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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. "

5 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. 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.

  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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