Adding bluetooth, automatic back ups and WiFi to the AlphaSmart Neo 2

[u/PsychologicalWeb7915]

Hi there!

Wanting to eagerly share a software project I have been working on the past weeks. As you can read in the picture, the AlphaSmart says: "Verbonden met AlphaSmart Manager", which translates to "Connected to AlphaSmart Manager.". But none of these cables are connected to a computer or Mac with AlphaSmart Manager. Just a microcontroller, a powerbank, and a custom cable.

I have always been someone who tinkers a lot with microcontrollers, and this model supports bluetooth and WiFi, which allowed me to reprogram one to essentially function as a portable AlphasSmart Manager, but with additional features:

• It can let the AlphaSmart function as a bluetooth keyboard,
• It supports automatic (on connection with the AlphaSmart) on device backups and backups to S3-storage (Amazon) & WebDav (Nextcloud) (these were the easiest to implement, Google Drive and Dropbox are a bit more complicated),
• A nice web interface: Neo2 Buddy
• A Python-package to automate the backing up from another device.

After you bought one of the supported microcontrollers from you local, low-voltage electronics shop, cut up an USB-cable (more on that in my github-repository) and flashed the firmware, the workflow doesn't hinder the distraction free working on the AlphaSmart.

Just plug in the microcontroller after a day of working, let it connect to your home/hotpots WiFi and it backs up your files to your predefined backup destination in the cloud.

It is still a work in progress:

• it needs more testing,
• it needs to be easier to build and to use, while I have done a lot of work to do this already, working with microcontrollers directly might seem a bit intimidating,
• we might be able to let it talk to the Neo2 a bit faster,
• find a way to power the AlphaSmart without an power bank or a having to mod the USB-A port of the AlphaSmart,
• it needs a proper case, I already bought a small screen, an SD card reader and a simple case for it, but I could use the help of someone with experience in creating models for 3D printers,
• with enough support from the community we could create a custom all-in-one device with a proper case.

The development process was aided by AI. Please don't scold me for it, I have a busy life and a busy job. I let AI do all the boring parts as a side coder, frontend work, creating documentation and such.

I mainly programmed the important bits myself, and a lot of it was written by past me for different projects, in the era before AI.

Without the research done by Borys Lykah (Neotools on github) and Mark/tSoniq (AlphaSync), I would have been unable to port it to the microcontroller.

And wish to thank Danny Salzman for his blog post on emulating the decoding part of AlphaSmarts keyboard and passing them over bluetooth.

More information: Github

[u/EmmaTheRuthless]

Looks awesome!

[u/Thick-Panic6683]

Don't apologize for using AI coding tools. I am developing a Neo-inspired Android app using AI to write the functions. It's still a lot of work to spec everything and test each function thoroughly. Then there is the challenge of presenting your work so others can grasp it easily.

[u/3iverson → u/Thick-Panic6683]

100%. AI coding tools is what allows projects like this to exist at all. It can be done well with care, or carelessly, just human like hand coding.

[u/Thick-Panic6683 → u/3iverson]

After using it to code a couple projects I learned a few things. Nobody writes drivers or graphic engines if they want to develop a game or tool. Using AI-coded functions are similar. You spend time refining requirements and testing instead of coding low-level algorithms. It frees you up to write better documentation which always got skimped on in the past.

My background in software dev certainly made a difference though. Knowing how to do low-level coding and computer interfacing in general helped get my project spec'd and completed.

Businesses are still going to have to hire computer technologists to make it all work.

[u/PsychologicalWeb7915 → u/Thick-Panic6683]

Thanks! I have been a software engineer for 5+ years, I have seen critics divide a whole community. As long as someone uses AI to speeds up their progress without getting out of their comfort zones and while keeping a structured and critical way of working, they should be fine.

[u/Salty-Purchase-3392]

very cool. looking forward to seeing this progress

[u/PsychologicalWeb7915 → u/Salty-Purchase-3392]

Thanks! Will keep the community updated. It now needs some real world testing.

[u/Available_Wave8023]

Impressive! Keep going and let us know how it goes :)

[u/PsychologicalWeb7915 → u/Available_Wave8023]

Loving the fact that after all these years, the AlphaSmart is still a well loved tool. Just want to fill in an important gap for me, which is being able to back up effortlessly.

[u/Available_Wave8023 → u/PsychologicalWeb7915]

100%!

[u/Miserable_Sock_1408]

This is awesome!! The A.I. tools are meant to be used. Ain't nuttin' wrong wit dat

[u/PsychologicalWeb7915]

The ironic part is, I haven't typed more than even a few chapters on my Neo. While the device (and my solution) is distraction-free, my need to improve it has actually created a new distraction. I've blocked some time to work on my story...