So the first two lectures for Fall 2014 so far have shown some very cool demos with programmable light bulbs. Does anyone know what make and model these are, or better yet, where they might be available online cheaply.
Point being, having access to the same lightbulbs may make them a viable subject for the final project, given that the CS50 staff has access to these devices.
Probably the Philips Hue, but that's only a guess. They aren't cheap though.
The binary-through-bulbs-API demonstration was, indeed, intriguing. An entire video seminar, in fact, led by Dan Bradley '14, offers step by step instruction, entitled Light Your World (with Hue Bulbs).
As seen in the first week of lecture, Hue bulbs are light bulbs you can control wirelessly. They can do pretty amazing things, if you know how to program them properly. In this seminar, we’ll create a small JavaScript web app that can turn Hue bulbs on and off as well as change their color. We’ll also more broadly touch on APIs and Ajax calls.
If I had more advanced knowledge I'd give a deeper synopsis of the video's content. I'll leave it to the more experienced among you to deconstruct the content of the Phillip Hue's API video walkthrough, for now. Though, in essence, you're writing javascript calls from a web app to connect a HUE's bridge/router API to the Bulbs.
Phillips HUE personal lighting site shows a range of apps by "HUE-loving developers." Comically enough their "where to buy" link is broken, but Apple store carries Philips Hue Connected Bulb - Starter Pack, well.. not cheaply. or Amazon.
Here's a complete list of CS50-2014 seminars.
