Re: [DIYbio] Amazon unintentionally solves "low cost lab automation device" challenges

On Thu, Dec 3, 2015 at 3:50 PM, Jonathan Cline <jcline@ieee.org> wrote:
> I would say writing the basic Android app itself fits into the "stupid easy"
> category while the analog circuit part does not.

I'd have to disagree on the first part. To back up a bit, Arduino is
an IDE and a library... you can write 'pure atmega' code, or even
assembly, in your source files.

The big difference I find with Android development vs Arduino
development is: download size, number of clicks/keystrokes to get
"working", ease of straightforward and compatible examples... i.e.
there's essentially only 1 version of Arduino library code API, but
the few times I've tried writing an Android app (with a year or two
between each attempt) everything was different. The API had a major
overhaul, IDE changes, etc...

I've never implemented any of the Android app ideas because of this. I
just can't remember how to do it, and when I have a cool idea, I can't
jump right in. With Arduino it's a single click to jump in (after
installation, which is minimal work, much less than getting Android
dev setup).

I guess you could call me lazy, but this is something the Apple crowd
have balked over for years, the 'fragmented' ecosystem of Android. Its
so much easier to open a text editor, type "import flask" and bam, I
have a web app (that could be accessed on Android or otherwise).


Also Arduino hardware is cheap... $2.50 is the going rate at the cheap
end of the spectrum (translates into longer shipping time) including a
USB controller. The ESP8266 chips are only a tad more expensive, and
have WiFi. That chip's successor, the future ESP32, will be dual-core
with WiFi (since the processor is used for handling the WiFi comms).

Honestly though, Android tablets and phones are commonly going for $50
or less... they aren't going to be the best, but a $30 android phone
is certainly going to be more tech-heavy than what you could otherwise
buy in parts.

But in this day and age... just use a cheap
microcontroller/microcomputer and add some wireless comms, then
require your customers to provide their own interface (read
smartphone, laptop, tablet). If some lab community thinks that's too
much of a hassle (puling your dirty phone out in the clean lab, or
contaminating your phone with lab juice)... then they can supply the
$30 Android device. In today's world supply chains seem to change
rapidly, especially with this highly integrated stuff. In that sense,
low-level designs are longer-lasting, just make sure they can be used
with whatever interface-of-the-month is (next month will probably
feature something face-mounted).

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