Hackspace Instrumentation

Our Holly VM, on Collective, is used to collect data from the HackSpace and provide a number of interfaces for the presentation of that data. This will be for "the things we want to know about" and various interesting statistics. The end-data, or a subset thereof, should really be published to pachube to contribute to the Internet of Things. Internally we are using MQTT, powered by the Mosquito message broker, to communicate between nodes - see MQTT_Topics for information currently being published.

Whilst not exactly well defined, the hackspace instrumentation project probably includes:

Currently

• Gatekeeper - The hackspace access control system. Also runs the studio door bell and the last man out switch. Publishes on the door being opened/closed, door bell being rang, and the state of the last man out switch changing.

• LED Matrix - Large scrolling LED display in the comfy area. As well as displaying the topic of the latest google group email / twitter stuff and message set from IRC, it is also logging temperatures for the comfy area, studio and blue room

• Mini-matrix - Similar to the LED Matrix, but smaller and in the blue room. Also logs the temperature of the Snackspace fridge, and displays the username of anyone coming in to the hackspace.

• Vending machine - Has a custom cashless device that records purchases and tweets

• WorkshopMQTT - aka workshop doorbell. Also logs the temperature in the Workshop, and is likely to be connected to doorbell button on door at the back of the workshop at some point.

• Network device count - Holly is also recording and graphing a count of the number of network devices currently connected to the hackspace network (with static devices excluded).

• IRC bot - Outputs to IRC when the door is opened or the door bell rang. Essentially an MQTT to IRC bridge.

• Cacti graphs. Currently hackspace temperature and stats for Holly.

• Tools RFID - Restricts access to the laser cutter and Ultimaker 3D printer to inducted members, and keeps track of usage.

Closely related

• HMS - Hackspace Management System

• JARVIS - VM on Collective that any member can log on to. Probably the easiest way of getting access to the above. Log in and run mosquitto_sub -v -t '#' to see events/readings as they are published. Use mosquitto_pub to send, e.g. to make the IRC bot, Nh-holly speak: mosquitto_pub -t nh/irc/tx -m "Hello World!". See the topic list for others.

In progress / ideas for the future

• Light sensors - probably to be added the LED matrix & WorkshopMQTT node.

• Lighting Automation - Sorting out the mess that is lighting in the hackspace. Significant progress has already been made, but the scope has since been reduced to not include the workshop.

• Make use the PIR sensors already installed

• Energy Monitoring

• There was a plan originally to add RFID access to the blue room and members storage, but I think this has pretty much been abandoned

Old ideas

Don't think these are being worked on

• HAL 9000 [1] eye with webcam showing the spooky view!
• GERTY from Moon [2] - a cheap colour LCD for the smiley face and what-have-you for the rest.
• daily summary as RSS feed
• more graphs

Old... miscellaneous

see Talk:Hackspace Instrumentation