If you recently purchased a Wi-Fi lamp, it is very likely that you will be using a MIPS-based chip. For example, AnandTech's Ganesh TS recently disassembled the LIFX White 800 bulb and found that the lamp contained the Qualcomm Atheros QCA4002 SoC with an area-priority MIPS CPU.
Last week, the scientific team of the Disney Institute and the ETH Zurich pushed the concept of connecting light bulbs to a whole new level. In this white paper, the four IoT pioneers describe the structure of an innovative LED-to-LED communication system. This system can be used in toys, wearables, mobile devices and other Wi-Fi connected devices.
VLC is a data communication medium using 400 to 800 terahertz ((780–375 nm) visible light)
The new demonstration kit (now called a Linux bulb) uses visible light to send data at rates up to 1 kbps. DIY bulbs are designed to interoperate with other devices that do not have a full Wi-Fi connection but can read data using visible light communication (VLC) technology.
Bulb bottom sleeve main unit power supply (1c), light sensor (2 b), VLC control board (1a) and Qualcomm SoC board;
(2) The casing top casing LED radiator (2b) and LED (2a) further provide additional air flow (2 c);
(3) Original bulb LEDs and integrated power outlets.
This article explores how IP stacks and other network protocols can be implemented on Linux-based VLC devices. To this end, the researchers have once again enabled existing software such as OpenWrt and used some additional firmware to implement new features. Overall, the program requires approximately 1000 lines of code.
In the image below, we should pay attention to how the engineers at Disney Research have equipped additional custom components, circuits and enclosures on a common bulb to complete the final hardware design.
Linux bulb hardware architecture
The MIPS-based SoC runs the advanced wireless network protocol of the Linux distribution, and the microcontroller handles the real-time operation of the VLC firmware, while the two embedded processors are connected via the UART interface. It is worth emphasizing that the main goal is to establish a network of devices that only use the VLC protocol for communication, while the Wi-Fi protocol is only used for remote control and data collection.
Programming a MIPS CPU is very easy and simple. We will also use the MIPS architecture in other prototypes in the future. - Steven Mangud, from the Disney Institute.
Since the MCU is usually extracted as a normal Ethernet interface, most applications that use the TCP or UDP protocol can use the VLC driver again.
The main computing module integrates the MIPS-based Qualcomm Atheros SoC with built-in 802.11 g / n Wi-Fi, 20 GPIO pins and UART ports. This SoC has been used in many electronic enthusiast programs and in Android applications running OpenWrt - smart light bulbs are no exception. OpenWrt is a distribution of embedded Linux that optimizes network devices and products with a complete Wi-Fi stack that provides a complete VLC transport layer.
We chose Qualcomm Atheros SoC based on its usability, favorable ratings on the web forum and form factors. - Tiffin Mangud, from the Disney Institute.
Not only that, embedding a Wi-Fi chip inside the bulb creates an excellent route for remote communication and control. Developers can perform wireless firmware updates, add new features, or write devices remotely via a wireless broadcast channel. In addition, the Wi-Fi interface can be used to collect real-time measurement data and other statistical data without the need to disassemble the light bulb.
The Disney team won't stop there. Future plans include increasing transmission speed and distance, as well as adding multi-color support.
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