HackSpace_-_October_2019

Send data with If This Then That

SCHOOL OF MAKING

Control almost anything with CircuitPython

f This Then That (IFTTT) is a really simple

bit of glue that lets you link a condition

with an action, both of which are taken

from web services. All IFTTT applets are in

the format If ‘condition’ then ‘action’. This

simple form is surprisingly powerful because

it’s linked to a huge number of internet services and

web-connected devices. The sheer range of services

that can link together, and the fact that everything

can be configured by clicking on things in a website,

make it a great platform for basic Internet of Things

devices and experiments.

I

Send data with

If This Then That

Ben Everard

@ben_everard

Ben loves cutting stuff,

any stuff. There’s no

longer a shelf to store

these tools on (it’s now

two shelves), and the

door’s in danger.

If you’re using commercial devices and services,

such as smart bulbs, weather forecasts, and smart

hubs, you can do everything without having to touch

a line of code, but you can also use IFTTT with your

own devices. There’s a service called Maker

Webhooks that lets you send data into the service

by firing it at a URL. We’ve created a simple wrapper

library that lets you send data to this using

CircuitPython. Let’s take a look at how to do this.

There are three parts to this project: the input,

which will be our CircuitPython device (you can use

any device that has WiFi), the IFTTT applet that

Right

Webhooks let you

trigger IFTTT applets

from any device with

an internet connection