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Ask HN: Object you'd like to see connected to the internet?

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Re: Ask HN: Object you'd like to see connected to the internet?

#41

Post by MiguelHudnandez »

byoung2 wrote: post #4

Technology is getting so cheap that eventually we'll have everything connected and wonder why it wasn't always that way. First, I'd like my sprinkler system connected so I can see and adjust the schedule, check current soil moisture levels, etc. Better yet, let the system adjust itself based on current conditions, forecasts, etc. I would use this mainly for my vegetable garden, not so much fo Second, I'd like my refr…

Sprinklers:

* Lono looks cool, but doesn't exist yet.

* The rachio website is down.

* OpenSprinkler exists now but is not very shiny. http://rayshobby.net/?page_id=160

Re: Ask HN: Object you'd like to see connected to the internet?

#44

Post by lost_name »

shrike wrote: post #3

My fridge. A simple barcode reader I can scan an item with when I use the last of it. We could develop applications that add it to a offline or online shipping list, track the amount of 'item' we eat every month, our spend etc. We could complicate things a bit more with two barcode readers, one when we add an item to the fridge, another when it's empty. That would let us find recipes based on what's available in the…

Just a thought, but you could do this with a smart phone right now. I understand the implementation would be different integrated into the fridge, but maybe you could throw something together to see if you'd really like to do this after all.

I'm of the opinion that the value is immediately lost when I forget to scan things, which would almost certainly be the normal rather than the exception.

Edit: I should have assumed this already existed -- there's several apps on the Android/iOS/Windows Phone stores.

Re: Ask HN: Object you'd like to see connected to the internet?

#45

Post by macguyver »

Our refrigerator. It is big and things easily go bad if we don't periodically go through and do an "inventory" of what's there, what needs to be eaten.

A fridge should, ideally: Track counts of objects, Have date of entry of objects, Have a freshness meter for all objects, and give me a map of the location of each object.

I have in mind how to visually display this info and have R&D insights to other ways to make this practical. Lots of innovation :)

Re: Ask HN: Object you'd like to see connected to the internet?

#46

Post by Fjrjcjsiwbfcnde »

Oh boy! Now I can live out my 1984 fantasies where not only am I carrying a tracking device at all times, but literally everything around me is bugged with sensors!

People being able to assassinate me with a software update to my car is also a major plus.

Re: Ask HN: Object you'd like to see connected to the internet?

#47

Post by hacknat »

HeyLaughingBoy wrote: post #28
shrike wrote: post #3

My fridge. A simple barcode reader I can scan an item with when I use the last of it. We could develop applications that add it to a offline or online shipping list, track the amount of 'item' we eat every month, our spend etc. We could complicate things a bit more with two barcode readers, one when we add an item to the fridge, another when it's empty. That would let us find recipes based on what's available in the…

I keep hearing about this idea, but most of the stuff in my fridge doesn't have a barcode. Either it never did (fruit, veggies), or it's worn off or the external packaging was removed. And then there's the fact that I don't always want the same thing (out of Smucker's strawberry jam, but want Minnesota State Fair Cherry preserves (mmmmm) to replace it). Still don't get the appeal.

I agree completely. When people talk about the fridge idea I've always scratched my head about it. First of all a good chunk of my food never sees the inside of the fridge. I would also add that the vast majority of items we "run out" of we end up not replacing, at least consistently. I consistently replace only a small amount of the food I consume (milk, butter, bread), and I suspect others are similar.

I'm sure I have some patterns in my eating habits, but it's an area of my life I'm constantly trying to randomize (i.e. try new things). I would also add that seasonality plays a huge role, both in what is available and cheap, which a computer could track, but my own desire for changes. I went through a cheese "phase" last year where I tried lots of different cheeses, but I don't really eat too much cheese anymore. Now I'm in a Bourbon phase.

Re: Ask HN: Object you'd like to see connected to the internet?

#48

Post by wlesieutre »

Mister_Snuggles wrote: post #35
ericfranklin wrote: post #30

Traffic lights. While not directly personal or "Internet of Things", traffic lights could really use some AI. It would be fantastic if they could learn routine traffic patterns (rush hour, weekends), detect flow (green light, but no one is there), even receive traffic data from Google/Apple/etc., then automatically adjust timing accordingly. Even mesh networking with nearby intersections. I can't count the number of…

This already happens in some cities. There are traffic lights in my city, for example, which adjust for trains, presence of cross-traffic, etc. The cross-traffic one is neat because a light will, quite literally, stay red forever and only change when a car pulls up to actually use the green light. From this[0] article: > Today, cities use computer-controlled traffic lights that adjust their timing based on traffic le…

My hometown had one of those "cross-traffic" lights a few blocks from my house at an intersection that I had to cross to reach one of the major bike paths.

Naturally, it didn't register bikes. So if you wanted the light to ever change, you had to cross over to the left side of the street, go up on the sidewalk, and push the pedestrian button (no crosswalk on the right side of the intersection). Not much of a fan.

I'm not saying they're always bad, but they're not always good either. Maybe newer ones have improved on detection, but my understanding was that the sensor was induction based and required a big chunk of metal in order to spot you.

Re: Ask HN: Object you'd like to see connected to the internet?

#49

Post by ericfranklin »

kgrin wrote: post #38
ericfranklin wrote: post #30

Traffic lights. While not directly personal or "Internet of Things", traffic lights could really use some AI. It would be fantastic if they could learn routine traffic patterns (rush hour, weekends), detect flow (green light, but no one is there), even receive traffic data from Google/Apple/etc., then automatically adjust timing accordingly. Even mesh networking with nearby intersections. I can't count the number of…

Many lights and transportation networks already do (NYC is one great example). It's not just lights - there are all sorts of inputs into that system. It does take some resources, so you typically don't see that sort of intelligent routing outside of the major cities (at least in the US), but the tech is definitely there (not that it couldn't be improved).

Yes, I suspect major cities already have complex and optimized traffic routing, along with full-time traffic engineers. The mid and small cities are what I experience most, but I suppose these also have less traffic, so less need to be fully optimized.

Re: Ask HN: Object you'd like to see connected to the internet?

#50

Post by maxerickson »

ww520 wrote: post #8

Cars. I'd like to turn on the AC afar remotely 15 minutes or half hour before get into the car on a hot day, or heat it up remotely on a freezing day. Some might already be doing it (Tesla). Watering system. It can look up the season/weather and adjust the amount of water to sprinkle. Battery. So that it can send out a signal when it's low on power. I know it's probably impractical but we are talking about ideas for…

OnStar has an app:

http://www.chevrolet.com/onstar-remotelink.html

Heating/Cooling isn't discussed there, but I guess it's easy enough to leave the environment controls where you want them when the vehicle starts.

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