Physical Computing: Off the Grid and Into the Wild.

Find out what it takes to untether your physical computing prototype from your laptop and release it into the wild. Learn the basics of batteries, solar, Wi-Fi / cellular / satellite communication and sleep modes. Get the download on batteries – what kinds are out there and all the factors that determine how long one will last. Try out different solar panels, and learn about charge controllers. Check out cellular communication with the Particle Electron, and satellite communication via the Rock Block. Find out why sleep modes are so important, and see a range of hardware approaches to reducing power consumption such as using a bare microprocessor and power switching for auxiliary devices. Bring all this info together using both data sheet and empirical approaches to building a current budget, to predict how long your untethered device will last. Info and strategies can be applied to a range of projects and products including wearables, IOT devices, and environmental monitoring. This session will be a mix of info, hardware show and tell, and some hands-on activities with a range of current measurement tools.