 eBlock is an electronics block.  It can define as embedded system building block used in sensor based system.  Enable non-experts to build basic small-scale sensor based system.

PRICE??

 Complicated: ◦ Sensor Node on Buoy System ◦ Check temperature, wave height, humidity, and so on. Simple: – Wide range and closed to daily usage. – Counting Cars, Customer Monitoring, Object Locator and so on.

Commercial Sensor NodeeBlock a) Expensivea) Cheap b) Complicatedb) Simple c) Required technical base end user d) Enable non-technical base end user to operate d) General purposed) Specified purpose e) Handle Complex Applicatione) Suitable for simple application It is not mean to replace sensor node but e-Blocks can also be used in conjunction with sensor network nodes as a means to combine several sensor block inputs before sensor data enters a sensor network.

 Defined four types of blocks: ◦ Sensors  Simple 1/0 (yes/no) output ◦ Logic/state  Take at least one 1/0 inputs from others block and generate at least one output.  Allow configure using DIP switch.

◦ Communication  A splitter:  Wireless transmitter or receiver that can replace by wired connection.  Wired or wireless is depend on application. ◦ Output block  Include LED, buzzer, electric relay

 In the medical arena, institutions such as hospitals or nursing homes must ensure the safety of their patients.  Able to observe simple activities of patients by nurse or doctor.

 Use in monitoring nocturnal (night) endangered species.  Typically, scientists study species by first trapping individual animals, photographing the animals, and attaching a tag such that the scientists can identify the animals later.  Prohibited by law from trapping the endangered species animals.  An alternative: set up a feeding station including a simple sensor-based system to detect motion at night and trigger a camera to take a photograph of the animals as they feed.

 Developed e-Blocks to address the need of enabling non-technical user to build basic sensor-based systems.  Used components, such as buttons, light sensors, motion sensors, LEDs, buzzers, etc., and added a low-cost, low power preprogrammed processor to execute the block’s function and communication protocol.

LDR-light dependent resistor LED- Light emitting diode Microcontroller

 Simple Light detecting circuit:  Example microcontroller circuit:

 The e-blocks modules that form by several blocks:

 e-Blocks at end user side…

 Conducted experiments to determine whether people of varying skill levels could build basic sensor-based systems effectively using e- Blocks.  Three skill levels: ◦ Beginner- Student with no programming or electronics experience. ◦ Intermediate-Student that have basic knowledge but no experiences in electronics. ◦ Advanced-Student that have electronics knowledge and experiences.

 Experiment using physical prototypes ◦ Students had 15 minutes to follow a small written tutorial describing how to build e-Block systems before building their own systems.

 Experiment using graphic simulator ◦ Students were given a short step by-step tutorial illustrating the basic idea of e-Blocks, how sensors interacted with one another, how to select blocks from a library, and how to draw wires to connect the various blocks within the simulator.

 Sensor to output ◦ Required the user to select the appropriate sensor and output blocks and connect those blocks to implement a particular application.

 Sensor with logic ◦ Required the user to use at least two sensors and to feed sensors’ outputs through a logic block before connecting to an output.

 Sensor with state ◦ Required the user to connect a sensor with a state block and then an output.

 Sensor with logic and state ◦ Require user to connect multiple sensor through logic and state block before connecting to an output block.

 Developed sets of electronics block that called e-block.  Experiment done towards various level of student to show the effectiveness of the e- block.