applications.

Let' go home, weekend....in Rome is great weather!!!!

1st May site is down

2011-05-02T10:08:00.000+02:00

We are sorry to inform everybody that our website has been attached exactly on the first of May, workers day. We are working to make everything online, but it's not easy.

We hope that this coward action didn't destroyed the Forum data, we really hope for us and for all of you.

We thank you coward, we are working to give our community free software, open hardware and support. And that's what we get back in this f***ing world.

Sorry I'm angry, very angry with these kind of losers, passing their days alone to think how to bother people who work.

Ehy you, loser, why don't you get out of your room, turning off your PC and find somebody and you better make some sex finally?

Sorry everybody for the technical hitch.

IDE 2.0 download it now!

2011-04-27T00:37:00.000+02:00

We are ready! Finally!

Yes we uploaded the IDE 2.0 with the following news:

1. Wizard (TCP/IP setup) is much faster than 1.0

2. Project Templates - You can use, create and save your templates.

3. There's a Project explorer

4. Debug messages (compiling errors)

5. Serial monitor

6. Program memory size monitor

7. Some minor bugs fixed from version 1.0

Go to Get Started page and follow step by step the guide to install your IDE 2.0

We released the IDE 1.0 on 20th January 2011 and we hope you will appreciate the 2.0 that is much faster and user friendly.
Some documentation will come in the next days, sorry time is always lacking!

IDE 2.0 is an advanced beta release, no deep beta testing was done but we are preatty sure about it.

Flyport lands on Microchipdirect.com

2011-04-21T11:49:00.001+02:00

Today is official. It's an important step for us: Flyport is officially available on Microchipdirect.com

In the same day Flyport shows up also on the Microchip microSOLUTION Newsletter

One note about the IDE 2.0 - Yes we will release it as soon as possible, we are really working hard to make all these stuff happen.

We are under final testing to avoid problems to our community. So please be patient or better send us an email to ask what you can do for the project, we need also your help! :-)

Show Up opened! First app Wi-Fi controlled RC Car

2011-04-13T21:08:00.000+02:00

Today we opened the "show up" section and it's a great pleasure that the first application comes from a student, our friend Antoine Monmarché from France.

Antoine made a great work, an Android application that controls, using Wi-Fi a RC Car. Flyport is there to receive data from the Android device (using its integrated accelerometers) and to drive the Servo motors using PWM function.

It's really a pleasure that this first "show up" is completely open because the author decided to share the code of the application running on the module and of the Android application he developed.

Here you can see the application and there are also contact details to discuss with Antoine (we hope that a company will contact him to create a commercial product based on this smart idea!)

http://www.openpicus.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=67&Itemid=103