Azure Skies for Kinder(s) is a proof-of-concept that demonstrates an interesting combination between an embedded (smart) system powered by Windows CE 7 and web services hosted in the Windows Azure Cloud.

1. Azure Skies for Kinder(s)Thin Clients & The CloudA Proof of Concept: WinCE 7.0 & Windows Azure Sandu Buraga, Continental, Iaşi, sandu.buraga@gmail.com Florin Cardaşim, RomSoft Iaşi, www.twitter.com/cardasim 7th of May 2011

2. Agenda The Internet of Things – Concept and Scenarios Azure Skies for Kinder(s) The application concept The software architecture Demo: Azure service and Compact Framework client WinCE 7.0 About the platform Development prerequisites: hardware, toolset, frameworks Demo: Windows CE 7 Silverlight UI (C++ native code) Pros & Cons – thinks we liked, problems we faced Solution economics: let’s talk about money

3. The Internet of Things: Concept A network of Internet-enabled objects, together with web services that interact with these objects. Based on network ubiquity Ubiquity = omnipresence - present everywhere at the same time (philosophy) Smart-devices, sensors, RFID build-up the network It's time to intersect and link them with the cloud.

4. The Internet of Things: Scenarios Health: monitored the peacemaker (heart diseases) Businesses: link business processes (BizTalk, SAP) with production processes Transportation: monitor the goods moving through RFID … infinite number of possibilities All scenarios have in common smart devices geographically spread connected through the internet with a backend

5. Azure Skies for Kinder(s)Concept Let’s face a reality children love technology allow them to have it in a controlled and less dangerous way Multimedia room for Kindergarten Teacher defines content Educational videos, picture albums Educational applications: learning to pronounce, write, draw Psychological and emotional development lessons and tests Educational games (strategy, chase, …) Child uses content Device/Station with shock resistant touch screen  and a very limited number of soft keys http://www.candis.co.uk/parental-and-family-health-news/3743/gadget-guru-teach-children-about

6. Software Architecture The embedded systemWindows CE 7 requests media information from the web service hosted in a Windows Azure web role Table storage: media item info Blob storage: media item data http://azureskies.cloudapp.net/AsfkService.svc Web Role/Web Service SilverlightApp.exe (native) ProxyApp.exe (.NET CF) MSMQ Embedded System Windows CE 7

7. “Talk is cheap. Show me the code.” LinusTorvalds Demo: Azure web service and a .NET Compact Framework client 30 days free Azure pass: http://windowsazurepass.com

8. Windows Embedded Compact 7 Componentized, real-time OS - symmetrical multiprocessing support Processors: ARM, MIPS, x86 Small Footprint, minimum 500KB, 700 Components Silverlight for Windows Embedded – native UI framework Internet Explorer Embedded Touch, multi-touch and gesture Microsoft Office and PDF Viewers Connectivity: UART, USB, Ethernet, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1 Support 10 years Win32 application, .NET Compact Framework 3.5

9. WinCE 7.0 - Development Hardware - a development board is necessary 150 – 300$ GumStix – www.gumstix.com Texas Instruments – ARM ICOP eBox (x86 architectures) http://www.icop.com.tw/ BeagleBoard (TI – ARM Cortex) http://beagleboard.org/ http://www.hawkboard.org/ Toolset Visual Studio 2008 SP1 WinCE 7 - Platform Builder Microsoft Blend 3 Virtual PC 2007/Windows Virtual PC Application development Silverlight for Windows Embedded Win32 APIs (C++) Media Player

10. Demo: Silverlight UI on Windows CE 7 A quick UI using Silverlight for Embedded Create and test a simple UI in Microsoft Expression Blend 3 From Visual Studio import the Silverlight solution using WEST Writing code Deploy on Device Sample code

11. Pros & Cons Pros: A lot of hardware available on the market Stable operating system –15 years of evolution Protected memory Support from Microsoft .NET Compact Framework (productivity) Cons: Incomplete managed API in contrast with Google Android Java API Not possible to call from a native application managed code Only C/C++ APIs for connectivity (Bluetooth, USB…) Productivity issues

12. Solution economics One can build a wide range of embedded systems with relative low costs Windows CE 7 – 20-3.7 USD (based on quantity) Embedded hardware/board: 150-250 USD Other peripherals: 200 USD Total: min 160 USD, max 500 USD The Cloud may cut the costs of hosting your own infrastructure for the backend, while ensuring scalability infrastructure costs (hw + sw), usually underutilized management costs pay as you go

13. Links SprechenSie Cloud? www.windowsazure.com www.twitter.com/windowsazure Google for Windows Azure SDK and Visual Studio Tools Google for Windows Azure Training Kit http://wcfguidanceformobile.codeplex.com/ (Michele Bustamante, WCF expert)

14. Please fill the evaluation formThank you very much! SanduBuraga, Florin Cardașim, caf@rms.ro, www.rms.ro, twitter.com/cardasim Iași, 7thof May 2011