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gwideman
4
Apr 22, 2017
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Could someone explain how all the supplied sensors and actuators connect to the NUC? At least, I assume that's what they are supposed to do -- the linked docs don't seem to explain the "Thing" part of this IoT kit.
Apr 22, 2017
redsackz
1
Apr 23, 2017
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gwidemanHey, if you look at the first picture I uploaded that's from the drop, in the bottom left hand corner:
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You can see a medium sized board that has a bunch of white "connectors" where you can plug the things that come with this drop into. Now if you look at the next picture I uploaded with 4 sensors and some wires:
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You can see how all of the sensors/boards have those same white connectors on them as the bigger board did in the first picture. Then you can also see that the wires that are included in this kit, have connecrtors on the end of them that can plug into all the boards.
So, I believe you would basically just plug your sensors and stuff into the board that has all of the connections for it with the included wires. Now, I'm not too sure about how to connect it to the NUC, (I know for a fact that you can just literally plug it into the Intel Edison(VIA male headers that come down on the bottom of the board to the female headers on top of the Intel Edison), so take the rest of this answer however you want to, but just know I'm not completely sure.. They include: " B to A Type USB Cable – 0.5m" so I believe that this would be how you'd connect the two.
Apr 23, 2017
gwideman
4
Apr 23, 2017
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redsackz@redsackz Yes, clearly the Grove sensors and actuators plug in to the Grove board you indicated. That's an Arduino shield. Yet in this kit there's no Arduino. Indeed the main Massdrop page has a Note saying Arduino not included. So presumably you have to add an Arduino to complete the hardware for this kit. How does the NUC interact with the sensors and actuators? I guess you could plug in the Arduino to the NUC via USB... but then what? Is there some software that runs on the NUC, and corresponding code for the Arduino, that allow the NUC's IoT gateway software to read and write sensors/actuators on the Arduino? Or allows code on the Arduino to talk direct to the IoT server via the gateway's communication features? That seems like a crucial component, without which this is a long way from plug-and-play.
Apr 23, 2017
Maita
Apr 24, 2017
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gwidemanIt's got a USB A to B cable listed as included. I know the Grove shield is supposed to use micro B, I have no idea if it handles data or just power. I'm inclined to think the latter, being an Arduino shield, and how many kits I've seen around here that lacked critical components. The RPi with touchscreen kit is reported not to have a power adapter for the actual screen... Doesn't list one either.
Apr 24, 2017
Maita
Apr 24, 2017
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MaitaIn truth I think this kit is intended as a full set of companion components for an Arduino, not a full kit. I feel like Massdrop has become at least partially an outlet for these foreign retailers, at the expense of the community's choice. Lot's of drops clearly unpopular, at least judging by the number of members engaging in critical discussion vs joining the drop itself. I see many drops fail to max out numbers sold around tech now :/ idk about other communities.
Apr 24, 2017
gwideman
4
Apr 24, 2017
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Maita@Maita From the picture, it looks like the grove shield is this one: https://www.seeedstudio.com/Base-Shield-V2-p-1378.html "Base Shield V2" SKU 103030000. It is simply a breakout board from Arduino to Grove connectors. It has no USB connector on it.
Apr 24, 2017
Maita
Apr 24, 2017
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gwidemanHuh, swear I've seen a Grove Shield that took USB power, but that wasn't really my point anyway...
Apr 24, 2017
gwideman
4
Apr 24, 2017
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Maita"wasn't really my point...": Yes I realize -- however the lack of USB port to me leaves no doubt that this kit requires a non-included Arduino, and that the Arduino is key not just to supplying power, but is needed as an intermediary communicating between NUC and sensors/actuators. In any case, you have probably by now seen my longer discussion posted separately.
Apr 24, 2017
Maita
Apr 24, 2017
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gwidemanYes I realize. I know what a Grove is, at least nominally, and I read your comments before responding myself.
At any rate, my intention was rather to encourage a clear discussion of facts for anyone less-informed than you are who was considering this drop, than to directly provide or seek clarification myself or, far less than to engage in condescension.
Just so anybody else has a compact explanation: I am fairly certain the shield is the Base Shield V2 as linked by gwideman. This shield can in no way interact directly with the NUC without an Arduino board. The included B cable (whatever sort of USB B connector) is thus a waste of cost.
My personal opinion is that Massdrop and Seeed just like money; the commercial portion of the kit is a NUC intended for interactive displays, POS, that sort of thing, according to Intel themselves; the Grove IoT kit is useless without the Arduino controller and is intended for educational purposes (thus the nice selection of peripherals); this kit does not really make any sense, nominally or factually.
Apr 24, 2017
gwideman
4
Apr 24, 2017
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MaitaNo condescension inferred by me, nor intended by me! :-). I think we're both just trying to understand what this offering is really all about, and I concur in finding it a bit odd. For me, the discovery of the key info that Firmata is the basis of linking NUC to sensors/actuators at least completes the picture of how this is supposed to work, even if making it puzzling that (a) the Arduino is not included, and (b) the existing Intel and Seeed docs don't exactly join all the dots on how to get this up and running.
Apr 24, 2017
Maita
Apr 29, 2017
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gwidemanReading your last sentence there, I am now absolutely convinced that this was originally actually a kit of accessories for an Arduino board. Sort of a "you have an Arduino and you want to do basically anything IOT? Here ya go!" I think the name given to it reflects either the stereotypical sales gimmick or a legitimate translation issue, since Seeed is Chinese (pretty sure anyway.)
Dammit I'm not sure any of this discussion has actually helped me understand what it's really about, even though we've come up with what I think is a reasonable explanation for its genesis XD
Apr 29, 2017
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