This summer, the University of Tulsa (UTulsa) hosted an innovative Internet of Things (IoT) summer camp, led by Mauricio Papa, Ph.D., Brock Associate Professor of Computer Science. This immersive boot camp provided students with hands-on experience in developing IoT applications using the popular Arduino platform, a key player in the realm of embedded systems.
Since IoT’s summer camp creation by Papa in 2017, UTulsa’s Tandy School of Computer Science has financially supported its efforts with development kits needed to complete the camp, which students are gifted with. For the first time this year, two graduate students from the Tandy School of Computer Science and one from the Oklahoma Cyber Innovation Institute (OCII) helped students build and use the development kit and assisted in ensuring everyone in attendance was able to complete all the programming exercises.
IoT represents a cutting-edge programming paradigm where everyday objects gain network connectivity, transforming how we interact with our environments. During the camp, students delved into the basics of programming the Wemos embedded system to connect to Wi–Fi access points, read and write data to sensors and displays, and more. The second phase of the boot camp focused on connecting Wemos devices to cell phones, allowing students to monitor parameters like temperature and humidity through their Android or Apple iOS devices. Additionally, students explored Bluetooth connectivity, a low-power wireless communication solution, learning to develop apps that leverage Bluetooth connections.
The camp catered to diverse participants, including high school students, undergraduates, and graduate students. “For high schoolers, we hope this camp sparks an interest not only in IoT but also in computer science and cyber studies in general,” said Papa. “They are learning essential electrical and computer engineering skills alongside programming knowledge. For undergrads, this is a unique opportunity to explore topics not typically covered in their courses. Graduate students are encouraged to apply their newfound skills to their research projects.”
The camp emphasized the transformative potential of IoT which is used to create smart environments, such as smart buildings and cities, that are already enhancing quality of life. Its applications span various domains, including medical devices like sugar monitors, household gadgets like smart refrigerators, and industrial innovations like smart sensors. Educating the next generation on its significance and integration is crucial as IoT grows.
UTulsa’s IoT summer camp is a testament to the university’s commitment to preparing students for the evolving technological landscape. By equipping them with practical skills and knowledge, UTulsa is shaping the innovators and leaders of tomorrow, ready to harness the power of IoT to build a smarter, more connected world through computer science degrees.