Prototyping in IoT involves creating an initial model to test functionality and validate designs before production, emphasizing the need for a physical device, smart electronics, and internet connectivity. Benefits include risk reduction, faster development, and improved communication, with methods such as sketching for idea visualization and utilizing off-the-shelf components for cost efficiency. Successful prototyping requires a balance between costs and ease of development, focusing on basic functions and scalability as the project advances.

1. Thinking About
Prototyping
• Sketching
• Familiarity
• Costs versus Ease of Prototyping
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2. Prototyping
Prototyping in IoT is the process of creating an early
model of an IoT device or system to test its functionality,
validate design concepts, and identify improvements
before final production. It involves experimenting with
hardware, software, and connectivity to refine the overall
solution.
With the Internet of Things, we need to build three things
in parallel:
• Physical Thing
• Electronics to make the Thing smart
• Internet service that we’ll connect to.
Prototyping in IoT is like making a quick, simple
version of a smart device to see if it works as planned.

3. Example
Smart Plant
Watering
System
Goal: Automatically water a plant when the soil is dry.
Components Used:
Microcontroller: Arduino (brain of the system)
Moisture Sensor: Checks if the soil is dry or wet.
Water Pump: Waters the plant when needed.
Outcome: This basic setup shows that the system can
water a plant automatically, helping test the idea before
making a more advanced version.

4. Benefits of
Prototyping
The benefits of prototyping include:
Risk Reduction
Faster
Development
Improved
Stakeholder
Communicatio
n
Enhanced
Innovation
Cost Efficiency

5. Sketching
Sketching in prototyping is the initial stage of visualizing
ideas and concepts by drawing simple, rough
representations of the product or system. It serves as a
quick, low-cost way to explore and communicate design
ideas, plan layouts, and identify potential issues before
investing time in detailed designs or physical prototypes.
Sketching enables you to brainstorm, explore multiple
ideas, define flows, communicate with team members It’s
fast, easy, and doesn’t cost much.
Three things to keep in mind while designing
i. Graphic design of the device
ii. Physical Hardware
iii. Server Software to tie the rest of the system.

6. Familiarity
Familiarity involves knowledge or know-how about
tools and techniques for creation, designing and
development.
For example, If you can already program like a whiz
in Python, for example, maybe picking a platform
such as Raspberry Pi, which lets you write the code in
a language you already know, would be better than
having to learn Arduino from scratch.

7. Costs versus
Ease of
Prototyping
Prototyping in IoT involves balancing costs and ease of
development.
• Start Simple: Use off-the-shelf components and
development boards to minimize initial costs and
complexity.
• Use Simulation Tools: Before moving to hardware,
use simulation tools to test and refine your design
virtually.
• Iterate Quickly: Focus on creating Minimum Viable
Prototypes (MVPs) with basic functionality. Test, learn,
and iterate before committing to expensive custom
designs.

8. Costs versus
Ease of
Prototyping
• Leverage Open-Source Resources: Utilize open-
source software and hardware to save on development
costs.
• Plan for Scalability: Choose prototyping tools and
platforms that can scale with your project as it moves
from prototype to production, ensuring that early
choices don't lead to significant rework later.
• Collaborate with Experts: Engage with freelancers or
consultants for specific tasks, which can be more cost-
effective than hiring full-time experts for all aspects of
the prototype.

9. Conclusion
Prototyping is creating a simple, working model of an
idea to test and improve it before making the final
product.
Familiarity is gaining a basic understanding of the
tools, components, and processes needed for
developing a solution.
Sketching is Drawing rough diagrams to visualize and
communicate ideas quickly and clearly.
The balance between costs and ease of prototyping in
IoT is about finding the right mix of readily available
tools, components, and platforms to create a functional
prototype without overspending on unnecessary
features or customization early in the process.

10. Thank You!
@omega.teched
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