Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
MAKE:
PROJECTS
Identification
In the previous chapters, you assumed that identity equals address. Once
you knew a device's address on the network, you started talking. Think
about how disastrous this would be if you used this formula in everyday
life: you pick up the phone, dial a number, and just start talking. What if
you dialed the wrong number? What if someone other than the person you
expected answers the phone?
Networked objects mark the boundaries of networks, but not of the
communications that travel across them. We use these devices to send
messages to other people. The network identity of the device and the
physical identity of the person are two different things. Physical identity
generally equates to presence (is it near me?) or address (where is it?), but
network identity also takes into consideration network capabilities of the
device and the state it's in when you contact it. In this chapter, you'll learn
some methods for giving physical objects network identities. You'll also
learn ways that devices on a network can learn each other's capabilities
through the messages they send and the protocols they use.
Sniff, a toy for sight-impaired children, by Sara Johansson
The dog's nose contains an RFID reader. When he detects RFID-tagged objects, he gives sound and tactile feedback—a
unique response for each object. Designed by Sara Johansson, a student in the Tangible Interaction course at the
Oslo School of Architecture and Design, under the instruction of tutors Timo Arnall and Mosse Sjaastad.
Photo courtesy of Sara Johansson.
