The LilyPad XBee sew-in wearable radio created by myself and Kate Hartman just got an update to add a reset button and improve its manufacturability. This board can be paired with LilyPad wearable sensors, custom built sensors and a variety of output devices to create a complete wireless wearable system. Available from Sparkfun for just $14.95 with discounts available […]
The LilyPad XBee a sew-in wearable radio is now available from SparkFun Electronics! It can be paired with LilyPad wearable sensors, custom built sensors and a variety of output devices to create a complete wireless wearable system. The board is $14.95 (XBee sold separately). Wow, from 7-in-7 exercise to commercially produced item in five months.
LilyPad XBee Now Available Read Post »
Wearable radios are coming for your clothes! The LilyPad XBee sew-on ZigBee boards just headed out for manufacture. We finished testing the final green prototype version, nudged in a few improvements and about four weeks from now they’ll be commercially available. Pricing and source to be announced when the boards go live. For now, we
LilyPad XBee Ready for Manufacture Read Post »
Our LilyPad XBee sew-in wearable radio board is now available! More info on the new LilyPad XBee site.
The first prototype of the XBee LilyPad open-source wearable radio has arrived and is working properly. All the lights turn on, the connections are just great and getting a proto in hand has spawned all kinds of new ideas. The push for the next version is to move all the components out from under the
XBee LilyPad First Prototype Read Post »
This is a second draft of the XBee LilyPad that Kate and I are working on. It adds some noise filtering and decoupling capacitors to help with reliability. We’ve also added LED outputs so users can tell if the XBee is on, associated and receiving information. There’s currently solder jumpers on these lights, so that
XBee LilyPad Second Draft Read Post »
We work with the LilyPad open-source wearables system and the XBee radios a lot at ITP, so Kate Hartman and I decided that it was time to put the two together. My Friday 7 in 7 project was to create a XBee LilyPad board, the first draft of which is pictured above. There’s probably going
Your XBee project isn’t working? Here’s some common mistakes that both beginners and experts make: Not using the latest firmware (especially if ATD0 or ATIR is giving an error)* No reference voltage to VREF pin on the 802.15.4 radios (analog and digital reads give wrong values) Forgetting that AT commands use hexadecimals Hitting return after
Common XBee Mistakes Read Post »
We’re experimenting with a LilyPad-style wearable coin cell to supply 3.6 Volts to the XBee LilyPad from a 2450 Lithium Ion rechargeable cell. The voltage is nominally out of spec for the XBee, but seems to work just fine in our tests. First draft is at the board house right now.
Robert Faludi is an advisor and consultant for connected device companies. He is currently head of product for Perceptive Things, a startup in the Smart Buildings space. For six years, he was the Chief Innovator at Digi International, working to forge strong connections with the maker community, uncover new innovation methodologies, support outstanding new work
