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Loading ...RCISS – Remote Computer Interface and Security System
ajncreate
Existing portable computing devices are not very powerful and are expensive. RCISS solves this problem by providing desktop computing power from a small lightweight handheld device (the Handheld) that is relatively cheap to construct. The RCISS system consists of the Handheld which has a screen and operating controls and a desktop computer (or laptop) modified with a special hardware card or external USB device. The video output from the computer which would normally appear on the computer’s monitor is transmitted wirelessly to and displayed on the Handheld’s screen. Using the Handheld’s operating controls which compromise a joystick and left/right click buttons, signals can be sent wirelessly back to the computer to control the mouse cursor of the computer’s operating system.
In this way the Handheld functions as a dummy terminal for control of the computer and delivers all of the power of a normal desktop computer without needing its own motherboard, hard drive and memory. When the Handheld is not connected, the computer can be used as normal. In effect, the system is acting as a hardware version of VNC (Virtual Network Computing).
RCISS was built for my A-Level Design and Technology project in and I am currently in my second year studying Engineering at Cambridge University. I have a patent filed for certain aspects and embodiments of the system and it is currently in the extensive examination stage. More information on RCISS and my other inventions can be found on my website www.ajncreate.com
Video Links
RCISS Explanation- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBErAWbBJdo
RCISS Setups / Multi-Users - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ef3P0A7nbqE
RCISS Uses and Doll’s House Explanation - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwkGOT9yKpk&feature=related
RCISS USB - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZythgNQJ4oM
RCISS Computer
Video Links:
RCISS Explanation- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBErAWbBJdo
RCISS Setups / Multi-Users - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ef3P0A7nbqE
The first system I built involved the modification of a normal computer through a plug in card which I designed and built. This allowed the Handheld to control the computer through the method described earlier.
I installed the system on an old computer been thrown out of a local school. I installed all the modification hardware and then spray painted the case black and stuck a RCISS decal on one of the sides. I also installed a window kit illuminated with a blue cathode light to enable my modifications to be seen.
Early in the design process, I took the decision to introduce a user management system. This allows the PC to be used conventionally, via the keyboard and mouse connected to the PC, or via the Handheld, or both at once. The user management system controls who can turn the computer on and off, and who has priority. The system has two iButtons (single user and multi user) which control the start up of the computer. To start the computer in the appropriate mode, the iButton is inserted into the iButton reader mounted where the start button used to be on the computer. A small LCD on the front of the PC mounted in an empty drive bay indicates the class of user logged on (single or multi) the name of the user, and provides instructions on how to use the system.
Depending on which iButton has been inserted the computer functions in the appropriate manner:
Single User:
If the single user iButton is inserted again, the computer can be used like a normal computer by a keyboard user. No video or control signal is sent to the Handheld.If the Handheld pages the computer using its wireless link, relays disconnect the PC’s monitor (it breaks the v-sync connection) and speakers (it breaks both channels), ensuring privacy, and the video and audio outputs are redirected to the Handheld. The Handheld now has full and overriding control of the computer, i.e. a Handheld user can’t be logged off by a keyboard user.
Multi User:
If the mutli user iButton is inserted, the computer can be used like a normal computer by a keyboard user. A piece of software called BeTwin also emulates another operating system (the computer has dual graphics and audio hardware) and this is sent to the Handheld and this allows a keyboard and Handheld user to work on separate things (they each have there own os) and the processing power and memory of the computer is shared.
The whole system is controlled through a Picaxe 28X and using relays and radio links the computer functions can be controlled. The video transmission functions use Airwave 620 2.8GHz radio modules, and the other wireless signals use AM 433MHz modules from Holtek. The current operating range is 20m, but this could easily be increased. PCB Wizard was used to design the PCBs for the PC plug-in card and the Handheld, and these were produced using the facilities at my school. I designed the casing for the Handheld in two halves using the CAD package Pro Desktop 8. Using the Pro Desktop design file, Loughborough University kindly produced the casing on its rapid prototyping machines. I painted the casing, prior to installing the Handheld PCBs and other hardware components: the TFT screen, speakers, joystick and buttons. The screen was taken from a Lilliput Monitor and the joystick circuit came from a Targus presentation remote. The Handheld is powered using a lithium polymerbattery.
RCISS USB
Video Link:
RCISS USB - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZythgNQJ4oM
RCISS USB is an external device that can be connected through one USB connection to any computer or laptop running Windows and allows full control of the computer it is connected to wirelessly from the Handheld. Drivers are required to be installed on the operating system for the device to work properly.
Photos:
Doll’s House
Video Link:
RCISS Uses and Doll’s House Explanation -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwkGOT9yKpk&feature=related
I have built a doll’s house to demonstrate the functions and uses of the RCISS system. The dolls house was bought in basic kit form. I made the kit then installed the circuits, doorbell, monitor, Webcam Security Module, curtains, lights, motors, furniture and flooring – see dolls house modification. The lights are LED’s and the motors to move the curtains are driven by an L293D.
On the ground floor there is a Webcam Security Module (see other pages for information on this). On the top floor there is a monitor which can play video and audio outputted from the Handheld. The dolls house has a working doorbell and the Handheld is paged when the doorbell is pressed. The lights can be turned on and off from the Handheld and the curtains can be moved up and down.
The dolls house can be controlled from the Handheld using a piece of software. The computer is connected to the dolls using a computer interface kit circuit from Velleman (K8055) and the dolls house interface circuit I built.
Uses of the system
It brings wireless computing power to anywhere in the home or office in a portable format. The Handheld can call on devices connected to the computer – e.g. printers, scanners etc.
The system can be used to access information anywhere in the home or office e.g. to look up a recipe in the kitchen.
It can be used in homes and offices to reduce computing costs. Using additional cards, emulation software and additional multimedia hardware multiple Handhelds can be connected to the computer each controlling an emulated virtual operating system.
This would allow more than one person to share the computing power of the main computer. The handheld could also be developed to include a keyboard in a laptop style device. It is also a potential solution for developing countries wanting to provide cheap ‘computers’ to children in schools (the $100 laptop project).
It can be used to deliver multimedia content to anywhere in the home e.g. playing mp3’s stored on the computer through a sound system in the house or watching DVD movies stored on a computer on a TV. It could be used in the office to play presentations in any room. One of my main reasons for building the system was so I could watch DVD’s stored on my computer on any TV in my home.
The system can be used in home automation – e.g. turning the lights on and off. The Handheld can be used to control any device connected to the computer it is linked too. Automation will benefit disabled people, help offices cut costs and modernise the home.
The Handheld could be adapted to include a webcam and mic such that it could be used for video conferencing or phone calls through Skype.
The Handheld can view webcams connected to the computer it is linked to and this could be used to set up a security system. Security guards could use the Handheld to enable them to view cameras while they are chasing a criminal onsite.
Similar Systems and advantages RCISS has over them
Laptops – Laptops are portable and can gain internet access by being connected to a wireless network. Laptops however are bigger and heavier than my system as they have to have a motherboard, memory, hard drive and other components, whilst my system makes use of those components in the computer. This means my system can be made smaller and lighter and have a longer battery life than a laptop. My system is potentially more powerful than a laptop as it makes use of a desktop computer which is usually more powerful than a laptop.
Palms – Palm tops are usually very small and as a result of this they cannot be made very powerful because they cannot fit the necessary components in the small space. As they are limited in computing power they can only run certain applications which do not need a lot of computing power – they are not suitable for multimedia applications. My system can be made as small as palm tops but as the Handheld uses a computers power it is a lot more powerful and can undertake more applications.
VNC (running on portable device like a palm) (comparison to my system running a single user) – This is a very competitive alternative if you already have a palm or pocket pc. VNC stands for Virtual Network Computing and it can be run off portable devices. It is remote control software which allows you to view and fully interact with one computer desktop (the “VNC server”) using a simple program (the “VNC viewer”). The performance between my system and VNC are comparable but mine is purely hardware based and hence is slightly quicker than doing the same thing running software (as the computer uses up processing power running the software). My system has the advantage that the computer functions as normal and does not have to run as a VNC server (easier for the average computer user) and because it is hardware based it runs before the operating system is loaded i.e. you can see the motherboard and bios start up which you cannot with VNC. This is essential for updating the computer and maintenance. My system does not need to be changed if the operating system is changed or if the computer is reformatted and hence it is more flexible than VNC.
Origami, Tablet and Pocket PC’s – These devices are as small as the RCISS Handheld but because they have a motherboard, memory, hard drive and other components which mine does not, they are heavier, less powerful and more expensive. As my system uses the desktop computer’s power, the Handheld is a lot more powerful.
BlackBerry – A BlackBerry is designed to be a communications device. My system can make phone calls (using Skype), video conference, surf the net and send emails like the BlackBerry yet it can run other applications which the BlackBerry cannot. The Handheld is more powerful and can run any application (e.g. a programme like iTunes), so it has a lot more functionality than a BlackBerry. BlackBerrys do not have an optical drive but the RCISS Handheld can make use of the optical drive in the computer.
SlingBox and Similar Products – These systems use the internet to deliver multimedia content to different locations. My system can be used to deliver multimedia content to anywhere in the range of the transmitter. SlingBox allows you to deliver multimedia content to any computer located anywhere with internet access – while my system cannot do this, it has got a lot more functionality and can run other applications than multimedia ones.
Disadvantages – The only disadvantage my system has compared the competition that it is not truly portable over large distances – the Handheld has to be in range of the transmitter or the Handheld will not function. However, transmitters are getting better and with further development the range will be increased. A new technology called xMax could give a range of up to 20 miles – this would allow new applications like people being able to access work computers from home and vice versa or being able to access home computers when out of the house (e.g. for security - being able to view webcams) and the internet while shopping (for checking prices).
Awards and Publications
At Intel ISEF May 2007 in New Mexico (world’s largest pre university celebration of Engineering and Science with over 1500 students competing), RCISS was awarded:
• The Alcatel-Lucent special award for innovation worth $15000
• First in class award in the Electrical and Mechanical
Engineering section
At Young Engineer for Britain, RCISS was awarded:
• The Duke of York Award for most creative electronics project 2006
• 2nd Nationally in category C (years 12 and 13) 2006
• Winner of East Midlands Category C – 2006
RCISS was the cover story for the IET magazine “Electronics Education” summer 2007 and has also been featured/reported in Designing Magazine, Spot On Magazine, Technology in Education Magazine, Smart Advice Magazine, Electronics Weekly Magazine, The Times, The Albuquerque Tribune, The Evening Post Nottingham and The Nottingham Recorder
Link to the article in Electronics Education:
http://www.theiet.org/education/supportteachers/electronicseducation/ee_2007summer.cfm?type=pdf
