May 2015 Summaries

In the continuation of a series on building a real-time RFID application with Tessel and PubNub, this entry explores how to act on RFID events by setting up Tessel to read RFID cards, publishing unique identifiers (UIDs) to a channel, and modifying code to display and authorize these UIDs. It provides detailed instructions on interpreting Tessel RFID events, matching them against a list of valid RFIDs, and modifying existing HTML and AngularJS code to reflect UID detections. The guide explains how to set up the Tessel device, adjust the project code to replace 'uuid' with 'uid', and visually indicate authorization status by modifying the HTML to represent whether a device is authorized, using green and red colors. It also suggests further customization by incorporating additional data such as owner information.

The blog post provides a detailed guide on how to remotely control a Tessel Servo Module using the Internet, allowing users to operate the servo from anywhere. It outlines the setup process for the Tessel board, including connecting the servo to specific pins and configuring it to receive commands via PubNub's demo key. The tutorial includes instructions for installing necessary dependencies and using scripts to send and receive servo position messages, starting with a default position and adjusting incrementally. Additionally, the post explains how to create a browser-based visualization of the servo's position using HTML, CSS, and AngularJS, encouraging the integration of animations for smooth transitions and providing alerts for out-of-range positions. This setup enables real-time monitoring and control of the servo, demonstrating practical applications for servos in various scenarios.

Radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology enables wireless data transfer for object tracking and identification, and its affordability has led to diverse applications such as Coca-Cola's use of RFID-embedded cups for refill authentication and Boeing's tracking of manufactured parts. This blog post, as the first part of a Tessel RFID module tutorial, guides users in setting up an authentication network using the Tessel microcontroller, which runs JavaScript. It details the process of detecting an RFID scan and sending information in real-time through PubNub's secure network. The tutorial includes practical instructions for preparing the Tessel setup, connecting to WiFi, cloning the necessary repository, and using the example file to publish messages. By initializing PubNub with unique pub/sub keys and running the provided code, users can observe successful RFID card readings denoted by a blinking LED, indicating proper device functionality.

This blog post provides a step-by-step guide on creating a real-time location-sharing and viewing application for Android using PubNub and the MapBox API. The tutorial outlines setting up the necessary libraries, including PubNub for receiving location data and MapBox for visualizing it on a live-updating map. Readers are guided through initializing PubNub to subscribe to a channel where location data is broadcasted and modifying the map view to display a location marker, draw a line tracing previous locations, and center the map on the current location. The article emphasizes the importance of updating the user interface dynamically by handling tasks on the UI thread due to Android’s architecture, offering a foundational framework for users to expand upon and create sophisticated location-based applications.

Scheduled for May 19, 2015, the upcoming webinar aims to provide comprehensive insights into building real-time applications using PubNub's Java Android SDK. This session will guide participants through the development of a simple chat application, focusing on essential features such as Stream Controller, Presence, Message Persistence, and Mobile Push Notifications. Attendees will learn about setting up the development environment, initializing and configuring the SDK, and managing data channels for publishing and logging messages. Additionally, the webinar will cover techniques for presence and state detection, message persistence for data retrieval, and implementing mobile push notifications, offering valuable tips and tricks to optimize the use of PubNub's services for Android applications.

The project aims to create a real-time temperature sensor using the Atmel microcontroller unit (MCU) and PubNub, diverging from previous Arduino-based tutorials. By combining the Atmel I/O1 Xplained Pro sensor and the ATWINC1500 Wi-Fi module, the setup measures ambient temperature and streams the data through the PubNub Data Stream Network to a live visualization dashboard. The data is visualized using the EON JavaScript framework, enabling real-time updates accessible through any web browser on various devices. This project highlights the potential for Internet of Things (IoT) applications, such as environmental monitoring, and suggests future development to include bidirectional communication for remote control of devices. The framework and code are available for public use to encourage experimentation and further innovation in IoT solutions.

The tutorial provides a comprehensive guide on using the Mapbox API and PubNub to develop an iOS app that tracks and displays real-time location data on a live-updating map. The app retrieves and broadcasts location data, allowing users to track a friend's movement in real-time by listening to a PubNub channel using Swift and displaying the location on a map with Mapbox. The tutorial includes steps for setting up the project with the PubNub SDK using cocoapods, integrating Objective-C libraries in a Swift environment with a bridging header, and implementing PubNub callbacks to handle incoming location data messages. It details the process of extracting and storing location data, updating the map view with polylines to represent movement, centering the map on the current location, and adding markers for visual identification. Additionally, the tutorial notes the release of a new version of the iOS SDK and provides resources for migrating to version 4.0, as well as alternative tutorials using Google Maps API and MapKit API.