Changes

There are 3 basic node types in things bus:

There are 3 basic node types in things bus:

* Sensors. Sensors produce data

* Sensors. Sensors produce data

* Actuators. Data Sinks consume data, and probably do something interesting with it.

* Actuators. Data Sinks consume data, and probably do something interesting with it.

* Neurons. Neurons take in sensory data, manipulate it in some way, and send the data to actuators.

* Neurons. Neurons take in sensory data, manipulate it in some way, and send the data to actuators.

=== Sensors ===

=== Sensors ===

A simple of an example of a sensor would be a temperature sense in the space. A temperature sensor would be a Raspberry Pi hooked into a temperature sense, and would send out the current temperature every 5 minutes.

A simple of an example of a sensor would be a temperature sense in the space. A temperature sensor would be a Raspberry Pi hooked into a temperature sense, and would send out the current temperature every 5 minutes.

Sensors make data available by using a zmq bind PUB socket.

Sensors make data available by using a zmq bind PUB socket.

=== Actuators ===

=== Actuators ===

An Actuator is something that, when triggered, does something. It doesn't have to be physical. An actuator could be as simple as an led wired into a Raspberry Pi that can be triggered by a Neuron.

An Actuator is something that, when triggered, does something. It doesn't have to be physical. An actuator could be as simple as an led wired into a Raspberry Pi that can be triggered by a Neuron.

Actuators consume data by using a zmq bind PULL socket

Actuators consume data by using a zmq bind PULL socket

Examples:

Examples:

* A Dust Collection Node would likely be both a sensor (Is it on?) and an actuator (Turn it on)

* A Dust Collection Node would likely be both a sensor (Is it on?) and an actuator (Turn it on)

== A Simple Example ==

== A Simple Example ==

The following is an example of a Neuron. It connects to sensory input, the hackerpspace's front and back doors, and sense data to an actuator, zirc, an actuator that writes data to #pumpingstationone on irc.freenode.net

The following is an example of a Neuron. It connects to sensory input, the hackerpspace's front and back doors, and sense data to an actuator, zirc, an actuator that writes data to #pumpingstationone on irc.freenode.net

Before running the example, you must have a recent python, recent libzmq installed, and must have pyzmq installed.

Before running the example, you must have a recent python, recent libzmq installed, and must have pyzmq installed.

== Hardware ==

== Hardware ==

We are targetting Beagle Bone Blacks for node hardware. While in theory, the hardware can be anything, having a consistent dev platform is useful.

We are targetting Beagle Bone Blacks for node hardware. While in theory, the hardware can be anything, having a consistent dev platform is useful.

The BBB has 2 blocks of GPIO lines, and the capability of supporting up to 4 Serial devices. A lot of the types of data we want to collect are available over gpio and serial.

The BBB has 2 blocks of GPIO lines, and the capability of supporting up to 4 Serial devices. A lot of the types of data we want to collect are available over gpio and serial.

==Things Bus Broker ==

== Things Bus Broker ==

For certain types of nodes, a broker that maintains state is useful.

For certain types of nodes, a broker that maintains state is useful.  

For details of this system, see https://github.com/eastein/thingsbus

For details of this system, see https://github.com/eastein/thingsbus