Winning the Dreamforce 500 With Cylon.js
Dreamforce 2014 was an amazing experience for the Cylon.js team from The Hybrid Group. A conference talk, daily workshops, and four days of booth demos made for a schedule requiring the stamina of robots. Of course, we brought plenty of those with us, as usual!
At a conference that featured keynotes by Hillary Rodham Clinton, Al Gore, Tony Robbins, will.i.am, and Neil Young, we were quite happy just to have made the bill, and so we prepared our most dynamic demos yet to bring our best.
Our booth was in the IoT DevZone, once again organized by the high-powered Reid Carlberg. We ended up in a great location, and were packed with people wanting to play our "Dreamforce 500" virtual racing game.
The "Dreamforce 500" combined Sphero robots, the Phillips Hue lighting system, the Pebble smartwatch, and of course Salesforce to create a virtual racing game, written using Cylon.js.
The game was a great way to showcase how powerful and flexible our technology stack is, by creating a full end-to-end solution that combined connected devices, wearable computing, and robots, in the form of a fun, playable game.
Each day of the conference, we led a featured workshop called "Connect Intel Edison to Salesforce In 60 Lines Of JavaScript Using Cylon.js". Thanks to our friends at Intel, we were able to bring a box of the just-released Intel Edison single board computers with us.
The lucky attendees were able to get a first look with a truely hands-on experience using the brand new Intel hardware. Every workshop we did was completely full, plus a standing room only crowd of observers, which was really gratifying.
We also gave a talk on Wednesday in the "Innovation Theater", featuring live demos of Salesforce connected drink dispensers and a delivery drone.
It was great to be able to share our vision of "Full Stack Robotics" and "The 10 Rules of RobotOps" with so many of you. Thanks for taking time out of your busy Dreamforce schedules to come hear us!
Thank you to the Dreamforce staff for all their hard work over the 4 days (plus setup and breakdown) of one of the world’s largest technology conferences. And thanks again to everyone who came to our talk, workshops, or booth. We appreciate it!
You can keep up with the ongoing adventures of Cylon.js on Twitter at @cylonjs.
Cylon.js on Intel Edison
Team Cylon.js was at the Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco last week, and we got our hands on one of the new Intel Edison boards for the first time. We might have been a little skeptical after the hype of the initial Edison announcement at CES, but once we started working with it, within 24 hours we were very excited about the possibilities.
The Edison is a tiny System on Chip (SoC) board, that is intended to be the main processor for connected devices that include some intelligence inside. It includes dual-core Atom processors, 1GB of RAM, and built-in WiFi/Bluetooth LE, all on a single board with a tiny 70-pin Hirose "stacking connector".
The Hirose connector is one big clue to how Intel plans on the Edison being used: it is the base for a highly customized modular solution, that puts the Edison's GPIO, I2C, UARTs and other capabilities to work in a unique way. The Arduino-compatible breakout board for the Edison is just for compatibility sake. The much more interesting approach is that being used by Sparkfun, who are manufacturing a series of "blocks" which let you mix and match various individual capabilities.
Once you've prototyped everything, you would then manufacture a custom single board that uses only what you need for your embedded system. This is a very interesting way to approach modularity.
Thanks to the efforts of the Intel IoT team, there is a Linux image that includes everything you need for your code to access the various I/O capabilities of the various Intel boards. This is largely due to a compiled library called "MRAA", that is itself also open source.
We've just added support to Cylon.js for the Intel Edison, as well as updating our support for the Intel Galileo, so you can now use any of the GPIO and I2C devices that Cylon.js already includes, along with any of the many new devices that are being added all the time.
Here is a simple example, showing Cylon.js using the Intel Edison's GPIO for analog input using a potentiometer, and PWM output using an LED:
And here is the code:
var Cylon = require('cylon'); Cylon.robot({ connections: { edison: { adaptor: 'intel-iot' } }, devices: [ { name: 'sensor', driver: 'analogSensor', pin: 0 }, { name: 'led', driver: 'led', pin: 3 }, ], work: function(my) { my.sensor.on('analogRead', function(val) { brightness = val.fromScale(0, 1024).toScale(0, 255) | 0; console.log('brightness => ', brightness); my.led.brightness(brightness) }); } }).start();
We've also added full support for I2C devices. Here is the same example, but using a BlinkM connected via I2C:
Here is the code:
var Cylon = require('cylon'); Cylon.robot({ connections: { edison: { adaptor: 'intel-iot' } }, devices: [ { name: 'sensor', driver: 'analogSensor', pin: 0 }, { name: 'blinkm', driver: 'blinkm' }, ], work: function(my) { my.blinkm.stopScript(); my.sensor.on('analogRead', function(val) { brightness = val.fromScale(0, 1024).toScale(0, 255) | 0; console.log('brightness => ', brightness); my.blinkm.goToRGB(brightness, brightness, brightness); }); } }).start();
We've provided instructions on how to get started with Cylon.js and the Intel Edison on our documentation page here. We've also updated the documentation for our Intel Galileo at here.
We're really excited about the Intel Edison, and we will be adding more support for hardware based on this new platform as it comes out.
Keep up with our ongoing adventures on Twitter at @cylonjs.
Cylon Takes Off on NodeBots Day
NodeBots Day was international this year, with over 25 locations spanning five continents and hundreds participating for the weekend of July 26th to the 27th. The Hybrid Group, creators of Cylon.js, were proud to be one of the sponsors. NodeBot experts helped others hack, solder, and 3D print their way to creating a force of fully functioning NodeBots to be reckoned with. From blinking lights to dog fights with quadcopter drones, JavaScript developers of all levels of experience got to use their powers to manipulate the machines.
NodeBots day was open to anyone who wanted to hack on hardware, build robots, or become a Maker. The end result allowed for JS developers the ability to control the real world through their robots.
NodeBots as an idea was first conceived by Chris Williams out of the increasing need for software to match hardware creation and control within the burgeoning Node.JS community. The goal to make programming robots and connected devices as easy as programming a webpage with JavaScript is now a reality with the help of Cylon.js.
People from around the world were able to meet-up and use Cylon.js to hack together on Arduinos, Rasberry Pis, ARDrones and any other platforms that only need more input to make something awesome!
Cylon.js supported Norfolk's NodeBots Day event to great success! The Norfolk.js Team is a fast-growing, very active group of JavaScript developers that love all things JS. From young beginners to seasoned experts, everyone had the chance to collaborate and have fun with robots. In the morning, there was a robot building session, and in the afternoon there were robot battles giving way to a winner who carried away the honor as well as a prize.
Thank you very much to the NodeBot organizers and participants from all around the world. We appreciate it, and look forward to next year.
You can follow along with our ongoing adventures on Twitter at @cylonjs.
Cylon.js in Make Magazine!
We were on our way home from JSConf 2014 in sunny Florida, when the good news hit, that we were one of the things covered in Make Magazine's Robot Week series of articles. Yeah!
You can watch our video from MakerFaire as well read an interview by going to Make's blog post located at http://makezine.com/2014/05/31/building-robots-and-rockets-with-javascript/
You can also follow along with our ongoing robotic adventures on Twitter at @cylonjs.
Cylon.js At JSConf 2014
We had just enough time to recharge a few batteries from MakerFaire 2014, when we packed up Team Cylon.js and headed to JSConf 2014 in sunny Florida. JSConf is one of the centers of innovation (and fun!) in the JavaScript world.
Thanks to organizer Chris Williams and the ongoing efforts of the Nodebots team, there is already a well-established tradition of hardware hacking that has been going on. This means lots of cool people ready to take a look at what Cylon.js can offer to the community.
When we arrived for the makerspace setup day, we were astonished to find out that the amazing new NodeRockets project had already been built using Cylon.js, with our framework software controlling the capsule. Amazing! More on this incredibly cool project in a future post.
We gave our talk on Cylon.js the next morning, where we demoed Arduino, Tessel, Beaglebone Black, Sphero, ARDrone, OpenCV, Digispark & Neurosky. That was a lot to pack in!
The activity day was the day after our talk, and attendees were able to build either Nodebots, Nodeboats, Nodecopter, or Noderockets. There were people of every age wandering around, all having a great time hacking on their preferred robotic device. We know of several teams that used Cylon.js. For example, the Nodecopter team that placed second in that competition approached us with great excitment, telling us of their experience.
Thank you very much to the JSConf organizers and staff for having us be a part of the fun. We appreciate it, and look forward to next year.
You can follow along with our ongoing adventures on Twitter at @cylonjs.
CORRECTION: The capsule control software of the rocket was written using Cylon.js. The launcher part was built using Johnny-Five, as was pointed out by Raquel Vélez via Twitter.
Cylon.js Takes The Stage At MakerFaire
After our wonderful experiences at Scotland.js and a cameo at the Scottish Ruby Conference, we flew a long haul all the way to San Franciso airport heading to MakerFaire 2014! Hailed as the "greatest show and tell on Earth", we were greatly excited and honored to speak about Cylon.js on the Make:Electronics stage.
It was incredibly exciting to speak at MakerFaire's 9th year, after having attended it so many times. The crowd was really energetic, and we were ready for our close-up after having been on the road. We demoed Arduino, Tessel, Beaglebone Black, Sphero, ARDrone, & OpenCV.
We even were able to have family meet up with us to go around and enjoy the rest of the experience. Here is the youngest member of our crew getting ready to go on.
Thank you very much to the MakerFaire organizers for letting us take the stage and do our thing at such an illustrious event. We've hit the big time now!
Please follow our ongoing adventures on Twitter at @cylonjs.
Cylon.js In Scotland
We said farewell to Germany after NextBerlin 2014, then headed off to that learned city Edinburgh, Scotland for Scotland.js. Taking place in the remarkable museum Dynamic Earth, the conference featured excellent speakers, and a very interactive format with a question track taking place immediately after each of the talks.
During both days of the conference, we met friends both old and new. Talking to each other was a crucial element for the conference format, and we really enjoyed all the great conversations.
Our talk was fast-paced, since we have a lot of hardware. Luckily we've gotten it down to a highly choreographed level, so we were able to demo Arduino, Tessel, Beaglebone Black, Sphero, ARDrone, OpenCV, and Neurosky all in one talk!
Thank you so much to the conference organizers for inviting us to take part!
Want to stay up to date on our ongoing robot world tour? Follow us on Twitter at @cylonjs.
Robots Are The New Normal At NextBerlin
Our next stop on the robot world tour was NextBerlin 2014. Taking place as part of the massive Web Week Berlin, this conference connected business people from startups and large companies, media, and technologists from all over Europe.
Team Cylon.js had a special place to demo our JavaScript robots, and we spoke to many people while demoing a Leap Motion connection to a Sphero. Everyone wanted to play with it, and we were happy to spark a sense of fun and wonder to the business oriented crowd. Of course, it also happed to showcase the power of the platform too!
Over the 2 days of the conference, we met many people, gave a few interviews, and learned a lot about the European technology scene.
Thank you very much to the conference organizers for inviting us to Berlin!
You can follow our ongoing robot world tour on Twitter at @cylonjs.
Thingscon - Ich Bin Ein Cylon
The first leg of our spring tour to Europe began in Berlin at Thingscon. Taking place right before Web Week Berlin, the brand new conference brought together both international visitors and Berliner locals who are the early adopters in the new hardware scene rapidly forming in the city already becoming known for startups.
The conference opened up with a keynote from the insightful Brady Forrest, who is currently helping run Highway1, a new hardware incubator being launched out of PCH International. "Software still matters. Hardware companies, you still need software" he told the rapt audience. We quite agree!
Team Cylon.js closed the first day with a fantastic workshop. We brought our usual giant flight cases of gear, and with Spheros, Arduinos, and Leap Motion gestural controllers, we showed everyone how easy it is to control devices using JavaScript.
Thank you to the conference origanizers and the enthusiastic attendees for bringing us to Berlin!
Please follow our ongoing journey on Twitter at @cylonjs for updates and news.
National Robotics Week at the Robotics Society of Southern California
Wrapping up our National Robotics Week robot road show, we brought Cylon.js (http://cylonjs.com) back to SoCal to speak to the Robotics Society of Southern California. The venerable organization was established in 1989, and we were honored to be able to bring our JavaScript powered robots into the halls of academia.
The RSSC holds its meetings at the CSULB campus, which has a really great facility. We had just flown back from Boston where we'd introduced our new "10 Rules Of Robot Ops" site earlier this week. We used this as the theme for the talk. We had finished support for the Neurosky Mindwave Mobile EEG the previous week, and it was cool to incorporate Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI) into our demos. We also showed Cylon.js running on one of the Tessel prototype boards, the new JavaScript-powered microcontroller. And of course, we had to show our ever popular version of Conway's Game of Life using Sphero robots.
Thanks to the Robotics Society of Southern California for inviting us to speak to their prestigious group, we had a great time sharing our latest work!
Please follow us on Twitter at @cylonjs for the latest updates and news, as the robot world tour continues.
Making Waves At Makerland
Team Cylon.js has just returned from a remarkable trip to Makerland in Poland. Billed as a "theme park for makers", the really fun and informative 3 day conference lived up to its name. Held in Warsaw, Poland, at the ultra-modern Copernicus Science Center, Makerland packed in many kinds of robots, 3D printers, drones, submarines, and in our case, popsicle sticks.
We were leading the first major version of our brand new "Think Outside The Bot" workshop, that explores different modalities of human interaction with robotic devices. We used our favorite "minimum viable robot" the Sphero, along with 2 different control surfaces. Over the first 2 afternoons of the conference, we held continuous workshops. It was so popular, that many times we had a line of people waiting for the next opening. Thank you everyone for your patience!
The first workshop activity in the workshop, was each person constructed their own handmade wrist-mounted touch controller. Each workshop participant received a "Makey Button Kit" (inspired by the awesome MakeyMakey) with popsicle sticks, a pipe cleaner, copper foil tape, and high-ohm resistors. Programmed using the "Makey Button" driver, they were able to drive around Spheros by becoming "one with the machine" in a literal sense!
The second workshop activity used Leap Motion controllers to interact with the Spheros. The Leap Motion is the exact opposite end of the spectrum, having no wires at all, as opposed to people "wiring themselves in" to the Makey Button. Participants really enjoyed it, and also were able to think differently about Human Machine Interfaces (HMI) and all this thanks to the power and flexibility of the Cylon.js framework, along with how easy it is to program using JavaScript.
The last day of Makerland was a hackathon, and quite a few teams were using Cylon.js to get things done quickly. One comment we really appreciated from one of the teams, that created a labyrinth game. "We were doing direct Arduino programming, but when we switched to using Cylon.js, we got more done in 40 minutes, then the previous six hours, and even added the Leap Motion controller too." It was really fun to get to help so many people work on their projects, we really enjoyed it.
Thank you so very much to the organizers, speakers, other workshop leaders, sponsors, and most importantly everyone who attended the conference. Hope to see you next year!
Tipping SCaLE12X
We were really pleased to present Cylon.js at the venerable Southern California Linux Expo (SCaLE 12x) now in its 12th year! SCaLE is one of the biggest regional open source conferences, and we were delighted to be on the same bill as of open source's biggest advocates, Lawrence Lessig, who gave the opening keynote.
Our own talk the next day was standing-room as well! That plus the very low ceiling, made it a real challenge for our daring test pilot during our demo. However, the show must fly on! We had a great time, and all of our equipment worked really well. We even got to include the latest platform that we've added, Skynet (http://skynet.im), the new machine to machine instant messaging protocol. Lots more on that coming soon…
Thank you to everyone at SCaLE12x, especially the conference organizers who do an amazing volunteer job. We appreciate it!
Network
Posts
- Winning the Dreamforce 500 With Cylon.js
- Cylon.js on Intel Edison
- Cylon Takes Off on NodeBots Day
- Cylon.js in Make Magazine!
- Cylon.js At JSConf 2014
- Cylon.js Takes The Stage At MakerFaire
- Cylon.js In Scotland
- Robots Are The New Normal At NextBerlin
- Thingscon - Ich Bin Ein Cylon
- National Robotics Week at the Robotics Society of Southern California
- Making Waves At Makerland
- Tipping SCaLE12X
