Pictured Right: Ruggero Scorcioni, ATT Hackathon 2013 overall winner. Photo Courtesy of Tom Young, Used by Permission
How do you put M2M and connected products in the forefront of mobile apps in the US?
At the AT&T Developer Summit in Las Vegas just before CES 2013, nine Teams competed in an M2M Hackathon. All of the teams started out with the same software, and the same Arduino device. Teams were allowed to select from a variety of sensors provided by Axeda, and some teams even brought their own sensors from home. From 2PM Saturday to 2PM Sunday the teams worked non-stop to build the best M2M solutions possible. The top prize for the M2M Hackathon was $10,000 and the opportunity to compete with 70+ other teams for the overall prize of $30,000.
How did this change the mobile apps industry?
The AT&T Hackathon underscored what everybody knows: the mobile app market has become commoditized. With iOS and Android apps selling at a few bucks a download, dev shops crank out cookie-cutter widgets and games that make money but aren’t anything new or special. Connected devices paired with an M2M application in the machine cloud space are specialized and cutting-edge. They create value that businesses just don’t get from mobile apps anymore.
Why the AT&T M2M Platform (powered by Axeda)?
We made it easy! Developers started with a sample M2M app that illustrated the use of AT&T’s M2M Application Development Platform (powered by Axeda). The philosophy here was to empower the “tinker” or “break/fix” model of development that tends to thrive in tight schedules.
The example app enabled developers to use Groovy to rapidly build their own RESTful Webservices to extract data from and communicate with the Devices. From there it was a simple matter of writing a custom UI using JavaScript & HTML5 and integrating with the AT&T Developer APIs ( a component of all the Hackathon tracks ). The M2M sample app came pre-integrated with the AT&T SMS API and had a pre-built OAuth connector in the project.
Example App:
Meanwhile, the Arduino component provided DIYers with a familiar micro-controller that could interface with just about any sensor.
Arduino not only has an extensive community with tons of support for anything you might want to do, it’s also an open-source platform with a Plug & Play IDE (Java-based). We provided sensors for temperature, pressure, flex, motion, distance, and we encouraged teams to Bring Your Own Hardware.
The Teams
9. USC
Integrating NFC connectivity in place of RFID cards for interactive class sessions
What it is:
In the classroom, it's hard to give each and every student the attention she deserves. By integrating NFC (Near Field Communication) into posters, flashcards, and even textbooks, any student with a smart phone can receive instant feedback from ordinary class materials.
We like it because:
It's a cost-effective way to make learning interactive, giving students a way to explore and find out more, which mimicks the way we learn outside the classroom.
• Team Members
Ajinkya Deshpande
Ravi Hiremani
Efrain Paiz
Rushabh Shah
Saketkumar Srivastav
• Sensors
Button ( to simulate NFC)
• Using
1. Axeda APIs
a. Groovy scripts
2. AT&T APIs
a. Location based services
8. Digital Construction
Real-time Delivery Status and Trip Visualization (ESRI) via Machine to Machine communication.
What it is:
Find out if your pizza is twenty minutes away or only five minutes! Beyond UPS, consumers don't usually get tracking info on short, frequent trips like the pizza delivery guy down the street.
Why we like it:
This technology is already out there, but it's not everywhere yet. Using low-cost components, we put behind us those days of wondering when the doorbell will ring.
• Team Members
Josh Jones – Hardware and Back-end
Mark Scheel – WebServices and App
• Sensors
GPS Antenna
Water Temperature
• Using
1. Axeda APIs
a. Groovy scripts
b. Expression Rules
2. AT&T APIs
a. API 1
b. API 2
7. The Frank Brothers
Machine optimization and monitoring of human physical activity.
What it is:
A mobile app monitors a sensor attached to an article of clothing you wear throughout the day. Machine intelligence monitors whether you're moving/exercising enough and gives you feedback on how to improve.
Why we like it:
While there are already solutions out there for fitness tracking, getting recommendations on how to improve is sure to help us stay in shape.
• Team Members
J Andreas Frank – The Brain
Wolfgang Frank – The Buddy
• Sensors
Flex Sensor
• Using
1. Axeda APIs
a. Groovy scripts
b. Expression Rules
c. Exposed Sensor and Actor Services
2. AT&T APIs
a. Call Mgmt API, SMS
b. Tiggzi Framework
6. Smart Hackathon
Creating the best way to run an organized and productive Hackathon
What it is:
Check into an event such as a Hackathon via RFID or NFC and get real time updates on the stats and skill sets of the other people there.
Why we like it:
No one attends an event so they can get stuck listening to the wrong pitch with the wrong people. Getting real-time intelligence at the event about who to meet feels like getting hours of our life back.
• Team Members
Noel Portugal
• Sensors
RFID / NFC Sensor
• Using
1. Axeda APIs
a. Groovy scripts
b. Expression Rules
2. AT&T APIs
a. SMS
5. Dispatch
Maximizing response speed in emergency situations through visual feedback
What it is:
Emergency services depend on getting accurate data about location and situation in order to be as prepared as possible to help us survive that horrible deep-frying experiment (let's just drop this right in there - OH THE HUMANITY!). While cell phone calls to 911 already broadcast GPS location, having a system on the ambulance that hooks straight into sensors on the street could increase responder awareness of exactly which in-law is on fire.
Why we like it:
While we recognize that mixing street monitoring with government oversight has a decidedly Orwellian feel, if it's a choice between a slow painful demise and Big Brother giving you CPR, we might just accept the inevitable for the greater good .
• Team Members
Nick Tobin – Software Engineer
Andy Ennamorato – Software Engineer
Cathy Han – Design
• Sensors / Interfaces
GPS Antenna
LED Displays
Directional Proximity Sensor
• Using
1. Axeda APIs
a. Groovy scripts
b. Extended Lists
2. AT&T APIs
a. SMS
b. Web RTC
4. Fantastic Four Duo
Affordable Anytime, Anywhere Monitoring
What it is:
Forget to turn down the thermostat before you left for work? Next time try remote temperature (and other stuff) monitoring and control for the home that can turn off the heat when you're not there and turn it back on a half hour before you get back.
Why we like it:
Energy costs money, and when you consume energy that you don't need (like in a heated, unoccupied house), it's a slap in the face to Mother Earth, environmentalists, and hippies alike. On the flip side, consuming energy only when you do need it - and having it happen automagically - is like presenting Mother Earth with a fragrant bouquet of re-plantable red roses while wearing an organic shirt upcycled from hemp bags and singing Lennon's "Imagine."
• Team Members
Sudhir Kshirsagar - Lead
Partha Choudhury – Co-Lead
• Sensors
Waterproof Temperature Sensor
Motion Sensor
GPS
• Using
1. Axeda APIs
a. Groovy scripts
b. Alarm Controls
c. Expression Rules
2. AT&T APIs
a. SMS
3. Other APIs
a. Windows Phone 8 SDK
b. Telerik APIs
3. Good Times
Block phone calls when you’re busy (by reading your mind)
What it is:
While you can easily block incoming phone calls based on a schedule, it's hard to tell on a moment-by-moment basis whether you're relaxing or totally into that episode of TNG where Wil Wheaton has to save the Enterprise from an addictive gaming device ... Anyways, hack a pair of brainwave-reading Necomimi
Cat Ears like Scorcioni did, and incoming callers who might have interrupted your state of flow will be presented with a soothing voice that tells them to try again later when you're relaxed and ready to give them your full attention.
Why we like it:
Mobile phones are great for having access to information and people on our schedule. Not having to think about setting your phone to silent/airport mode, while still having the benefit of no-interruption work/tv, sounds like the perfect service for the busy and frequently-harassed.
• Team Members
Ruggero Scorcioni – The Man!
• Sensors
Brainwave-reading Cat Ears
• Using
1. Axeda APIs
a. Groovy scripts
b. Graphing Tool
2. AT&T APIs
a. Call Mgmt
2. Force Field Labs
A connected and social home safety system to help save lives and protect your assets
What it is:
Remotely monitor carbon monoxide levels in the home.
Why we like it:
While another entrant in the Hackathon focused on energy consumption, this hack focuses on safety. Anyone who travels or is out of the house frequently can enjoy peace of mind knowing the house is carbon-monoxide free.
• Team Members
Chris Rill – Hardware, Software, Firmware, *ware
Adam Sager – Brains behind the Brain
• Sensors
Temperature / Humidity Sensor (acting as a CO sensor which they have, but is too dangerous to use)
Potentiometer
• Using
1. Axeda APIs
a. Groovy scripts
b. Expression Rules
c. Alarm Escalation
d. Historical Data
2. AT&T APIs
a. SMS
1. M2M Rocket
Automated intrusion detection, defense and shenanigans.
What it is:
Totally awesome.
Why we like it:
While firing a rocket isn't in itself all the home security you need (or is it?), the idea here is that any type of motion intruding somewhere it shouldn't triggers a response such as locking all the doors or taking a snapshot of the intruder and emailing it to the police. Or else emailing it to your secret underground command center where your ten other 
rockets are ready to be aimed and blasted at the oh-so-unlucky rabbit who decided to nibble on your begonias one last time.
• Team Members
Brandon Dorris – Polyglot
John Carroll – iOS and Art
Ian Bernstein – Hardware and Firmware
Adam Wilson – Hardware and Mischief
• Sensors
Directional Proximity Sensor
• Using
1. Axeda APIs
a. Groovy scripts
b. Expression Rules
c. Extended Lists and Maps
2. AT&T APIs
a. SMS
b. Voice to Text
Pictured: M2M Rocket Team, M2M Hackathon Winners
Photo Courtesy of Chris Meringolo, Used by Permission
What does it mean that an M2M team won the AT&T Hackathon?
The “Internet of Things” is here! Over 50% of Internet connections are things, not people. New markets are emerging such as mHealth, home automation, and smart vehicles. Watch these technologies, because the next Google or Facebook may already be here, emerging from the M2M ecosystem.
DISCLAIMER: The content in this post is the personal opinion of Sara Streeter and should not be taken as an official statement from Axeda or from AT&T.
Comments
Question on #8
I am very new to the world of hacking, so pardon my ignorance, but why did the group on design #8 use a Water Temperature sensor? I don't see how that has anything to do with tracking short-term routes.
Thanks, loved the post by the way!
Let's get the definitions out
Let's get the definitions out of the way. Mechanized apps are essentially lilliputian applications that you download and run on your lineament phone or pain sound. An app present run locally on your handset and may or may not gain services on the web to update and retrieve the proportion that's displayed.
https://twitter.com/indigo_digital