https://status.everactive.com/

 

Everactive Contact Information

Everactive is always available to support our customers. If additional assistance is required, please contact success@Everactive.com.

 

Welcome to the Everactive Developer Community! We are excited to have you.

In this article, we will outline the simple steps required to set up your Everactive Evaluation Kit.

 

Before opening the box, take the following steps:

• Confirm system requirements
• A Windows computer with Intel processor (recommended: 4 cores / 8 GB RAM) & internet connectivity
  • Macs with Intel processors are likely to work using VMWare Fusion but have not been fully tested
• 2.5 GB of available storage for the gateway software file and VMware Player software
• An available USB-A 2.0 (5VDC, 1A) port on your computer for max Evernet range

  • If your computer does not have USB-A 2.0 (5VDC, 1A) then we recommend using a powered USB Hub (to get full range of Evernet capabilities: 200m LOS)

• Locate your user account login and password

  • Check your email for a message from developers@everactive.com with the subject line "Developer Account Created and First Steps"
    
    

• Download the gateway software file

  • • Gateway software note: what is exciting about this file is that you are downloading a virtual machine running Ubuntu Core, an OS specializing in headless, remote Linux Appliances. This is the same OS we run on production gateways, and by running the virtual machine, you are getting the same the experience of running one of our physical gateways as part of our managed service. Of note, this virtual machine receives automatic updates from our snap store, so it’s always running the latest gateway software -- without having to do anything!
      
      
  • Ok, back to the process!
    
    

  • Login to to insights.everactive.com with the username and password you received via email.  Look for a message from developers@everactive.com with the Subject Line, "Developer Account Created and First Steps"
    
    

  • After logging in, click the gear menu in the upper-right and select "Management"

    
    
    
  • Click the tile for Evergateway Management
    
    

  • Click on your gateway in the table (there should only be one entry)
    
    

  • Click the download VM Image button in the upper right:
    
  • A zipped VM file will save into your downloads folder:
    
    

 

 

• VMware (for the virtual gateway setup)

  • VMware Workstation Player is sufficient for evaluation:

    • https://www.vmware.com/content/vmware/vmware-published-sites/us/products/workstation-player/workstation-player-evaluation.html.html
      
      

  • We are exploring other VM and non-VM gateway options, so stay tuned! 

Getting Started:

A video version of the unboxing and physical setup:

 

Installation steps:

1. Open the box, confirm that you have all the contents (listed on the notecard).

   • If you are missing something please contact email: developers@everactive.com
     
     

2. Remove the Evergateway dongle from the box

   • Locate and attach the longer antenna to the Evergateway dongle
     
     

3. Place Evergateway dongle into open USB port

   • You should observe a green light flash three times on the Evergateway dongle when USB connection initializes.
     
     

4. Begin Evergateway dongle virtual gateway set-up

   • Ensure internet is connected

   • Ensure file has already been downloaded from insights.everactive.com using your account information

   • Follow the steps below:

Extract the Sunrise VM zip file. Right click and select “extract all“. Follow the prompts to completion.

Open the Sunrise-SERIAL.vmx file with VMWare by clicking on "Open a Virtual Machine"

Press "Play virtual machine" to start the VM

You may see this warning. The Sunrise VM functions correctly with side-channel mitigations enabled. Click “OK“

Share the “Sundance“ removable device

 

You may see a prompt like the one below, click OK.

 

Allow it to boot up, and self-configure. This process will take about 5-10 minutes

When boot up is complete, the console window will display the following:

 

5. With the virtual gateway installed, log into the Developer Console using any modern web browser at: http://insights.everactive.com

• Using the account information provided to you by Everactive Developer Success.  Not seeing the account info?  Email developers@everactive.com.

• Click the tile labelled Evergateway Management to see the gateway status
  

• If the virtual gateway installation was successful, Last Evergateway status should display the following status:
  
  

   

  • If gateway status shows offline, proceed to walk through virtual gateway install and ensure gateway dongle LED indicator is green.
    
    

   

• Gateway installation is complete! Now, you can move onto setting up your sensors.

Sensor Setup

• Remove the 2 ENV+ Eversensors from the box

  • Locate and attach the two shorter antennas to the Eversensors
    
    

• After the antennas are attached, place the Eversensors in a well-lit environment and at least one (1) meter away from Evergateway dongle.

  1. Standard office lighting is sufficient.

  2. You can roughly measure light levels with a lux meter mobile application.

     • We recommend a lux level >150 lux although the sensor can power itself with as low as 100 lux.

  3. In terms of the distance away from the gateway, we operate in the 900mHz - meaning that we recommend one wavelength away (1 meter recommended)

• Look for sensor wake-ups once a minute, or shake the sensor to send an unsolicited wake-up.
  • More info on ENV+ sensor wake-ups available here.

• Navigate to the sensor details page to see the available data and sensor status.

  • Two ways to find this data
    https://insights.everactive.com/edge-sensors
  • Or by clicking on tile for Eversensor Management
    

Getting started with the API

If you would like to feed the data into your own application, navigate to the gear icon in the console, and click "Management." Of note, sensor data will be retained in developer's console and API for 7-days.

1. • Click the tile for "API Credentials"

Our full API documentation can be found here. Also see our GitHub for internally developed projects and other software modules we love.

 

Recommended Tests and Experiments

Now with sensor data flowing, we recommend testing out energy harvesting and run some fun experiments. Here are some experiments and tests to get you started.

 

Questions?  Check out the FAQs for this quick start guide:

Frequently Asked Questions / General Troubleshooting / Tips and Tricks

 

Provide us feedback and let us know how you have been using the Evaluation Kit

• Join our Slack community
  • everactive.com/join-slack

• If you require additional assistance, feedback, questions, or other comments, please email: developers@everactive.com

 

 

 

 

 

Now with data flowing from sensor to gateway and gateway to cloud, you can experiment with the sensors to see the power of energy harvesting! We have outlined several out-of-the-box tests to evaluate the Dev Kit below

 

Testing & Experimentation

1. 1. .

      • Sensor testing:

        • The ENV+ Eversensor is like a mini-weather station that reports temperature, humidity, and pressure that can fit in the palm of your hand.

        • We recommend moving the sensor to different areas and rooms to see how temperature, humidity, and pressure changes based on placement. The sensor reports all data streams – and other sensor status parameters – once a minute! If the application requires lower light, these data streams can be collected in five (5) minute intervals. This helps show the he trade-offs in low light environments and how the sensor adapts to vary harvesting parameters.

        • There is also a low-powered accelerometer onboard! So, it will also report when the sensor has moved with a timestamp and acceleration data showing the magnitude of shock the sensor experienced.

      • Harvesting testing:

        • What is unique about the ENV+ Eversensor is that there are no batteries – with sufficient harvesting the sensor can last forever!

        • Using low powered chips and low powered radios, the entire sensor can be powered by ambient light and can store excess harvested energy in a supercapacitor.

        • These levels are monitored by the two banks of capacitors. VCAP is used to boot the sensor and SCAP is used as a storage reservoir.

        • You can see these parameters and levels in the Sensor details page.

        • Place directly under light – see VCAP/SCAP build.

        • Now move the sensor to a dark area or remove light to test capacitor discharge.

        • Furthermore, you can change the gateway broadcast period from the Everactive dashboard which will reduce the amount of energy required for the sensor to operate.

          • For example, changing the gateway broadcast period to 300 seconds (5 minutes), then sensors can power themselves from light levels as low as 80 Lux.

          • Proceed to gateway management and click edit. Scroll down you can increase broadcast period. Default is 60 seconds. Make sure to click ‘Save’ and now you can experiment with lower light levels to see how the sensor performs under these conditions.

        • If the capacitors are full, the sensor could last over 16 hours without light!

      • Move/Shake testing:

        • As mentioned in the sensing test, the sensor also has a low powered accelerometer!

        • This capability enables you to detect shocks, drops, or sudden movements of the sensor that can detected, recorded, and sent to the cloud.

        • One test is to take two-sided adhesive and securely affix the sensor to an open door.

        • Abruptly close the door.

        • The acceleration measurement will be timestamped and the X,Y,Z magnitudes in milli-g’s will be reported.

      • Range testing:

        • Another Everactive advantage is the operation of Evernet in the sub-gHz band.

        • This gives the little sensor long range capabilities depending on the environment and gateway placement. We have seen effective ranges of 200 meters or more.

        • So, with energy in capacitor, take the sensor for a walk!

        • You can do distance testing with laptop and / or sensor, and move the sensor in incremental distances. This distance testing and effect can also be observed by employing radio attenuators to help simulate range.

        • This sub-gHz range is also good for penetrating through different obstacles when compared to other wireless protocols. For example, you can place laptop at Wifi access point and walk sensor with cellphone to edge of Wifi coverage and continue walking to check Wifi versus Evernet.

      • Additional testing:

        • As you familiarize yourself with the Dev Kit and the capabilities, be sure to share any additional tests that you discover and try.

        • We would love to hear from you and learning from your testing and evaluation.

        • Email tests and any accompanying pictures to developers@everactive.com

Fundamentals of Energy Harvesting

An Eversensor is a batteryless, self-powered sensor. It harvests energy from the surrounding environment, stores energy locally on a capacitor, and consumes harvested energy to perform operations for data acquisition, processing, or wireless communication.

 

We have created an Energy Harvesting Primer for you to get familiar with this technology and how it works!