What's under your bed (Over Architecting a solution)?

So it was almost the end of school holiday and even though I promised my little one that we would do something fun project together, it didn’t happen. So on the last weekend we decided to build something together with tons of Legos that he possesses. So we started and pretty soon we end up talking about how do we get the missing Legos out from under the bed.

Only if we could see what’s under the bed. My kid said. And the Lego project transformed into this new fun project.

Send something under the bed (happens to be in the 3rd room) and see that as a live feed in our TV (in the living room) and control the whole thing from there (you know like you see in movies). Of-course we want to do this with no visit to shop (i.e. using tools whatever we have at home).

I know it sounds so silly, but I promise you the project was so much fun!

Things you will need

Let’s go through the list of things you will need. I am pretty sure you already have all of these (in some form) components

• Two relatively modern mobile devices (better if one of them is Tablet)
• Google Home application (installed on the mobile)
• TeamViewer application (installed on both devices QuickSupport edition on the mobile and Remote control edition on the Tablet)
• A remote controlled car (with headlight)
• TV with Chromecast or Smart TV (android based) or Media player with chromecast built-in (e.g. MiiBox)
• WiFi (devices connected on the same network)
• Better-half not around

Setup

• Make sure all the devices are connected to the same WiFi network
• Also make sure the remote control is working fine with the car and you know the range it can operate to.
• Install TeamViewer Quick Support on the mobile device (it will ask you to verify your device)
• Install TeamViewer Remote Control on the Tablet (or similar device)
• Send a request to connect the mobile from your tablet through TeamViewer (by using the ID)
• Once connected you can now operate your mobile remotely using your Tablet (as at this point your mobile is mirrored on Tablet screen)
• Go to Google Home application and select cast screen and select your connected TV
• If the previous step is done correctly, at this point, your mobile screen should now be mirrored both on the Tablet (through TeamViewer with full control) and on TV (through Chromecast and you have display only vision with no control)
• Strap the mobile to the remote controlled car in a fashion that the camera is not obstructed (and of course it stays steady when in motion).

And the silly fun begins

• Sit (even though my little one was jumping most of the time) in front of your TV and get the Tablet ready. Turn the camera on of your mobile and you should be able to see live feed from your mobile device (at this point if it doesn’t feel a bit of adventurous then either you are too serious or maybe I am too silly. My kid was holding the tablet as if it was a scene from Star Trek).
• Use the car remote to navigate the car
• Start finding the treasures/monsters (in my case mostly Legos) under the bed (don’t forget to turn the car light on once under the bed)
• Switch camera if you want to reverse.

Cautions

• If you are using your own precious mobile make sure your kid (or you) is not racing the car on the narrow hallway as I am pretty sure it’s going to bump into walls at some point to which your better half won’t be much amused.

Food for thought

Needless to say my kid was very proud of this (silly!) project and he (as well as part of me) wanted to show off that to mommy (my better-half). After listening and seeing a brief demo, I honestly couldn’t tell if she was impressed or amused or annoyed. So I thought I probably should give it a bit of legitimacy by saying,

you know how once I gave you an example of architecting a solution by combining existing frameworks and in the process eliminating the need of reinventing the wheel?

Not sure even if she remembered that vague reference but she asked this

so how are you guys getting things out from there?

I was thiking

Who wants to get the things out in the first place

instead I said

that’s the next phase.

To that she gave me THAT look and went to the garage and got back with a broom stick and a torch and used that to swipe a lot of Legos from under the bed.

My just turned 9 year old almost shouted (I think he echoed me)

But mommy that’s not cool

Comn! compared to our version of the solution? Its not! Really, its not!

My face expression probably supported my kids voice, to which she said (with a bit of smile in her face, and I want to believe that was a smile)

So you went through all these troubles to devise a solution just so that you don’t have to ‘reinvent’ the wheel and to make the solution ultra cool, to show-off?. Don’t tell me ‘real world solutions’ in your world are done like that.

Well that was a bit awkward! (I literally had a flashback of all those different flashy frameworks in my head). I knew she was joking but I wanted to boldly protest! I wanted to say it’s not the same thing, yet I didn’t, I couldn’t.

My kid probably sensed the unusualness in my silence, we (bap beta) both looked at each other and silently agreed

“Mommy is such a party pooper!”