As an interface technology for the web, Flash is superior to all other technologies in terms of developer speed, flexibility, distribution, and media compatibility. However, I'm interested in interfaces that extend beyond the web browser and web server. I am busy writing an Actionscript book, but for a few hours each day, I plan to investigate how to integrate Macromedia technologies and electronic devices. Hopefully, the project will start showing results in a couple of weeks. Stay tuned to the new telerobotics category for more details... in the meantime, I'll continue to post entries into the other categories as well.
Posted by samuel at May 7, 2002 05:56 PMWhat kind of electronic devices? I currently have a passive infra-red sensor (the sort used in alarm systems) connected to my PC. I have a Flash movie embedded in a small Delphi app. The Delphi app reads a value from the sensor every few seconds or so and puts that value into a Flash variable using the SetVariable method on the ActiveX control. The variable is set to 1 when someone is moving around in front of it and 0 otherwise. It works good.
I am now generalising this system into an 'XML event bus'. Basically the sensor is supervised by a small Delphi application that sends 'XML packets' to a common 'XML event switcher'. The switcher sends the events back to its clients (Flash movies). It is easy in F5/MX to make a movie that connects an XMLSocket to to the 'switcher' and receives events this way.
In the future I will be adding more sensors to this system (IR remote, pressure pads) and also more reactive movies in both Flash and Director.
Posted by: Toby Watson at May 9, 2002 11:01 AMAh, well, I guess it's too late to mention that subsequent posts describe my work with lejos -> cold fusion mx -> Flash mx, but check out those posts if you have time.
This is so much fun, your delphi app sounds like a really cool hack too! If you like xmlsocket, have you checked out the flash remoting component for cold fusion? I haven't heard any rumors, but I hope that the flash remoting component will be available for other servers one day.
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