Hands-on ‘IoT Secure Hello World’ training introduces Atmel Wi-Fi and CrytoAuthentication technologies.
How The Big Bang Theory Relates to the Internet of Things
How many of you out there are fans of the CBS hit sitcom series Big Bang Theory? If you recall an episode from the show’s first season, entitled “The Cooper-Hofstadter Polarization,” the team of Sheldon Cooper, Leonard Hofstadter, Howard Wolowitz and Raj Koothrappali successfully triggered a lamp over the Internet using an X-10 system.
In order to accomplish this feat, the gang sent signals across the web and around the world from their apartment to connect not only their lights, but other electronics like their stereo and remote control cars as well.
“Gentlemen, I am now about to send a signal from this laptop through our local ISP racing down fiber optic cable at the of light to San Francisco bouncing off a satellite in geosynchronous orbit to Lisbon, Portugal, where the data packets will be handed off to submerged transatlantic cables terminating in Halifax, Nova Scotia and transferred across the continent via microwave relays back to our ISP and the external receiver attached to this…lamp,” Wolowitz excitedly prefaced.
The funny thing is, the technology that the group of sitcom scientists was simulating could have just as easily been done using a Wi-Fi network controller like the WINC1500. However, at the time of airing back in March of 2008, open access for Internet users looking to control “things” around the house was seemingly something only engineers and super geeks thought possible.
We can imagine this is probably how it would’ve gone down…
Bringing Next-Generation Technology to You
In order to make the scene above possible, an Atmel | SMART SAM D21 was hooked up to the WINC1500 and connected to a solid-state relay, thereby enabling the team to control the lamp.
If this captivated your attention, then you’re in for a treat. That’s because Atmel is taking its “IoT Secure Hello World” Tech on Tour seminar on the road — starting with Europe!
As an application space, IoT sensor nodes are enabled by a number of fundamental technologies, namely a low-power MCU, some form of wireless communication and strong security. With this in mind, the Atmel IoT Secure Hello World series will offer attendees hands-on training, introducing them to some of the core technologies making the Internet of Things possible, including Wi-Fi and CryptoAuthentication.
These training sessions will showcase Atmel’s Wi-Fi capability and CryptoAuthentication hardware key storage in the context of the simplest possible use-case in order to focus attention on the practical aspects of combining the associated supporting devices and software. This includes learning how to send temperature information to any mobile device via a wireless network and how to enable the remote control of LEDs on a SAM D21 Xplained Pro board over a Wi-Fi network using a WINC1500. In addition, attendees will explore authentication of IoT nodes, as well as how to implement a secure communications link.
Take the very fundamental use-case of switching on an LED, for instance, which will represent our ‘Hello World!’ For this IoT application, the LED will be controlled using a smartphone app via the Internet, while a sensor node will be enabled to read an analog temperature sensor. The first part of the training will introduce Atmel Wi-Fi technology, which connects our embedded development kit of choice, an Atmel | SMART SAMD21 Xplained Pro, via the Atmel SmartConnect WINC1500 Wi-Fi module to a local access point. The result will be the ability to easily and securely send temperature information to any mobile device on the network, while also having remote control of the LED.
From the moment a ‘thing’ is connected, it becomes susceptible to a slew of potential security risks from hackers. That’s why the second part of the training will delve deeper into how CryptoAuthentication can be used to authenticate the temperature sensor node and host application before it can read the temperature information to avoid fake nodes. A secure communications link will be implemented using a session key to and from the remote node.
When all is said and done, building for the IoT demands innovative and secure solutions while architecting a balance between performance, scalability, compatibility, security, flexibility and energy efficiency — all of which Atmel covers extremely well.
Atmel | Tech on Tour Agenda At-a-Glance
The Atmel team will be coming through a number of major cities, from Manchester and Milan to Munich and Moscow. Ready to join us? Be sure to register for one of the Atmel | Tech on Tour European, Asia, or North America locations today! Upon registering, you will even receive a WINC1500 Xplained Pro Starter Kit to take home.
8:30 – 9:00 Check-In and Preparation
- Assistance with installing software will be provided
9:00 – 10:15 Introduction to Atmel Wi-Fi Solution
- WINC1500/WILC1000 Hardware and Performance Overview
- Software and IoT Solution Overview
- Wi-Fi Network Controller IoT Sensor Application
10:15 – 10:30 Hands-on Introduction
10:30 – 10:45 BREAK
10:45 – 12:30 Hands-on: WINC1500 Wi-Fi Network Controller IoT Sensor Application
- Sending temperature information to any phone or tablet on the network
- Enabling remote control of LED0 on the SAM D21 Xplained Pro board
12:30 – 1:30 LUNCH
1:30 – 2:15 Introduction to Atmel CryptoAuthentication IoT Security and Technology
2:15 – 3:00 Hands-on Introduction: Authenticating IoT Nodes
- Authenticate the temp sensor node and host application before being able to read the temperature information to avoid fake nodes
- How to implement a secure communications link using a session key to and from the remote node to any phone or tablet on the network
3:00 – 3:15 BREAK
3:45 – 4:30 Hands-on: Authenticating IoT Nodes (continued…)
4:30 – 5:00 Wrap-up, Questions and Answers
- Download Atmel Studio 6.2 software.
- Wireshark Packet Sniffer will be provided.
- Attendees are required to bring a laptop. Atmel will NOT supply computers at the training.
- Please make sure to have administrator rights on your laptop.
- Laptop must have at least one Internet port and one free USB host connector.
Evaluation Kit Requirements
- Atmel | SMART SAMD21 – XPRO host MCU board
- Atmel WINC1500 module mounted ATWINC 1500 Xplained Pro Extension (Product Code: ATWINC1500-XSTK)
- Atmel Digital I/O WING extension board for sensor and SD-card input target USB