One of the more amusing aspects of smart fridge discourse is how far the damn things contain dual-use components that can be weaponised for military purposes
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Not sure what you mean by dual-use components. Usually "smart" is marketing hype for an ESP8266 or ESP32 microcontroller in an appliance, which means you have wifi/wlan and bluetooth. But you can buy those for a few euros. No need to try and extract them from something that costs a (large) multiple.
In 2023 iirc the number of washing machines re-exported through Armenia and Kazakhstan were three times the level of Russian demand partly to use them as a reservoir of components and spare parts that could be repurposed for drone manufacture
Sure, those will have ESP8266s or ESP32 you could use also in a drone. But then why go about it in such an inefficient way, paying 100s of euros to get your hands on a microcontroller you can directly buy from China for a fraction (ESP8266s and ESP32s are produced by Espressif, a Chinese company).
There will also be lots of sensors in a washing machine that the microcontroller uses as inputs, motor drivers, relays, etc. But then you can also buy those directly for a fraction, and as far as I can see you need other components for a drone.
PS: I can buy 25 ESP8266 development boards on Amazon for 100 euros (not even the cheapest offer I guess) and those are boards with lots of other things integrated. The reason you have a built-in ESP8266 eg. in a "smart" lightbulb is that they are so cheap.
One misconception on my part might be that it is something else that controls a "smart" washing machine and that it is more valuable and harder to get your hands on. But then my hunch would be that an ESP8266 could handle everything and if not that an ESP32 would do.
Not sure I understand your point. Of course, you don't have to use the wifi/wlan or bluetooth capabilities. The microcontroller itself is quite useful, basically a very simple computer (but quite powerful) that can process data from sensors and run actuators (motors, cameras, etc.).
It was a noob and general question about IoT white goods etc, which I am resistent to on privacy grounds. I was just wondering whether there is a facility not to connect them to WiFi or Bluetooth in the first place!
Now, I get your point. I share your concern, especially when you are herded into some cloud thing on top. It's basically about the program that is on the microcontroller. If that does not allow to switch it off or doesn't do it, you're out of luck. And companies tend to like it that way.
Thanks. Since presumably I would have to share my WiFi passcode, or authorise Bluetooth on some connected device, they could not override my wishes here? Unless the gear just would not function w/o connection? (A deal breaker!)
Of course, it would be great if it were possible to continue to buy 'air gapped' white goods, and save costs. But that may be one hope too far, ongoing.
Your smart fridge or washing machine might not be able to help you much more with food or washing, but at least you can find the parts you need for killer FPV drones.
Yeah, an interesting side effect of microcontrollers and single board computer CPUs becoming so cheap that every piece of modern electronics basically comes with its own multicore CPU (and even GPU).
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Still there's only max 150 grams of it.
Best launching the fridge against the enemy with a trebuchet I'd suggest.
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