8 ms·

Tessel, a NodeJS-based microcontroller

54 points by bpierre 13y ago

gfwilliams 13y ago
It's not strictly NodeJS based - According to their site it runs on top of Lua... There's also another JavaScript microcontroller crowdfunding at the moment: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/48651611/espruino-javascript-for-things http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/48651611/espruino-javasc...
- jffry 13y ago
  AFAICT the Espruino and Tessel are slightly different. The Espruino's focus seems to be providing an ultracompact, low-power, very simple JS-powered Arduino, which (with physical adapter) could be used with existing Arduino shields. The Tessel seems to be focused more on the interfacing-with-the-internet side of things, with built-in wifi. I think there's plenty of room for both, and it's exciting to see continued efforts towards making it easier to bridge the gap between embedded devices and the software world!
egeozcan 13y ago
Isn't it a bit too expensive? I think it is, especially when considering the competition (Arduino).
- asd 13y ago
  I really wanted to back this one but I cannot justify paying $99+. Instead of one of these I bought one of these http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/48651611/espruino-javascript-for-things http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/48651611/espruino-javasc... and one of these http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2021474419/flutter-20-wireless-arduino-with-half-mile-1km-ran http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2021474419/flutter-20-wi...
  - egeozcan 13y ago
    Yeah, I'm also getting an Espruino. I'm living in Germany so, I can't get the Flutter yet - I'm dying to get my hands on a pair though.
- bryans 13y ago
  I think you aren't taking into consideration the differences between this and the competition. The Tessel is intended to be a powerhouse right out of the box. For example, 160MHz compared to <20MHz, and 32MB of flash and RAM compared to 32-256kB.
  - egeozcan 13y ago
    You can achieve the same level of flexibility and more with arduino + raspberry pi, put together in a custom case. It still doesn't cost that much. I really wanted to play with this, but I find it too expensive for having it just to play with it.
    - xutopia 13y ago
      The difference I see with Tessel is that you require less learning electronics and you're right away capable of programming modules just after you plug them in. To me that has considerable value.
waterlion 13y ago
I don't understand this craze to use JS everywhere. It's not the best language for every job. The main argument seems to be 'if you know JS you can use it in product X'. If you're not competent enough to learn another language then are you competent to write good enough JS?
- jffry 13y ago
  I think it's fine for rapid prototyping. It has WiFi and is positioned for internet-connected stuff. There are lots of people who use node.js and packages from npm to interface with internet services, so this gives them an easy way into working with an embedded device without a large learning curve.
  - waterlion 13y ago
    There are lots of Python libraries too, and PIP. This wasn't necessarily a dig at just this platform but the general principle of re-inventing multiple wheels, except this time with JS.
    - MatthewPhillips 13y ago
      Python can run on a microcontroller too[1], do you think that's a bad as well? I can't figure out what your criticism is: that they choose not-C or that they specifically choose JavaScript? [1]https://wiki.python.org/moin/PyMite https://wiki.python.org/moin/PyMite
- egeozcan 13y ago
  I think in this case there are a few reasons: 1) Node.js has a huge ecosystem and it's easy to use 2) JavaScript is known by many 3) JavaScript may not even come close to being a proper language for hardware programming but it is good enough for these kind of devices
  - drdaeman 13y ago
    > Node.js has a huge ecosystem So do many other platforms. > JavaScript is known by many So are many other languages. > JavaScript [...] is good enough for these kind of devices So are many other languages. The question, as I got it, was "why JavaScript is chosen among many possibly alternatives?". Your comment does not answer it, I believe.
Zergy 13y ago
Well now that just ruins the fun of programming on a microcontroller. I like my little Arduino and Teensies because its low level programming, bare metal programming.
- quarterto 13y ago
  https://twitter.com/shit_hn_says/status/234856345579446272 https://twitter.com/shit_hn_says/status/234856345579446272
- MatthewPhillips 13y ago
  Sources tell me that the Arduino will continue to exist and continue to run C programs.
topherjaynes 13y ago
Is there any information on when it's shipping? Read through the crowdfunding site a few times, but might have just glanced over it.
- bryans 13y ago
  February 2014.
Ecio78 13y ago
See relevant discussion here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6214553 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6214553
mcescalante 13y ago
For the price, I still think that most developers are better off buying a BeagleBone Black for $45MSRP which can run a flavor of nix. The default "IDE" it ships with is cloud9, and has js libraries to control the pinouts, etc. JS fans can use this happily, or you can put nix on it, and just install Node.
- chabreck 13y ago
  I agree. Even the default distro that the BeagleBone comes with (Angstrom linux) has Node preloaded onto it, out of the box. And the power that thing offers for $45 seems almost impossible to beat.
- deleted 13y ago
  [deleted]
jdn 13y ago
The question I have for this is, why not just use Node with Firmata on an Arduino? Anyone give me the apparent weakness of that setup that makes this more preferrable?
- xutopia 13y ago
  I've played with Arduino and the #1 complaint I have about it is that in order to do anything I have to learn a whole lot about electronics. With Tessel you just plug a new module and npm install and you're good to go.

54 points by bpierre 13y ago

It's not strictly NodeJS based - According to their site it runs on top of Lua... There's also another JavaScript microcontroller crowdfunding at the moment: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/48651611/espruino-javascript-for-things http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/48651611/espruino-javasc...

jffry 13y ago
AFAICT the Espruino and Tessel are slightly different. The Espruino's focus seems to be providing an ultracompact, low-power, very simple JS-powered Arduino, which (with physical adapter) could be used with existing Arduino shields. The Tessel seems to be focused more on the interfacing-with-the-internet side of things, with built-in wifi. I think there's plenty of room for both, and it's exciting to see continued efforts towards making it easier to bridge the gap between embedded devices and the software world!

egeozcan 13y ago

Isn't it a bit too expensive? I think it is, especially when considering the competition (Arduino).

asd 13y ago
I really wanted to back this one but I cannot justify paying $99+. Instead of one of these I bought one of these http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/48651611/espruino-javascript-for-things http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/48651611/espruino-javasc... and one of these http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2021474419/flutter-20-wireless-arduino-with-half-mile-1km-ran http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2021474419/flutter-20-wi...
- egeozcan 13y ago
  Yeah, I'm also getting an Espruino. I'm living in Germany so, I can't get the Flutter yet - I'm dying to get my hands on a pair though.
bryans 13y ago
I think you aren't taking into consideration the differences between this and the competition. The Tessel is intended to be a powerhouse right out of the box. For example, 160MHz compared to <20MHz, and 32MB of flash and RAM compared to 32-256kB.
- egeozcan 13y ago
  You can achieve the same level of flexibility and more with arduino + raspberry pi, put together in a custom case. It still doesn't cost that much. I really wanted to play with this, but I find it too expensive for having it just to play with it.
  - xutopia 13y ago
    The difference I see with Tessel is that you require less learning electronics and you're right away capable of programming modules just after you plug them in. To me that has considerable value.

waterlion 13y ago

I don't understand this craze to use JS everywhere. It's not the best language for every job. The main argument seems to be 'if you know JS you can use it in product X'. If you're not competent enough to learn another language then are you competent to write good enough JS?

jffry 13y ago
I think it's fine for rapid prototyping. It has WiFi and is positioned for internet-connected stuff. There are lots of people who use node.js and packages from npm to interface with internet services, so this gives them an easy way into working with an embedded device without a large learning curve.
- waterlion 13y ago
  There are lots of Python libraries too, and PIP. This wasn't necessarily a dig at just this platform but the general principle of re-inventing multiple wheels, except this time with JS.
  - MatthewPhillips 13y ago
    Python can run on a microcontroller too[1], do you think that's a bad as well? I can't figure out what your criticism is: that they choose not-C or that they specifically choose JavaScript? [1]https://wiki.python.org/moin/PyMite https://wiki.python.org/moin/PyMite
egeozcan 13y ago
I think in this case there are a few reasons: 1) Node.js has a huge ecosystem and it's easy to use 2) JavaScript is known by many 3) JavaScript may not even come close to being a proper language for hardware programming but it is good enough for these kind of devices
- drdaeman 13y ago
  > Node.js has a huge ecosystem So do many other platforms. > JavaScript is known by many So are many other languages. > JavaScript [...] is good enough for these kind of devices So are many other languages. The question, as I got it, was "why JavaScript is chosen among many possibly alternatives?". Your comment does not answer it, I believe.

Zergy 13y ago

Well now that just ruins the fun of programming on a microcontroller. I like my little Arduino and Teensies because its low level programming, bare metal programming.

quarterto 13y ago
https://twitter.com/shit_hn_says/status/234856345579446272 https://twitter.com/shit_hn_says/status/234856345579446272
MatthewPhillips 13y ago
Sources tell me that the Arduino will continue to exist and continue to run C programs.

topherjaynes 13y ago

Is there any information on when it's shipping? Read through the crowdfunding site a few times, but might have just glanced over it.

bryans 13y ago
February 2014.

Ecio78 13y ago

See relevant discussion here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6214553 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6214553

mcescalante 13y ago

For the price, I still think that most developers are better off buying a BeagleBone Black for $45MSRP which can run a flavor of nix. The default "IDE" it ships with is cloud9, and has js libraries to control the pinouts, etc. JS fans can use this happily, or you can put nix on it, and just install Node.

chabreck 13y ago
I agree. Even the default distro that the BeagleBone comes with (Angstrom linux) has Node preloaded onto it, out of the box. And the power that thing offers for $45 seems almost impossible to beat.
deleted 13y ago
[deleted]

jdn 13y ago

The question I have for this is, why not just use Node with Firmata on an Arduino? Anyone give me the apparent weakness of that setup that makes this more preferrable?

xutopia 13y ago
I've played with Arduino and the #1 complaint I have about it is that in order to do anything I have to learn a whole lot about electronics. With Tessel you just plug a new module and npm install and you're good to go.