Mozilla, after two years of experimentation and development the platform , which included previously developed projects and , providing components for accessing various categories of consumer devices and utilizing the universal to organize interaction with them. The project's developments under the MPL 2.0 license.
WebThings Framework provides a set of interchangeable components for creating IoT devices that can directly interact using the Web Things API. Such devices can be automatically discovered by gateways based on WebThings Gateway or client software (using mDNS) for subsequent monitoring and management via the Web. Implementations of servers for the Web Things API are prepared in the form of libraries for
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WebThings Gateway providing a universal layer for accessing various categories of consumer and IoT devices, hiding the specifics of each platform and not requiring the use of manufacturer-specific applications. The project's code is written in JavaScript using the Node.js server platform. For gateway interaction with IoT platforms, protocols such as ZigBee and ZWave, WiFi, or direct connection via GPIO can be used. Firmware with the gateway for various models of Raspberry Pi is also available for OpenWrt and Debian.
The gateway can be installed on a Raspberry Pi board, creating a smart home management system that integrates all existing IoT devices in the home and provides tools for monitoring and controlling them through a Web interface. The platform also allows for the creation of additional web applications that can interact with devices via . Thus, instead of installing a separate mobile app for each type of IoT device, a single unified web interface can be used. To install WebThings Gateway, it is enough to load the provided firmware onto an SD card, open the host "gateway.local" in a browser, set up a connection to WiFi, ZigBee, or ZWave, discover existing IoT devices, configure external access parameters, and add the most sought-after devices to the home screen.
The gateway supports features such as device detection on the local network, selecting a web address to connect to devices from the Internet, creating accounts for access to the gateway's web interface, connecting to the gateway devices that support proprietary ZigBee and Z-Wave protocols, remotely turning devices on and off via a web application, and remote monitoring of home conditions and video surveillance. In addition to the web interface and API, the gateway also includes experimental support for voice control, allowing it to recognize and execute voice commands (for example, "turn on the kitchen light").
Simultaneously with the announcement of the new WebThings platform, the release of , which offers the following innovations:
- A logging system has been added to collect statistics on the operation of all IoT devices and sensors in the home network, allowing users to assess their activity through visual graphs. For example, you can find out how many times doors were opened and closed during your absence, how the temperature in the house changed, how much energy devices plugged into smart sockets consumed, when motion detectors were triggered, and so on. Graphs can be displayed over hours, days, and weeks and can be scrolled along the timeline.
- Alarm signals have been added, which can be triggered in the event of situations requiring immediate action. For example, alarm signals can be linked to smoke detector activations, leaks, or carbon monoxide alerts, as well as when burglary signals are received. In case of an alarm trigger, notifications can be sent via SMS or other alerting means.
- An interface has been added for configuring network connection parameters. Previously, switching from one wireless network to another when both networks were available required command execution in the console. Now, changing network parameters can be done through the web interface (Settings ➡ Network), where you can manage IP address assignment, scan available wireless networks, and change access points.
- Experimental packages for routers based on OpenWrt that allow the use of routers not only for providing network access but also as control nodes for smart homes. In the future, we plan to prepare our own distribution based on OpenWrt with integrated support for Things Gateway, providing a unified interface for smart home configuration and wireless access points. Currently, WebThings Gateway can already operate in wireless access point mode, not just as a client of a wireless network.
Source: opennet.ru
