Low cost embedded project

Question

I am a student. I've done an embedded system "home automation" project using GSM and I could succeed. Now I've got to do an academic project, and my brain is blank. Can anyone suggest some new ideas?

Answer 1

XP Embedded is cool for these sort of things.

Have a look at the imagine cup http://imaginecup.com/ this might give you some ideas.

Also check out channel8; http://channel8.msdn.com/

A Microsoft site aimed at student developers etc.

Sure one of those should give you at least some inspiration, good luck with your project!

: )

Answer 2

If you are a fan of Skype you may like this idea and do something similar: http://www.mobigater.com/

I'm always keen on a device you attach to a Linux server (or even a network of servers) to send you SMS alerts on given alerts - integration with Zabbix maybe?

SMS communication can be 2-way.

Answer 3

Hmm. What spring to mind instantly. I don't know how suitable they are for your level (high school, undergrad, postgrad etc) or time:

1. Implement a Mobile ad-hoc network; send some data from one end to the other, and back again. There's plenty of protocols to choose from if you don't want to invent your own.
2. Experiment with smart dust.
3. Investigate sensor networks - intra-network communication, gateway sensor redundancy, power considerations etc.

Answer 4

Idea: If you want to see what you can do with hardware and software, build a robot. Then build a network of mobile robots.

Need inspiration? Look at this robot: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RyodnisVvU. I would love to see a horde of these that could play together.

Of course, the answer to your question depends on what your idea of low-cost is. If you want to get into some exciting hardware, you could try using the BeagleBoard: http://beagleboard.org/ - very low cost for its capabilities. If you'd rather start more cheaply, try Arduino: http://arduino.cc/.

The software platform that follows depends on what hardware you choose. On the low end, you can go without a software platform or choose something simple like FreeRTOS. uClinux is popular on moderately powerful embedded boards. As you move into more powerful systems, you get into Linux, VxWorks, the Windows Embedded family, etc.