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

Posted by Soulskill on from the don't-want-to-be-outdoors-any-longer-than-necessary dept.

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. "

10 of 53 comments (clear)

  1. Hmm... by girlintraining · · Score: 4, Funny

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

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    1. Re:Hmm... by snookums · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I know you're joking, but in a lot of large cities a car is unnecessary, and commuting by car is a very expensive option even if you have one (due to high fuel price, $20+/day parking, opportunity cost of driving yourself when you could be reading Slashdot on the bus, etc.) My wife and I earn enough to keep a nice car, but choose not to own one. We both have bicycles for commuting, and sublet our appartment's car spaces which more than covers membership in a car share program and rental cars when we go on holiday.

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    2. Re:Hmm... by Eponymous+Hero · · Score: 2

      yeah i know. when i lived downtown in san diego i deliberately patterned my life so as to not need a car. it was great for lots of reasons. it sucked for lots of reasons. people often forget that time is a currency that you are constantly spending. you give up high fuel prices, insurance, repairs, registration, parking -- and then you live a lifestyle where you don't go very far because it takes too long, you decide not to go places because relying on public/friends' transportation is inconvenient, and your travel time is restricted to when the buses run... so forget driving yourself to the emergency room, the immediate emergency is finding that ride or calling a cab (for the scenic route to the ER).

      i never realized how much i missed hiking and camping until i spent a few years not being able to fit them into my schedule without a car. all these little things are alleviated somewhat by rental cars, but owning a car is much like investing in your time. you spend the money on fuel, insurance, repairs, registration, parking, etc. so you don't have to spend more time going through the motions of working out transportation issues each time you need to venture father than your bus route. i also felt bad constantly asking for rides from friends and acquaintances just to carry stuff home that i couldn't fit on the bus or bike (or in my case, skateboard). for those who commute longer than half an hour by car, imagine how long it would take if you had to catch 2 to 3 buses or ride a bicycle the same distance and subtract that extra time from your daily schedule.

      despite that is my opinion, i was still being facetious about the guy's car. i know first hand why it's desirable to not have one.

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    3. Re:Hmm... by snookums · · Score: 2

      how do you do it?

      Honestly, I'm not sure. I think it depends a lot on what part of the city you live in, and what other options there are. If the bus is a horribly inefficient but cheap way to get around, then only desperate people will use it. If you have bus-only lanes, pre-paid ticketing and other things to make the bus as fast or faster than a private car, the demographics change. In places like Sydney or London, most of the city's white-collar workforce come in to the city by bus or train/metro.

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      Be careful. People in masks cannot be trusted.
  2. Transit providers should sell these by hawguy · · Score: 4, Interesting

    The San Francisco Muni already has NextBus powered LED displays at bus stops that show arrival time of the next few buses - they should package them up like this and sell them to transit riders as a quick and easy way to see the arrival time of the next bus at their stop. Much more convenient to look at the bus-shaped sign by the door to see that I have 2 minutes 'till the next bus than to pull out my phone, unlock it, and load up the app.

    1. Re:Transit providers should sell these by Eponymous+Hero · · Score: 3, Funny

      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.

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      insensitive clod overlords obligatory xkcd car analogy russian reversals whoosh pedant fanbois ftfy in 3...2...1..PROFIT
  3. FYI by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

    In the 80s the Toronto bus system had a phone number on every stop. You dialed that, and got a quick automated voice telling you the next three bus's times of arrival. ETA was based on pickups across the city, so was very accurate.

    So yeah, pick up the phone and hit speedial every morning and I knew exactly if I wanted a brisk or slow walk out the door. Absolutely great system.

    1. Re:FYI by Beardo+the+Bearded · · Score: 5, Funny

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

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  4. Re:Must be an American by xaxa · · Score: 3, Informative

    Countries with a real investment in public transport have these at most bus stops.

    You exaggerate with "most", but they do exist at many stops in London. 2,500 according to the TfL website, out of 19,500 bus stops (!) used by 700 routes.

    The interesting bit here is
    1) The information is also on the web.
    2) There's an API so people can access the data and use it themselves
    3) He put it in a model bus

  5. Been there, done that, got the bus transfer. by I_am_Jack · · Score: 2

    Seattle/King County Metro has their ride information available so an app was written with multiple interfaces that allows riders to see real-time arrival and departure information. I love it and use it all the time when I ride. http://www.onebusaway.org/