Recently, Intel has spent considerable effort on the creation and development of open source projects, together with other major players in their respective fields. The projects themselves appear with enviable regularity, so, quite recently we wrote about the Zephyr Project - the open source real-time OS. Today we will discuss another open source operating system, this time designed for such a promising area as the Internet of Things, as well as the first device created on its basis.
As you have probably guessed, this post is April Fools. But not entirely. Everything that is said in the section “Software Base - Ostro Project” is true!

We, the editorial staff of Intel Habrablog, are especially pleased to note that the project, which will be discussed now, has emerged, including thanks to our participation. In short, the story is as follows. In March 2013, our editor-in-chief published the Multivarka post — a smart pan or a “not finished” gadget , in which, in particular, complained that in our time a device such as a multicooker can be much more intelligent; The technological prerequisites for this are, and it is not clear, why the matter has become. The post caused a heated discussion on Habré and warm support from the masters (more than 300 comments and a score of +223). Later, being published on Intel's internal portal, it spawned a lively discussion there as well. And everything spun ...

Software basis - Ostro Project

Based on the company's common practice to reinvent the wheel every time to look at the root, they decided to start the project from scratch. The result of the joint work of the Intel team and other interested developers was the Ostro operating system , which is a Linux system adapted for the “ IoT ” microcomputers.


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At the current stage of development, Ostro is a ready-to-use system image, ready to be deployed and used on compatible platforms (you can see the list of supported platforms here — everyone probably understands why it is). Pay attention to the basic characteristics of the OS:

• support for Intel Quark and Intel Atom;
• customization and customization tools Yocto Project ;
• a framework that supports Node.js, Python, and C / C ++ applications;
• availability of JavaScript API;
• advanced security features: Trusted Boot, Applications Memory Isolation, Impersonation Prevention, Integrity Verification;
• A rich set of communication and interaction interfaces: Bluetooth / BLE, WiFi, 6LowPAN, CAN.

The project is hosted on GitHub , anyone can take part in it or take advantage of its developments.

Hardware basis - Intel Edison and sensors

Using the operating system and development framework, enthusiasts began to create a hardware prototype. As its basis was chosen micro computer Intel Edison. The reasons for this choice are clear: firstly, the platform is well known to developers, secondly, there is a wide range of sensors for it, and, thirdly, it meets the requirements set by the multi-cooker for it. What kind of functionality were the creators going to lay in the slow cooker , they called Ostro Pot ?

• fully automatic cooking based on information from sensors;
• cloud storage of recipes with the ability to view through the web interface, as well as support for DRM;
• control via web interface or mobile application with encryption;
• High resolution LCD for monitoring and diagnostics;
• the ability to create your own recipes and manual control.

Thus, we get a fully automatic device, as close as possible to the ideal (which, as is known, should be equipped with a single “do well” button).


Weekdays of development: Intel Edison and sensors, sensors, sensors ...

At present, much of what has been planned has already been implemented, because, as already noted, technologically it is a project of its time, and for it almost everything is already available.
So, it was not difficult to create a cloud recipe service with a rating system for quality control and support for Digital Rights Management. Copyright holders of recipes are entitled to rely on royalties from using their creations - getting small portions of each dish prepared according to their recipe . DRM will be used against culinary pirates - to maintain a partially paid recipes section on the server.
Also, management via a web interface and a mobile application was implemented, where the security of the connection turned out to be the most difficult moment — agree that if an attacker gains access to your electronic pan, then this is only slightly better than your bank account.

The prototype tested the operation of temperature, pressure and humidity sensors. Doubt that the system "take off" no. Moreover, the creators even managed to surpass their plans - the system was designed not only for cooking (heating) food, but also for cooling! Of course, it will not be possible to make ice cream in Osto Pot, but it will be quite realistic to cool food within reasonable limits in a short time - it’s not for nothing that Intel has a lot of experience working with CPU cooler manufacturers.

However, there are difficulties, where without them.

1. For a complete interactive system, the instrument requires a salinity sensor. Most of the sensors used determine the salinity by a change in electrical conductivity, which is suitable only for relatively pure water, but not for food.
2. Generally speaking, it is desirable that the multicooker have a wider range of culinary sensors - for example, spicy food, even though the device is called the Ostro Pot. But it is even more difficult, although the scale of sharpness in the world exists
3. In general, the quality of the tested sensors leaves much to be desired. The selection of suitable sensors will probably be the main problem at the preproduction stage.
4. Even an ordinary multicooker is a rather difficult product to make. The developers intend to place an order with one of the OEM-manufacturers that are already producing multicookers.

Developments and ideas for the future now in the project is much more than what has already been done. For example, it would be nice to equip a slow cooker with an internal camera with backlight and broadcast the cooking process on a smartphone with an application. And the external camera would be suitable for RealSense technology to automatically determine the emotions of the person trying and convert them into a prescription rating.
And, of course, do not forget about the technology of artificial intelligence (Machine Learning), which will allow the kitchen appliance to learn from their mistakes and not repeat them when they are re-cooked.

Participation in the Intel project, which provided not only human resources, but also all the necessary equipment, made it possible to carry out a large amount of preliminary work without attracting crowdfunding sites. Thus, the credibility of the project increases - a lot has already been done. Unfortunately, currently Ostro Pot does not yet exist “in the form of a pan”, and we cannot demonstrate it to you, however, in the very near future, the developers intend to turn to “public finance” to receive funds for production, and by that time there will be The first working prototype is ready.

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