Goal

Things to install on your computer and on your IBM Cloud instance before coming to the session.

We assume participants are grouped into groups of 3-6 people, and that there is at least one computer per group. This page lists what you need to install on that computer

Software on Your Computer

FTDI drivers

FTDI is the make of a chip on the SmartMesh IP motes.

On modern versions of Windows/Linux/MacOS, the drivers are already installed.
Try plugging in your manager and verify 4 serial ports are installed.
If that doesn't happen, you may need to download and install drivers from http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/VCP.htm.

When am I done?

When you plug in your SmartMesh IP manager, 4 serial ports appear.

Serial Terminal

Make sure you have a serial terminal program (PuTTY, TeraTerm, etc) installed on your computer, and that you know how to use it to open/close a serial port.

If you are using MACOS, you don't have to install anything. You can use the built-in package called "screen".

Microsoft Excel

You will use Microsoft Excel in Part 2: Understanding Trade-Offs in SmartMesh IP. Make sure each group has at least one computer that has it installed.

Software on IBM Cloud

IBM Cloud Account

We assume you have a IBM Cloud Account, and that you can log into console.eu-gb.bluemix.net.

Node-RED Cloud Foundry App

On your IBM Cloud Dashboard, click "Create Resource" and choose "Node-RED Starter"
Give it the name you want (which will become its URL) and indicate it to your instructor
Configure Node-RED such that you need to log in to change the flow, but that an anonymous visitor can still see your flow

Navigation

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Part 0a: Things to prepare before the session — Things to install on your computer and on your IBM Cloud instance before coming to the session.
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Part 0b: Getting Started! — Overview of the hardware you will be using, and of the general organization of the unplugfest.
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Part 1: Your First Standalone Network — Build your very first network, understand how the LEDs indicate the state of the motes, issue simple CLI commands on the manager, understand the use of the netid.
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Part 2: Understanding Trade-Offs in SmartMesh IP — Understand how latency, data rate and energy trade off for one another.
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Part 3: A Canopy Network Coordinated through IBM Watson IoT — How the canopy network, which is already deployed in your building works.
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Part 4: Interact with Sensors and Actuators — Connect sensors and actuators to your mote, and interact with them from your Node-RED instance in the IBM Cloud!
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Part 5: Programming Challenge — Once you have completed Part 4, sky is the limit. Explore a couple of possibilities where to go from there.

Part 0a: Things to prepare before the session