Taking back control of your life with Nerves

We fill our homes with devices over which we have little or no control. Our speakers, doorbells, televisions, and fridges are getting smart. We are getting used to relinquishing our privacy and our lives to random startups that won't hesitate a second to sell our data to the highest bidder.

But what if we went rogue? What if we took back control? In this talk, I will explain how to replace devices over which you have no control with devices over which you have absolute and complete control. We will see how easy it is to build smart devices which are safe and privacy conscious, thanks to the powers of Elixir and Nerves.

At the end of the talk, you should feel confident to go out there and build your own reliable, discreet and smart Nerves assistants.

Transcript

1. Taking back control of your life with Nerves ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
2. Hello! ! ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
3. My name is Ju ! ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
4. whoami — I was born in ! — Grew up in " — Live in # — Work for noredink $ ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
5. Structure of this talk 1. Doom & Gloom 2. What we can do about it ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
6. What, then, is to be done? To make the best of what is in our power, and take the rest as it naturally happens. — Epitectus ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
7. What this is talk is NOT going to be about ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
8. ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
9. ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
10. Amazon workers are listening to what you tell Alexa1 1 https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-10/is-anyone-listening-to-you-on-alexa-a-global-team-reviews-audio ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
11. Amazon confirms it retains your Alexa voice recordings indefinitely2 2 https://thenextweb.com/security/2019/07/03/amazon-confirms-it-retains-your-alexa-voice-recordings-indefinitely ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
12. Judge orders Amazon to turn over Echo recordings3 3 https://techcrunch.com/2018/11/14/amazon-echo-recordings-judge-murder-case ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
13. Alexa, are you invading my privacy? The dark side of our voice assistants4 4 https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/oct/09/alexa-are-you-invading-my-privacy-the-dark-side-of-our-voice-assistants ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
14. Alexa, are you invading my privacy? The dark side of our voice assistants “I felt a bit foolish,” he says. “Having worked at Amazon, and having seen how they used people’s data, I knew I couldn’t trust them.” ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
15. ! ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
16. ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
17. One ring to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them. — Sauron, The Dark Lord ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
18. ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
19. Oh, Yes. ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
20. Doorbell-camera firm Ring has partnered with 400 police forces, extending surveillance concerns5 5 https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/08/28/doorbell-camera-firm-ring-has-partnered-with-police-forces-extending-surveillance-reach ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
21. Doorbell-camera firm Ring has partnered with 400 police forces, extending surveillance concerns Ring is owned by Amazon, which bought the firm last year for more than $800 million, financial filings show. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos owns The Washington Post. ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
22. Oh, No. ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
23. So what's the point? ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
24. The Point™ 1. As a user of a smart device, you have literally no control over what it does. 2. No matter how well intentioned you think the maker is. 3. One day they will get acquired. 1. If you're lucky, all your data will be sold. 2. If you're unlucky, your device will be bricked. ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
25. Snips, privacy-by-default voice technology, acquired by Sonos6 6 https://investors.sonos.com/news-and-events/investor-news/latest-news/2019/Sonos-Announces-Acquisition-of-Snips/default.aspx ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
26. Revolv devices bricked as Google's Nest shuts down smart home company7 7 https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/apr/05/revolv-devices-bricked-google-nest-smart-home ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
27. Why do we buy smart devices? — They look cool — They fix minor annoyances — They're internet connected ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
28. We are trading our privacy and our lives to know what's the weather like in Glasgow** ** It's raining. ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
29. What's the alternative? ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
30. DIY ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
31. The only way trust a smart device is to know exactly what it does.* * Limitations apply ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
32. And the only way to do that is to build it yourself. ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
33. No, there is no other way. ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
34. I know. It's takes time and effort to become a circuit whisperer. ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
35. But as engineers we are in a TRULY privileged position to fight back. ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
36. Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. — Arthur C. Clarke ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
37. ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
38. ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
39. ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
40. ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
41. My First World Problem 1. Go to the kitchen and fill up the moka. 2. Put it on the stove on a low setting. 3. Go back to my office to work on some stuff. 4. Keep doors open so I can hear the rumbling. 5. Get distracted. 6. Run to the kitchen when it's too late. 7. Burnt coffee ! ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
42. But.. What if I built a machine which can tell me when the coffee is ready? ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
43. DEMO TIME ☕ ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
44. ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
45. ANOTHER DEMO ☕ ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
46. Thank you! ! ! @arkh4m " github.com/Arkham/tbcofylwn ☕ github.com/Arkham/mokay $ github.com/Arkham/tee_eff_elle ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m
47. References — Nerves Getting Started — NervesHub Setup ElixirConfEU · @arkh4m