IoT Coding for Smart Home

Objective:
To enable students to understand the principles behind IoT devices, develop computational thinking skills, understand basic concepts for HTTP connections and IP networking, practice and develop higher-level skills such as creativity and invention within technical constraints.

Description:
The school will organise a series of workshops for students. Each workshop includes a short section of theoretical background and context about IoT, instructions to follow for achieving a pre-set task, and time for students to adapt and invent their own application of the techniques learned, according to a given context.

Over the course, students will invent their own IoT device or devices to make a system of:

• A WiFi-enabled microcontroller which is able to measure sensor data and return it via HTTP to other services.
• The same or another device which can receive data and commands over HTTP and use them to control physical outputs (such as lights, motors or sounds).
• A mobile application which can both receive data from and send commands to the microcontroller(s).

The final system should tackle a well-defined problem for a well-defined audience. It could be linked to the idea of the Smart Home (such as a smart lighting system which can react to movement or outdoor light levels and be app-controlled, or smart door lock/alarm system), healthcare (such as a smart pill box that monitors usage and generates prompts or alarms for missed medication), fitness (a fitness tracker / notifier), commerce or convenience. For advanced students, adequate time should be allocated for brainstorming and developing their own concepts, rather than being given a pre-set context by their teacher.