| Linux will undoubtedly play a key role in the Internet of Things, but its luster will be shared with others. As Canonical refocuses on profitability and new technology, some of us find ourselves wondering where Linux will go in the future. Is IoT (Internet of Things) the future of Linux? This article aims to address both of these issues. |
Mycroft runs on Linux
For most people in the non-technical world, there are actually several different IoT projects that are not the overly commercial ones that we constantly see advertised on the web, the most successful of which is Project Mycroft.
Part of what makes Mycroft interesting is that you don't need to get it on specialized hardware. This means you can download it to a Raspberry Pi or even your own PC. This is an element of freedom not seen in more common commercial alternatives from other vendors in the IoT space. Another interesting fact about the Mycroft project is that it was originally crowdfunded, so it was a true community-driven project from the beginning.
What about its skills—the term used to describe its abilities? So far, I've heard some mixed reviews. By looking at the skills listed on Github, the entire list seems pretty impressive. Digging deeper, it's easy to see that many of its skills are better than using proprietary IoT devices.
It is worth noting that there is a clear distinction between official skills developed for IoT devices and features developed by community members. Mycroft's official skill list is actually pretty weak. Let's face it, as cool as Linux running on IoT devices is, it was eye-opening to me that there isn't an official mail checking skill on the Mycroft Github page. Well, there's a Gmail in the Community Skills section that has a question mark because it obviously hasn't been verified to work (or not).
Google Home - This is a Linux puzzle wrapped in a riddle
So what about Google’s IoT product Google Home? Of course this runs on Linux, right? Yes, in a broad sense that's true... It turns out that Google Home is based on Chromecast. What about Chromecast? It is based on Google TV. Are we still on the Linux part? not completely.
Apparently, the Chromecast basically runs a stripped-down version of Android. And most of us know that Android does use a customized version of the Linux kernel.
At this point, I think we need to ask ourselves - is Google the best Linux IoT representative we can come up with? I don't think so, because I think they would be willing to make privacy compromises that we wouldn't want to see in a pure Linux IoT environment. But this is just my personal belief.
Assuming we're willing to accept the dubious privacy benefits of Google Home, and assuming there's some discernible Linux component under the hood, how does it compare to Mycroft's pure open source experience?
Currently, Google is addressing this situation. First, if you want, you can install the "brain" of Google Home (called Google Assistant) onto the Raspberry Pi. This is available through the Google Assistant SDK.
As you guessed, this SDK can be installed on Linux. After installing portaudio, various libraries, and installing google-assistant-sdk using pip, you can start making calls with your Raspberry Pi, just like a Google Home device.
Coming back to the actual Google Home device itself, you might be wondering what skills are available on it? Out of the box, it offers music playback with Google Play Music, Pandora, Spotify, and iHeart Radio, among other streaming music services. Not only does Google Home have more "communication" skills than Mycroft, it also works with services like Netflix and home brands like Philips, Nest, and IFTTT for a variety of smart home tasks. Did I mention it can also schedule Google Calendar or order pizza?
By contrast, Mycroft is better for DIY developers who want to create their own skills, and Google Home can be used now rather than one day.
Amazon Echo can run on Linux
I'll be the first to admit that I don't know if the Amazon Echo itself runs on some element of Linux. That said, I know you can install the brains behind the Echo onto a Linux-powered Raspberry Pi! When the Pi version was first released, it was a bit disappointing that you had to press a button to activate the Echo's listening mode.
Fast forward to now, and the Echo on the Pi now supports programmable "hot words" to activate it. This means you can run a Pi with Linux installed and operate similarly to the official Amazon Echo. Then, if you buy an Echo Dot, you can skip the extra work and geeky stuff of installing Mycroft on your Raspberry Pi.
Like Mycroft and Google Home, it's important that the Amazon Echo works on the Pie because it makes IoT technology accessible to anyone - not just those who opt for the official hardware. And because Amazon has had more time to develop the technology, the Echo is arguably ahead of the competition in programmable skills and overall progress.
So even though Google Home does a better job of answering questions, the Echo supports more third-party IoT devices, and some people think it has a more natural sound than the Google Home. Personally, I think both devices sound pretty good. But that's just my opinion.
IoT is Linux at its best
If we take a moment to continue looking at these Linux-compatible IoT devices or the projects of community partners like Mycroft who actually use Linux, one thing is for sure, Linux is still part of the equation.
I think it would be foolish not to use a free/open source platform like Linux. After all, these devices tend to be connected to other IoT automation components. This means security is a real consideration. Running IoT under Linux means we can have a community ensure security, rather than expecting manufacturers to do it for us.
Need an example of why this is important? Look at routers that don't run open source firmware, what happens when the manufacturer stops supporting the device - security risks start to emerge.
Is IoT the future of Linux? In my opinion, I think it is... but not all of it. I think for a lot of people, that's the way forward. But in the end, I think there will be a lot of proprietary "stuff" on top of Linux, and only pure projects like Mycroft can keep Linux going.
So what do you think? Do you think open source projects like Mycroft are now competing properly with products from Google and Amazon? Conversely, do you think there are other Linux-based products that are more suitable for this job? Whatever it is, hit the comments and let's talk.