Connected-Devices, Node.js, Arduino, Responsive, NoSQL in a Box, and the ClockPareil

Some experts think connected-devices will increase productivity by several trillion dollars in the coming years. From jet turbines to industrial food processing machines, there are over three million different types of machines that can be controlled and maintained more efficiently with help from the internet. Hoping to learn more, I found time over  the vacation to “box-up” a collection of popular technologies that are helping to enable this important trend.

The result is ClockPareil, an experimental desk-top kinetic sculpture made with open source, event-driven, asynchronous, non-relational, distributed technologies — and chocolate. At the top of each hour, a dispensing wheel turns and drops a delicious nonpareil, into a metal chute with a satisfying plunk sound. For those who can’t wait, a Tweet with a secret passphrase will do the trick too.

While ClockPareil is a helpful way to supply our office with a steady stream of dark chocolate, it’s also a study in how the lines are blurring between connected-devices, server-side programs and datastores. This is especially true when the system building blocks interface asynchronously and  entirely over HTTP. The ClockPareil building blocks consist of an Arduino Uno & Wifi Sheild, two Node.js controller programs running on AWS, and Apache CouchDB running on Cloudant. The code’s here on GitHub.

In addition to familiar digital challenges, the realm of connected-devices has physical environmental factors to consider as well. For example, our office has mice so a key ClockPareil component is the mouse resistant, clear plastic enclosure and small door that clicks shut with help from two neodymium magnates.

ClockPareil is performing well and is a powerful, if quixotic, working demonstration of scalable, secure, reliable and revolutionary technology underpinning a trillion-dollar revolution that’s well underway.