2nd Hands-on Session with Things Network Board & a Helium Network Board (IoT)

Cost: $1 per attendee, must pay and RSVP online in advance at https://meetings.vtools.ieee.org/event/register/226054

There will be a light introduction to The Things Network ( https://www.thethingsnetwork.org ), a community-owned IoT data network, and the Helium Network, an IoT data network incentivizing deployment via cryptocurrency. After the introduction, the remaining time is up to the individual attendee. There will be a single Things network prototyping board (Things Uno https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/docs/devices/uno/ ) shared among attendees, in order to attempt to connect to The Things Network. There will also be a single Helium network prototyping board ( MCCI Catena® 4610 https://store.mcci.com/products/mcci-catena-4610-integrated-node-for-lorawan-technology ) shared among attendees, in order to attempt to connect to the Helium Network. We may be relying (hoping) on existing Things Network gateways in Dallas ( https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/community/dallas/ ) and Helium network gateways in Dallas and hoping for signal strength to transceive to/from one or more gateways. Some attendees may choose to work on emulating transmitting particular sensor data, some may care about a telemetry dashboard, some may care about an app centered around a device, ...

A basic TTN app might be a dog collar with a TTN radio and GPS. A companion mobile app allows a user to receive the GPS data. So a pet dog jumps the fence and runs off, owner activates GPS and sees the dog's location on a map.

You'll need:
A development laptop with the Arduino IDE installed
Other IDEs, cloud accounts for your particular interest?

There will probably be a breadboard or two with a LED and a sensor.

Thing Network Info
https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/spa/static/img/560e799.png
https://www.newark.com/the-things-network/ttn-un-915/silicon-manufacturer-microchip/dp/05AC1811
https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/docs/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrNjY-pGuno&list=PLM8eOeiKY7JVwrBYRHxsf9p0VM_dVapXl&index=1

Helium Network Info
https://www.helium.com/developers
https://developer.helium.com/
https://developer.helium.com/devices/arduino-quickstart

Update 1
Our benefactors at Object Spectrum ( http://www.objectspectrum.com/ ) have provided a Things Network gateway and a Helium Network gateway.

Update 2
The Helium network recently deployed an update which is preventing device from connecting to it. It is unlikely that you will be able to connect to the Helium Network.

For attendees of the first session, this will be similar to that session, adding a Helium walkthrough and slightly more detail on the application layer.
https://site.ieee.org/dallas-sensors/recap-hands-on-session-with-things-network-board-a-helium-network-board-iot/

Location
You'll want to arrive a few minutes early, as you'll need to complete a waiver upon entrance, if you've not done so previously. Dallas Makerspace is access controlled. Up to a few minutes before class time, someone will let you in. If you're late, you may not gain access and would be behind in the session. Also, the entrance and room layout have changed somewhat recently. After entering the second badged entrance, take a right and go through the Galley, take a left after the restrooms, and the Lecture hall will be on the left.

Speaker
John Lindsay ( https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnlindsayii ) developed the Histopack app ( https://histopack.com/ ), which logs the condition of a package to the blockchain and decentralized file storage.

Agenda
~2:00 - 3:00 Things Network and Helium Network introductions
3:00 - 5:00 Hacking