Sources of data are becoming more and more open, accessible and plentiful. But means to access, visualise, and interact with these sources in an integrated fashion are lagging behind. SMARTA is an evolving platform to try and prototype this.
Design
How do we present sources of data commonly found inside and around modern homes? We want to avoid data overload by providing contextually appropriate data to users. For the initial prototype I focused on a few useful sources: public transit status and live schedules (‘should I run for the bus or should I wait inside a bit longer’? ‘Is the Underground working or should I plan to cycle?’), private transport status (‘What’s the estimated Uber surge price and wait time?’). Sources inside the house are pulling in per-room thermostat and heating status (‘how cold is my room?’) as well as live and historic electricity and gas consumption (‘have I left the lights on upstairs?’).
So far, the software is a work in progress, but displays live Underground status pulled down from an online API. The physical initial prototype features an NEC screen with presence/proximity sensor for auto on/off, mounted vertically, with a Raspberry Pi serving a webpage in kiosk mode, built into a custom-designed mail rack made out of painted MDF.
Roles
- Concept, design, build.
Dani Schmidt: CAD
Year
2016-present
