Beginners] Let’s start IoT with an introductory kit for electronics construction.

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目次

0:00 Opening
0:17 What is IoT?
1:34 Introduction to obniz introductory kit
2:16 IoT Experience 1) Graphical display of temperature sensor values
3:50 IoT Experience 2: Wave the flag when you hear "I'm home
4:44 Introduction to HTML Programs and Block Programs
5:19 Summary

電子工作入門キットでIoTを始めましょう

I want to build an IoT gadget, but I don't know where to start.

You certainly don't know where to start at first!

This time, for those who want to build such IoT gadgets for the first time, "Let's start with the IoT with an electronics construction introductory kit."
I would like to talk about the theme of

In this article, we will explain in detail, with pictures, what IoT is in the first place and how to use obniz, an introductory microcontroller board.

Even if you don't know where to start now, you should be able to use obniz by the time you finish reading this article!

What is IoT?

To begin, let us briefly review what IoT is.

What is IoT?

It stands for "Internet of Things" and is often translated as "Internet of Things.

It is difficult to understand what this means, but to put it simply, it means connecting things around you to the Internet so that they can be accessed from remote locations.

Internet of Things

What can be done with IoT can be subdivided into the following three types

What the IoT can do for you
  1. モノの状態を取得する
  2. モノを操作する
  3. モノ同士が会話する

 

What the IoT can do for you

There are already quite a few products on the market as practical examples, with the loss prevention tag "MAMORIO" in Type 1 "acquiring the status of things",

MAMORIO.

In Type 2, "operating things," the smart lock "Qrio" is well-known.

Qrio
I am sure that many of you actually use these.

I look around my house and see "phillips hue" smart light bulbs and,

phillips hue

A smart intercom called "ring" emerged.

ring

Thus, the IoT is already becoming quite familiar.

This is a brief review of the IoT.

In addition, I think that many people who are surrounded by IoT gadgets like this may be tempted to try making them themselves.

In fact, I see quite a few such posts when I look at Yahoo Chiebukuro and the like.

Even if they have a clear idea of what they want to create, many people seem to be troubled by the fact that they do not know where to start learning.

I don't know where to start learning.

So next, I would like to introduce an introductory kit for microcontroller boards called "obniz," which is recommended for those who want to make their own IoT gadgets.

obniz

obniz", an introductory kit for microcontroller boards

What is obniz?

A microcontroller board specialized for IoT development, featuring an ingenious design that makes it very easy to set up network connections, which is the biggest barrier to making IoT gadgets.

Microcontroller board specialized for IoT development

And even though this introductory kit costs less than 10,000 yen, it has the following features so that even those with no knowledge can get it up and running the same day it arrives.

obniz Features
  1. 入力用・出力用のデバイスが4つずつ入っている
  2. サンプルプログラムが充実している

obniz Features

This time, we would like to experience making IoT gadgets by choosing two from our extensive sample programs.

サンプルプログラム①:離れた場所にあるモノの状態を取得する

 

Obtain the status of objects located at a distance


Now, as the first one, I would like to try IoT type 1), where the status of objects located at a distance is acquired.

What to prepare
  1. obnizのボード
  2. キット付属の温度センサー
obnizのボード キット付属の温度センサー

 

STEP 1

Scan the QR code with your phone.

If you do not have an account, please obtain one in advance.

STEP.2

Temperature sensors and graphs.

STEP.3
Connect a temperature sensor to pins 0, 1, and 2 of obniz.

Connected to obniz pins 0, 1, and 2

STEP.4

Create App

STEP.5

Edit Program

To give a rough idea of what is in the program, the first head section reads the original program, the chart section sets up the graph display, and the next script connects to obniz, reads the data from the temperature sensor, and plots it on the graph every second.

Plot every second on graph

STEP.6
Then press the Run button, and the sensor values are displayed graphically in real time.

Real-time graphical display of sensor values

STEP.7
If you touch the temperature sensor for a test, you will see the temperature change.

At this time, obniz and the phone are connected via a WiFi network in the house, so there is no line between them, and they can be checked from anywhere within the same network.

The assembly instructions are written on the official obniz page, so please look there first when you actually get your hands on it.

obniz official page

サンプルプログラム②:離れた場所にあるモノを操作する

 

Manipulate objects at a distance

Next, we will experience the second type of IoT, where objects in remote locations are controlled.

Now let's run the sample program using a personal computer.

What to prepare
  1. obniz
  2. キット付属のサーボモータ

What to Prepare.

STEP.1
Connect obniz to the servo motor included in the kit

Connect obniz to servo motors included in the kit

Pay close attention to the direction of connection.

STEP.2
The program will use the one at the URL below.
STEP.3
Enter your obniz ID and press Connect to automatically connect your computer and obniz over the Internet.

obniz ID

STEP.4

Call out

The PC then recognizes the voice and sends a signal to OBNIZ, which then operates the servo motor.

obniz operates servo motors

What it does is simple, but it is also a great IoT gadget.

I believe that the playability will expand as ideas come to mind, such as changing the lines that respond to different applications or attaching something to the servo motors.

So, I experienced IOT using obniz's introductory kit and sample programs.

ワンポイントアドバイス

One last piece of advice.

advice of a point (advice that may be helpful to some people)

In obniz, you can create programs in two ways: HTML programs and block programs. If you are not yet familiar with programming, we recommend using block programs.

block program

Block programming is a method that is also used in Scratch, a programming software for children, and is quite easy to get used to because it looks like Lego bricks and is fun to program.

Looks like Lego bricks

After playing around with the sample programs, the next step is to change various parameters in the block programs and gradually arrange them in your own way.

summary

I have introduced obniz's introductory kit for those who want to make IoT gadgets but don't know where to start.

Personally, I believe that if you want to learn a skill, the best way is to do it hands-on.

The price is not cheap, but if you are serious about making IoT gadgets, this is the perfect kit for you to consider purchasing.

We also post other videos and articles that allow beginners to learn systematically from scratch, including explanations of the minimum knowledge and tools that a beginner in electronics should acquire.

If you are just getting started with electronics, be sure to check out our other articles and videos!