In the previous article, we explored setting up a Thread Network and enabling communication within and outside the network via a Border Router using OpenThread and the nRF Connect SDK. While we covered installing and configuring the SDK during the setup, we didn’t dive into the development process for nRF Connect SDK Apps. Let’s address that now! What We’ll Cover This article introduces the nRF Connect SDK and walks through building applications with it.

In previous articles, we explored the Thread Network and its protocol, focusing on the formation, functionality, and topology of the network. Thread is a lightweight, low-power communication protocol for IoT devices, operating on IPv6. We discussed its ability to automatically establish a mesh network and maintain connectivity through its robust topology. We simulated a Thread network using Docker. Now in this article, we’ll create a Thread network between physical devices and connect it to the internet.

In previous articles, we explored MQTT in-depth, even setting up a web-based remote controller that simulated a physical button. We did this in a “Soft IoT” way, avoiding hardware intricacies. However, in IoT, networking between devices plays a crucial role. Not all IoT devices are connected to the Internet or can communicate via MQTT over the internet, as shown in our earlier examples. These devices need a low-latency, low-power network that can auto-discover and manage device communication seamlessly.

Simplifying IoT learning doesn’t have to mean getting bogged down with hardware details. Instead, let’s dive into Soft IoT — where we focus on software-driven IoT exploration. In this article, we’ll learn how to read inputs from a button and turn it into a web based remote control for an LED, all while keeping things software-centric.. In the previous article, we introduced Soft IoT using a Grove Pi board, which simplifies IoT learning by hiding wiring and connections complexity.

Learning IoT doesn’t have to be complex, especially when starting out. In this post, we’ll explore how to get started with IoT without diving deep into hardware complexities like wiring or understanding intricate sensor details. In an earlier article, we set up a Raspberry Pi. My son initially saw it as just another, albeit slower, computer. There was no “IoT” in it yet, just a basic device. But IoT is about more than just the device itself; it’s about integrating sensors and actuators.

A few years ago, I bought a Raspberry Pi 3, but during a house move, I misplaced it. Fast forward to this Diwali cleaning, and to my surprise, I found it! My son’s curiosity was piqued, so we decided to set it up together. While my recent focus has been on XR technologies and we setup XRPractices, but this moment brought me back to IoT — sparking the idea to share my journey and experiences through a series of articles on getting started with IoT.