by Chris DeLuca
With its user-friendly interface, Twine is a small box that empowers non-programmers and those with limited coding knowledge to create their own DIY electronics projects. Working out of the MIT Media Lab, John Carr and David Kestner designed the device to respond to a change in its environment and trigger a response or relay that information via text, Twitter, or email. Twine is connected to a web application where users can input their desired variables. The simplified web app is a rules-based interface, which lets you quickly set up your notifications in real-time and take action once the variable has been met. The basic formula is: if something happens, then tell Twine to perform an action. For example, if you set up Twine to notify you when the temperature in your house drops below a certain point, Twine can then be programmed to turn on your heating. The WiFi enabled Twine has internal and external sensors that allow it to listen to its environment. Twine has been implemented to deliver a text when someone knocks at the front door, which is useful if you aren’t home, to detect moisture levels in order to prevent flooding, and to alert you when the dryer has finished its cycle. The limits of what Twine can communicate about your environment are really only a matter of how creative you want to get. Twine launched a Kickstarter project to raise funding and generate revenue with a target of $35,000. The popularity of the DIY device propelled it past the $500,000 mark and the demand for the hardware will keep the designers busy for some time. Let us know in the comments if you envision a specific way to use the Twine.
