8. Cellular Phones, Pagers, Calculators, Digital Cameras, Wearable Computing

Though in my opinion related to the topic, these devices are not much covered in this text, yet. For general information about Embedded Systems, see http://www.embedded.com . For Linux information, see ELKS and the uCLinux project. See news:comp.arch.embedded

8.1 Cellular Phones

For NOKIA cellular phones see GNOKII project . And Linux Nserver. This project aim is to produce a GPL replacement for Nokia's Windows Nserver, and maybe improve upon it along the way. Initially it will emulate the Windows 3.1 version (ie. allow backup, restore and install).

openWAP is an open source project for the implementation of the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) for use with browsers, servers and tools. WAP is used by PDA devices, cell phones, pagers and other wireless devices to transmit internet content to these devices. The project is still in its early stages and nothing can be downloaded yet.

GSMLIB is a library to access GSM mobile phones through GSM modems. Features include: modification of phonebooks stored in the mobile phone or on the SIM card, reading and writing of SMS messages stored in the mobile phone, sending and reception of SMS messages. Additionally, some simple command line programs are provided to use these features.

8.2 Pagers - SMS Messages

QuickPage is a client/server software package that enables you to send messages to an alphanumeric pager. The client accepts a message from the user and forwards it to a server using SNPP. The server uses a modem to transmit the message to the recipient's paging service using the TAP protocol (also known as the IXO protocol).

mail2sms converts a (MIME) mail to a short message, allowing search/replace, conditional rules, date/time dependent actions, customizing the output format, etc. The output defaults to 160 characters, which is perfectly suitable for sending the text to a GSM telephone as an SMS message. This software does not include any code for actually sending the text to anything else but another program or stdout.

email2sms is a filter written in Perl which converts an e-mail into a form suitable for sending as an SMS message. Its main advantage over the alternatives is that it uses the CPAN module Lingua::EN::Squeeze to compress the text down to as little as 40% of its original size, so you can get much more of your e-mail into the 160 character limit imposed by SMS. It is fully MIME compatible, and has many configurable options, including removal of quoted text. Ideal for use with procmail. A Perl script for sending the output to a typical e-mail to SMS web gateway is included.

SMSLink implements a client/server gateway to the SMS protocol (short messages on the mobile phones). It requires the use of dedicated hardware though (a serial GSM module). Both SMS emission and reception are supported. The server only runs under Linux at the present time and also supports interactive mode via telnet. The command-line client already exists for Linux, Solaris and HP-UX. A basic web interface is provided. A Win32 client is in the works.

nmsms is a very simple program to announce incoming email to an SMS address (email address) defined at compile time. The original From: and Subject: header are included in each mail announced.

mepl is a software for 3COM/USRobotics Messagemodems to control the self-employed-mode. This program can be used for downloading the messages and saving or mailing them in gsm or fax-format.

8.3 Digital Cameras

For information about cellular phones and digital cameras see some links at my page about Linux with Infrared Devices and my IR-HOWTO.

Newsgroup: rec.photo.digital .

The Flashpath adapter is a diskette like device which is used to transfer data from a digital camera to a computer. See Flashpath for Linux and James Radley's flashpath homepage.

8.4 Calculators

Information about calculators e.g. HP-48 is at HP-Calculator.Org and Keith's HP-48 Page. HP-48 Kermit Hints and Tips shows how to talk to the HP48 via its serial-line Kermit protocol. The HP-48 may also be used as a Linux terminal.

See also at my page about Linux with Infrared Devices.

Backup utility for the CASIO diary. It is a package ported from DOS to allow communication to the CASIO series of hand-held organizers. It allows backup from CASIO to your computer and restore a backup file from your computer to the CASIO. It can also output human readable file from CASIO. Currently supports: phone, calendar, schedule, memo, and reminder. See also http://www.aloha.net/ alank/ http://www.casioworld.com , http://home.t-online.de/home/Milan.Urosevic/ and http://sunsite.unc.edu/pub/Linux/apps/

GtkTiLink is a program which allows you to transfer data between a Texas Instruments calculator and a computer. It works with all cables (parallel, serial, Black and Gray TI Graph Link). It supports the TI82, TI89, TI92 and TI92+ calculators. It can send/receive data and backups, make a capture of the calculator screen and do remote control.

8.5 Wearable Computing

Also related to this topic but not covered yet seems wearable computing, see http://lcs.www.media.mit.edu/projects/wearables/ , the page of Lionel, "trollhunter" Bouchpan-Lerust-Juery, http://infonomade.linuxfr.org/indexen.html for further information and http://wearables.blu.org and http://www.wearcomp.org/.

Sulawesi was developed due to the problems running a desktop GUI on a wearable computer. It has been designed and implemented to tackle what has been considered to be important challenges in a wearable user interface, the ability to accept input from any number of input devices, such as machine vision, speech recognition, portable keyboards, GPS devices, infra-red, etc. and to allow services to manipulate the information and generate a suitable output such as speech generation, graphics using a headmounted display, vibrotactile stimuli, etc. The Gili user interface has been updated, more documentation has been added, and the Spatial Reminder has been introduced.

8.6 Watches

The datalink library allows sending information to the Timex DataLink watches. The original datalink library supports the model 150 and possibly the model 70 watch. This version has been extended to work with the DataLink Ironman Triathlon watch. It has been tested with the SVGA output on the Ironman watch only, other output devices and other watches may or may not work, I have no reports either way. The display must be a CRT display (not a LCD).