Are you a developer? Would you like to create your own IoT network at home? Stop everything! In early February 2018, Mozilla launched its new project: a solution that allows anyone to build their own gateway for the internet of things.
An IoT network “made by Mozilla”
The Mozilla Foundation has just surprised us with its latest innovation: the creation of an internet of things based on three key principles — decentralised, secure and respectful of the user’s privacy.
So how does it work? What steps do you need to follow? Here are a few explanations.
To build your network, you will need a Raspberry Pi, some connected devices and an internet connection. The first step is to install the Project Things software on the Raspberry Pi. It is made up of three components:
- The Things Gateway: a gateway that makes it possible to connect IoT devices to the web.
- The Things Cloud: a library of services offered by Firefox in order to manage your IoT devices across a wide geographical area.
- The Things Framework: allows you to program the features of the devices on your IoT network.
A diagram explaining how Project Things works. Source: iot.mozilla.org
Once the network is installed, you will have an API for controlling your IoT network: you will be able, for example, to program lighting, heating, the radio and so on remotely.
The special feature of the Project Things API is that it is open source: you can program it yourself in order to control your devices better. The idea is to have a 100% customisable internet of things network and to create your own home automation setup.
Project Things is compatible with several home automation protocols, such as Z-Wave and ZigBee adapters.
So, are you won over by this new project from Firefox? Tell us in the comments and share your experience with us! You can find the installation instructions on Mozilla’s official website, or on the Project Things GitHub page.
