Need help with a wireless Deaf domotica project.

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Hello! My apologies for the buttload of text that will come now :slight_smile:

For my master thesis ( I’m trying to become an electronics - ICT engineer ) which will start next year, I have been thinking about several projects. Since I’m deaf, I would like to contribute something to the Deaf community.

I would be very interested in creating an open source, modular domotica system which makes everyday tasks for Deaf people easier. Of course, since this project would be open source, anyone that would like to contribute is free to add their “hearing” solutions too. Since the system would be modular, expanding on the base sytem shouldn’t be too difficult.

My idea consists of two main modules, one “basic” station, and an “extended” station.

Both stations would have one/several high brightness LEDs in the case, which would flash in specific sequences, depending on which ‘action’ occurs. An action could be: someone rings the doorbell / someone makes a video-call / another station detects sounds above a specific threshold (eg module used as baby monitor) / smoke detector detects smoke / … - The possibilities are endless.

The modules could also have a small array of bicolor LEDs that indicate the surrounding noise, or the noise detected by a specific selected other module.

Each station has the possibility to have the following plugged in:

at the sides: Temperature sensor module, microphone module, moisture sensor, light sensor, PIR sensor, … (all kinds of useful sensors that occupy a max. of 3 data lines. I expect to have around 5 ‘slots’ open to fit with modules. (= 15 data lines)

The extended stations also have the possibility to host a small LCD screen and a webcam, which will make it possible to take pictures when motion is detected (= security system), have video chats with other stations in the same network (useful as a doorbell/baby phone/Skype or Oovoo perhaps?/to talk to each other throughout the house/…) - I don’t think I can implement all of this in one year, but these are all possiblities.

The basic stations communicate wirelessly with each other, I haven’t decided on which wireless system to use yet, maybe a rf (343/868mhz) system, or by nrf24l01+ .

The extended stations will communicate by wireless (wifi).

I want to make this as cheap as possible, yet I don’t want to spend hours and hours of soldering.

My question is:

I have no clue what ‘innards’ to use for the extended stations. They need to support video and webcams and wifi (rules out Arduinos.)

I’m not too fond of the GPIO of the Raspberry Pi, and I have zero knowledge of Python.

I have never programmed in Basic, but I’m more than willing to learn. I have programmed in C, C++ and Java previously, I have limited knowledge about Linux (I run Ubuntu… that’s it.) I have messed around with Arduinos before, so I’m most likely going to use an Atmega for the innards of the basic station. For the extended station, I would need a cheap way to implement wifi.

I have looked at the Olinuxino’s previously, and I can find the mini-wifi version for about 20€. However, I’m afraid that I just don’t know where to start. I can’t seem to find enough information and example projects online to feel comfortable tackling such a project with an Olinuxino. (Or I’m just blind.)

Does anyone know if I could find something cheaper than an Olinuxino? Is this suited at all for what I’m trying to achieve?

Also, I would like some kind of virtual machine, with “virtual” GPIO’s, so I could test whatever I want in a basic/embedded linux environment with virtual GPIO pins I could interface to. Does there exist such a virtual machine?

Thank you for whoever can help me out!

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What about a Raspberry Pi? http://www.raspberrypi.org/

You can also check out Arduino. http://www.arduino.cc/ It’s based on cpp.

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Thank you for the replies. However, I stated in the post that I rather don’t want to use a Pi, as I’m not too fond of the GPIO’s, besides, they’re more expensive than the Olinuxino boards with Wifi I have found for <20€. The pi doesn’t have wifi by default, and adding it would bump up the cost.

I also stated that I am going to use an Atmega for the base station, which is derived from an Arduino.

Also, I would also probably implement something so that the base & extended station could add a LCD display (2x16 or something) to indicate events and maybe even get some kind of connectivity with Facebook or something. This is something for the far future though, have to get the rest working first. :slight_smile:

Also, -both- the base and extended station would be using a wireless transceiver (and the extended station has WIFI on top of that, so the extended station could also get and put feeds on a home server, which could then be remotely accessed.)

I also have to find some way to implement an effective sensor netwerk, and I don’t know how to go about that. Anyone has links to relevant study material? :slight_smile:

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You do seem to want everything-for-no-cost, and ready-built. This adds a few constraints !

Doesn’t sound like you can afford WiFi yet.

The nRF24L01+ is a lovely chip - take a look at the WRL-00705. If that is too expensive, do a search on eBay.

Using C on an ATmega could be a starting point, just so you can get your arms around the issues that you are facing.

If this is a commercial project I don’t think you should be cost-constrained initially - sounds more important that you learn about the sensors and communications first.

If you are developing a product for the disabled, you may find that funding is available for the project from government, trusts, or similar. I would suggest the demonstration of a working prototype as a first goal.

Once you have established what-can-be-done-for-how-much you should be able to draw realistic bounds around requirements.

HTH

-mark

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Thank you for the replies so far.

I feel inclined to say, though: please only reply on my questions. I appreciate that you take the effort to write up a reply, but I would very much like it to be relevant to my questions.

I’m a student. I do not need funding. This is mostly a personal project. I doubt the government would fund something open-source coming from a student anyways. I mostly want this to ‘work’, that’s all.

The extended station REQUIRES wifi.

So for the extended station, I need a cheap microcontroller which:

  • has Wifi.

  • supports a VGA camera module -OR- USB webcam. I’m willing to adapt existing code/drivers to make this work.

  • supports a screen. At least 8 bit RGB color depth. Minimal resolution should be 640x480. The GPU (or the processor, idc) should be able to handle at least 20 fps.

  • has at least 25 programmable 5v GPIO pins.

I have found an Olinuxino-mini-wifi for about 20€, yet I can’t find enough documentation and existing projects to feel comfortable buying one.

My questions are:

  • Anyone knows of a cheaper alternative?

  • Anyone knows of a documentation/projects database with the Olinuxino?

  • Is an Olinuxino suited for this kind of project?

  • Anyone knows about documentation about creating a mesh network / sensor network with the nRF24L01+ ? Is there eventually some ready made Arduino code available for this?

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Pearldragoness:
Thank you for the replies so far.

I feel inclined to say, though: please only reply on my questions. I appreciate that you take the effort to write up a reply, but I would very much like it to be relevant to my questions.

We do have freedom of speech in my country. But with that kind of attitude, this maybe your last reply.

I’m a student. I do not need funding. This is mostly a personal project. I doubt the government would fund something open-source coming from a student anyways. I mostly want this to ‘work’, that’s all.

How do you know? Have you checked? You may get surprised. I have heard of far less circumstances when the government gives out a grant.

My questions are:

  • Anyone knows of a cheaper alternative?

  • Anyone knows of a documentation/projects database with the Olinuxino?

  • Is an Olinuxino suited for this kind of project?

  • Anyone knows about documentation about creating a mesh network / sensor network with the nRF24L01+ ? Is there eventually some ready made Arduino code available for this?

  • Google

  • Google

  • Google?

  • Google

Or your search engine of choice. With those questions, you haven’t done enough research I believe. Those are very basic questions which most members won’t respond to. We are here for more of a detailed help. Like, you have a problem with your code that you wrote and need another pair of eyes.

It seems to me like you want someone to get this project started for you and you just take over. We won’t do that. It’s up to you to get your project started and if you need, come back with a problem you have on a specific topic. You have the basic idea, just go to the next step. You have already been advised to start with an Arduino and some sensors. I bet that will take you around a month to get to work properly. Than move on.

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Use the RPi + $8 WiFi dongle.

Developing on the RPi in Python is MUCH faster than C, for an ambitious project.

This will reduce the Student Took On Too Much problem that plagues most.