NODE+ (

wireless Wireless communication (or just wireless, when the context allows) is the transfer of information between two or more points without the use of an electrical conductor, optical fiber or other continuous guided medium for the transfer. The most ...

sensor A sensor is a device that produces an output signal for the purpose of sensing a physical phenomenon. In the broadest definition, a sensor is a device, module, machine, or subsystem that detects events or changes in its environment and sends ...

platform) is a first-generation handheld sensor measuring 1 inch in diameter and 3.75 inches wide that communicates wirelessly through low-energy

Bluetooth 4.0 Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology standard that is used for exchanging data between fixed and mobile devices over short distances and building personal area networks (PANs). In the most widely used mode, transmission power is limit ...

with

Apple iOS iOS (formerly iPhone OS) is a mobile operating system created and developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for its hardware. It is the operating system that powers many of the company's mobile devices, including the iPhone; the term also includes ...

devices. NODE+ has been attributed in the media as a “ Swiss Army knife of sensors,” similar in appearance to the “

tricorder A tricorder is a fictional handheld sensor that exists in the ''Star Trek'' universe. The tricorder is a multifunctional hand-held device that can perform environmental scans, data recording, and data analysis; hence the word "tricorder" to refer ...

from

Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vari ...

,” and as a “powerhouse of quality sensors” that can “measure anything.” In September 2014, 16 interchangeable sensor modules were available for purchase that can detect color, gases, ambient temperature, barometric pressure, motion, surface temperature and other qualities.

Mobile applications A mobile application or app is a computer program or software application designed to run on a mobile device such as a phone, tablet, or watch. Mobile applications often stand in contrast to desktop applications which are designed to run on des ...

that display the data transmitted by the NODE can be developed through an open

application programming interface An application programming interface (API) is a way for two or more computer programs to communicate with each other. It is a type of software interface, offering a service to other pieces of software. A document or standard that describes how t ...

(API), although mobile app developers must obtain a commercial license from Variable Inc. prior to selling a mobile app that uses Node+ sensors for commercial purposes. Node+ is available in educational settings through a partnership with Vernier Software & Technology. NODE+ is being sold for use in classrooms and educational institutions. NODE+ is also being used to support a variety of academic research studies. Additionally, NODE+ is being used as a platform to help industries worldwide develop Internet of Things (IoT) strategies. NODE+ is manufactured in the United States of America.

History

The NODE+ was invented and produced in 2011 by George Yu, Ph.D. in his home in

Chattanooga, Tennessee Chattanooga ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States. Located along the Tennessee River bordering Georgia, it also extends into Marion County on its western end. With a population of 181,099 in 2020, ...

. Prior to founding Variable Technologies LLC as CEO, Yu worked on research and development projects with

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research. NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...

and the

Department of Homeland Security The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is the U.S. federal executive department responsible for public security, roughly comparable to the interior or home ministries of other countries. Its stated missions involve anti-terr ...

. NODE+ raised $76,340 on

Kickstarter Kickstarter is an American public benefit corporation based in Brooklyn, New York, that maintains a global crowdfunding platform focused on creativity. The company's stated mission is to "help bring creative projects to life". As of July 2021, ...

, $26,340 above its goal of $50,000 on March 23, 2012. CHROMA, a color-matching module, raised $39,473 on Kickstarter, $24,473 over its goal on December 7, 2012. Variable Inc. opened a second

Knoxville, Tennessee Knoxville is a city in and the county seat of Knox County, Tennessee, Knox County in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 United States census, Knoxville's population was 190,740, making it the largest city in the East Tennessee Grand Di ...

office in December 2012. This office handles business development and government relations. At the June 2013 Cisco Live U.S. event in Orlando, Florida, Cisco Chief Futurist David Evans demonstrated NODE+ as part of a talk about using technology in an “Internet of Things” strategy, in front of an audience of approximately 20,000 people and more than 200,000 through a webcast. In September 2013, Variable Inc. announced the release of an Android-compatible NODE+ wireless sensor platform. The device had been only iOS compatible. NODE+, a carbon dioxide sensing module, one of six different gas sensors in the OXA sensor family, raised $26,046 on Kickstarter, $1,046 over its goal on December 31, 2013. In June 2014, Variable Inc. launched an online hackathon competition entitled HACKANODE. It appears at this time (9/13/2018) that Node is no longer available.

Hardware

The base unit, NODE+, includes a 9-axis motion engine: a 3-axis gyroscope, a 3-axis accelerometer and a 3-axis magnetometer, as well as 16MB of onboard storage space. The NODE+ has dimmable blue LEDs and two module ports contains a crypto chip on the firmware. It communicates with Bluetooth 2.1 or Bluetooth Low Energy. The lithium polymer battery in the device has a battery life of 12–14 hours with continuous Bluetooth use (54 days in standby mode) and can be charged through the micro-USB port.

Mobile applications

GTI Spindle VibePro: A vibration analysis diagnostic app that uses NODE+THERMA to check the surface temperature of rotational machinery. Velos: A color matching and collecting application for the NODE+CHROMA Bluetooth interchangeable sensor platform. Cargosense: A data and analytics service that delivers total visibility for shipped goods intended for the healthcare industry. Vernier Graphical Analysis: Vernier Graphical Analysis and NODE+ are used by students to collect, analyze, and share sensor data in math and science classrooms. Little Lives: Little Lives allows school personnel to check students into the classroom and detect oncoming fevers by using NODE+THERMA to record their forehead temperatures. LRV Guru: The LRV Guru app helps calculate color contrast ratios. Color samples can be scanned with a NODE+CHROMA or manually entered using manufacturer LRV data. Paint Pro and Paint Pro Classic: Paint Pro uses NODE+CHROMA version 1.0 and 1.1 to compare and match paint colors between different manufacturers. Scientific Sci-Fi Scanner: NODE+ sensor is an interactive scanner that uses information and data from NASA to give you information about your surroundings using the sensors on your phone. Aeronaut: An analog flight instrument that uses NODE+CLIMA as a variometer and altimeter. WKC Fix-O-Meter: This app teaches overhead stability and safety to kettlebell lifters and was originally developed for world champion kettlebell lifter Valery Fedorenko. Valery Fedorenko

References

{{Reflist, 30em Smartphones Sensors Internet of things Kickstarter-funded products