How To Add IoT to Any Product Without Redesigning It
- Machinechat Team
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
A practical guide for engineers who need rich data interfaces–without breaking what already works.
Let's Be Honest: Your Product Works
You've a shipping product. It's in the field. It's reliable. And that's no small feat.
But here's the question that keeps coming up from your customers and product managers:
"Can it show more data?"
Not on a tiny LCD screen or blinking LEDs––but real data:
A dashboard showing temperature trends, system uptime, or sensor thresholds
A log file that helps diagnose issues in the field
An email alert when something starts to go wrong
You're not the only one hearing this. Product teams, customers, even service techs––they all want visibility. And they are right.
But You're Also Right to Be Cautious
Why?
Because, you know what it takes to make changes:
Changing your electronics means planning, new budgets, new features, new milestones, testing, and certifications
Touching your firmware risks stability
Cloud integrations? That's a rabbit hole of complexity, recurring fees, and vendor lock-in
No a little voice in you whispers: If it ain't broken, don't fix it
But customers demand, and product managers specify: "Make it Smarter"
What If You Could Add IoT Features–Without Touching Your Core System?
Let us flip the model.
Instead of designing a new board or rewriting firmware, what if you could:
Add a small, isolated compute module
Feed it data from your product (serial, I2C, GPIO, etc.)
Run a lightweight IoT server that logs, displays, and automates––all locally
No redesign, no re-certs.
No firmware changes.
No risk to your existing control loop.
Now you can
Introducing the "Embedded IoT Server" powered by Raspberry Pi
This isn't a distant concept. It's a working toolset you can implement today.
What you need:
Raspberry Pi Zero 2W - A $15 quad-core, Wi-Fi-enabled board, FCC/CE certified
Machinechat JEDI One OEM Edition – Pre-installed IoT server software optimized for the Pi
microSD card - for OS, JEDI, and data
How It Works
Let's walk through it, step by step.
Step 1: Isolate Your Core System
In this architecture, the Embedded IoT Server is an accessory, not a dependency.
Your product's main board remains untouched. And that's important.
You're not rewriting any logic. You're just moving data in and out, over:
Serial (UART or USB)
GPIO
Modbus RTU/TCP
I2C or SPI
Even if it fails or disconnects, your product keeps running.
Step 2: Add Certified Compute Module
The Raspberry Pi Zero 2W is:
Certified
Low cost ($15-$18, retail)
Supported by a massive community
It runs linux. It tuns quietly. It boots from microSD.
And with JEDI One installed, it becomes a ready-to-go IoT stack in under 60 seconds.
Step 3: JEDI One–Your Local IoT Engine
Machinechat JEDI is optimized for embedded compute modules and edge hardware. With JEDI One, you get:
Browser-based dashboards with drag-and-drop charts and controls
Real-time data collection from serial, MQTT, REST, Modbus, and more
Rules engine for trigger-based automation ("if temp > 80°C, send email")
Data logging (locally stored, exportable)
No cloud requirement
JEDI One is lightweight. It's headless. It runs quietly in the background on the Pi. Fully local, no subscriptions, no external dependencies.
A Real Example
Use case: A mid-sized OEM makes lab chillers with basic control interfaces.
Problem: Customers want operating logs and uptime history.
Constraints: The control firmware is certified and can't be modified.
Solution: Engineers added the Embedded IoT Server Kit inside the chassis:
Connected to the UART serial port
Used JEDI One to parse message and visualize temp, cycles, and fault codes
Enabled local dashboard access to Wi-Fi
Set up alert rules for high temp or run-time coverage
No changes to core logic.
No re-certification.
Done in two days.
You're Probably Thinking...
But what about power?
Most products already have 5V rails available. Otherwise, use a small buck converter or USB header.
What if I need more inputs?
Use Pi HATs or USB peripherals. JEDI One can talk to GPIO, serial converters, even external microcontrollers using plug-in connectors
Is this production-grade?
Raspberry Pi is already in use in industrial, medical, and scientific-equipment.
Why You Might Love This
Because it is not a black box. It is a tool you control.
You can SSH into it.
You can see the configuration files.
You can export logs.
You can test it on a dev bench or bolt it into a product.
When You Should Use This
✅ Your product works, but lacks modern data interfaces
✅ You can't (or don't want to) redesign hardware and rewrite the core firmware
✅ You need a fast, low-risk path to IoT functionality
✅ You want full ownership of your data and so do your customers
Build Smarter Products Without Redesigning Them
Add dashboards and automation to your products without redesigning them. Here's what you get with the Embedded IoT Server solution:
Embedded compute with a certified module
IoT server + dashboards
Local data logging
Automation rules
No cloud dependency/no recurring fees
No hardware re-design
No firmware rewrite
No re-certifications
Next Steps
With the "Embedded IoT Server" you don't need to commit to a system redesign. Here is a list of what you need:
Talk to Our Integration Support Team (support@machinechat.io)
Adding smart features shouldn't mean redoing years of engineering work. You can ship what you have–and still make it smarter.
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