A Hacked WiFi Router, an API, and a Toy Bus: It's the Ambient Bus Arrival Monito

JohnGrahamCumming writes "In this simple project, a hacked Linksys WRT54GL talks to a public API to get real-time bus information, and displays the times of the next buses on a model bus. Never miss the bus again! 'It's possible to reflash the Linksys with a custom Linux installation that lets me control the box completely (and still use it as a wireless router). There are various project, but I used OpenWRT. With OpenWRT it's possible to SSH into the box and treat it as any Linux server (albeit a rather slow one). But there's plenty of power to grab bus times and update an LED display connected to the WRT54GL's serial port. "

Comments

Hmm...

[girlintraining]

You can only unlock the Achievement "I Put My Toaster On the Internet!" if it's using Arduino. Sorry man.

Re:Hmm...

[girlintraining]

I know you're joking, but in a lot of large cities a car is unnecessary, and

That whooshing noise was the joke sailing above your head. This wasn't about cars, this was about some Forever Alone dude hacking a wifi router into some whack LCD display. Who cares what it displays? Ordinary people just go out and buy an LCD display and a dev board (like Arduino) for this kind of thing. They don't consult the Necronomicon and then call forth Digitus, The Terrible One (and his lesser known counterpart, The Terrible Zero), and ask him to use his dark powers to transmorgify a f***ing wifi router into an LCD display. This is a classic example of why engineers, like children, should never be left unattended for long periods of time: They're inevitably do something completely nuts that'll leave the responsible adult left with a broken brain, babbling in the corner asking Whhhyyyyyyyy? This is just such a project.

Hang on a minuite

[wjh31]

You mean it can run linux?

Re:Transit providers should sell these

[Eponymous Hero]

filing a patent that puts this guy's tech into a standard wall clock. happy now?

that'll be $49.95 plus shipping.

$59.95 for the harder-to-read binary version.

$79.95 for the version that automatically shares on facebook the time you left your house for which bus number, along with stated destination and links to the profiles of facially-recognized facebook members seen leaving the house with you. add an additional $19.95 for the clock to automatically post pictures of you looking at said clock before you leave.

$149.95 for the version that integrates a kinect and guesses your weight, health problems, objects in pockets, and amount of money in wallet or purse -- and posts all to facebook. will not tell your fortune, because we respect your privacy.

Re:FYI

[Beardo the Bearded]

The Victoria bus system is based on a "fuck you, we show up when we want... and fuck you" system.