Node.js for embedded system

[farsi]

Hi,

I am writing a book about working with Node.js for embedded devices, such as Arduino, Raspberry Pi and the Intel boards.
The book is primarily targeted at web folks or non-embedded experts.

To get a feeling where I am at in the book writing, it would be nice to get in touch with possible proof readers, or general feedback.

Who is working with Node.js and embedded devices here?

Thanks!

[amyk]

Are you kidding? JavaScript in embedded systems? I guess you have to waste that CPU and memory somehow...

[farsi]

Yeps, some boards ask for that. But there are other options too, like having the MCU run with normal C/C++ and interface the device from outside with Node.js.
For example, I do something like this to broadcast the temperature of my living room with MQTT to the interwebs. Then, an user interface in the web browser could do something with it. Another example of "outside" usage of Node.js is this small 7 segment display editor: http://disp7s.divshot.io/

[andersm]

Derek Molloy's Exploring Beaglebone uses Node.js for some examples. It expands the availability of embedded systems.

[farsi]

Thanks, indeed this series looks great, e.g. - maybe I should try to get in touch with other academic folks

[samofab]

Not all embedded development is time critical so Javascript on embedded devices might have its niche. There are a few examples of using Javascript on embedded devices (espruino), but I farsi is likely talking about devices cable of running linux.
With processor fast enough you can probably bitbang a lot of different protocols even from Node.js. 

If you don't do bad things (blocking libuv loop), node.js is very fast.

If anybody is interested.. I'm in the final phases of writing a Node.js bindings for VISA (by final phase I mean a first example of barely usable code). It gives you a special kind of satisfaction to talk to 25 years old instruments from Node.js.

[farsi]

nice!

that would indeed be great to control measurement devices with streams, callbacks and the like
i was looking earlier on npm for visa drivers, but could not find any. my first examples to try would be letting a multimeter and supply talk to each other.

PS thanks for the nice expression "the other end of the cable setup"