Published July 26, 2015

Build your #Dashbutton like devices plus GPIOs

#ESP8266 based #Dashbutton like devices which can send any http based notification just by a push of a button, compatible with #IFTTT Maker

IntermediateFull instructions provided8,467

Build your #Dashbutton like devices plus GPIOs

Things used in this project

Hardware components

SparkFun ESP8266 Thing - Dev Board

Mini Pushbutton Switch

LiPo 200mAh

10k SMD resistor

needed to adjust the charging current - limited to 100mA, replace R4 with this 10K

Story

Amazon(TM) announced a while back a "Dashbutton" - a thing that you can be placed, pressed, followed by a send notification via HTTP to order automated supplies needed ... https://www.amazon.com/oc/dash-button

That sounds like an closed shop system just to order supplies needed from one single vendor - but we can build an WiFi enabled button based on the #ESP8266 just for a couple of bucks while having also access to GPIOs and an open platform to do what ever you want with a button in the brave new #IoT world. Beyond it will support the #IFTTT application and its Maker Channel but also any LAMP based DIY backend.

There are tons of daily interactions where you simply would like to press a button:

coffee is fresh
bread is fresh from the bakery
call me
switch things on / off
lunch is ready
vote for anything
add yours

There are some of these button already out in the market but we make it cheaper and open to add your ideas ...

Let's go .... and build one! Yours ...

Step 1

We do need a housing for the EPS8266 Thing - but not just a housing, we want to have an integrated button, which is water resistant and is flat in design too. Here you go - the STL can be downloaded from this webpage, printed on any 3D printer and mounted with little glue later on. Mount the distance shield just by pressing it firmly into position and use little glue to fix the micro switch in the center. This will position the micro switch just behind the surface of the case in perfect distance. So if you press with your thumb onto the surface you will trigger the switch.

So the cool thing about this is - you don't see a physical button or switch from the outside, just push the case and it will trigger the button hidden inside the case - it's magic ;-)

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Step 2:

Flash the LUA files on the #Dashbutton like ESP8266 Thing!

Using nodeMCU firmware an python based toolchain it looks like this (don't forget the 3.3V FTDI):

$ python /home/pi/esp/luatool-master/luatool/luatool.py --port /dev/ttyUSB0 --src init.lua --dest init.lua --verbose

$ python /home/pi/esp/luatool-master/luatool/luatool.py --port /dev/ttyUSB0 --src init.lua --dest ifttt_sw.lua --verbose

Restart your ESP8266 Thing and your are up and running!

Press carefully on to the surface the button is hidden off and wait for your IFTTT message, if you don't get a message check first if while you press the "button" a green light inside is confirming input on GPIO4. You might need to press for max. 5 secs.

Have fun with your new button - stick it where you want ... ;-) put a comment if you have a great idea to share ...

Putting all together and earlier tests:

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Code

print('init.lua ver 1.2')
wifi.setmode(wifi.STATION)
print('set mode=STATION (mode='..wifi.getmode()..')')
print('MAC: ',wifi.sta.getmac())
print('chip: ',node.chipid())
print('heap: ',node.heap())
-- wifi config start
wifi.sta.config("<YOURSSID>","<YOURWIFIKEY>")
-- wifi config end
wifi.sta.connect()
 tmr.alarm(1, 1000, 1, function()
  if wifi.sta.getip()== nil then
  print("IP unavaiable, Waiting...")
 else
  tmr.stop(1)
 print("ESP8266 mode is: " .. wifi.getmode())
 print("The module MAC address is: " .. wifi.ap.getmac())
 print("Config done, IP is "..wifi.sta.getip())
    print("*** You've got 5 sec to stop timer 0 ***")
    -- this wait trick before starting application makes re-flashing easier
    tmr.alarm(0, 5000, 0, function()
      print("Executing lua")
      dofile("ifttt_sw.lua")
    end)
 end
end)

port = 80
gpio.mode(1, gpio.OUTPUT)
gpio.mode(2, gpio.INPUT)

  gpio.write(1, gpio.HIGH)
  tmr.delay(500000)   -- wait 1,000,000 us = 1 second
  gpio.write(1, gpio.LOW)
  tmr.delay(500000)   -- wait 1,000,000 us = 1 second
  gpio.write(1, gpio.HIGH)
  tmr.delay(500000)   -- wait 1,000,000 us = 1 second
  gpio.write(1, gpio.LOW)
  tmr.delay(500000)   -- wait 1,000,000 us = 1 second

function sendData()

-- dummy value not used in this sample
t1 = 0

-- GPIO4 is the switch connected with pull-up resistor
local pinValue = gpio.read(2)
if pinValue == gpio.LOW then
    print 'GPIO4 is low'
else
    print 'GPIO4 is high'
end

-- conection to IFTTT channel
-- don't change this code section, needed to allow LUA to resolve the hostname
-- without it just ran work with IP addresses
print("Sending data to IFTTT channel")
conn=net.createConnection(net.TCP, 0) 
conn:on("receive", function(conn, payload) print(payload) end)
conn:connect(80,'maker.ifttt.com') 

conn:on("connection", function(conn, payload) 
  if pinValue == gpio.HIGH then
	print("Connected, sending event")
          conn:send("GET /trigger/<YOUREVENT>/with/key/<YOURKEY>?value1="..t1.." HTTP/1.1\r\n")
        conn:send("Host: maker.ifttt.com\r\n")
        conn:send("Accept: */*\r\n")
        conn:send("User-Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; esp8266 Lua; Windows NT 5.)\r\n")
        conn:send("\r\n")
        gpio.write(1, gpio.HIGH)
           tmr.alarm(1, 1000, 0, function() -- time index 1
             gpio.write(1, gpio.LOW)
            end)
  end
end)

conn:on("sent",function(conn)
        print("Closing connection")
        conn:close()
    end)

conn:on("disconnection", function(conn)
        print("Got disconnection...")
    end)

end

-- send data every X ms to thing speak
--- checks every 5000 sec for a press of button
tmr.alarm(0, 5000, 1, function() sendData() end )

Credits

fab-lab.eu

22 projects • 275 followers

Maker!

Build your #Dashbutton like devices plus GPIOs

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Story

Custom parts and enclosures

Bottom part of housing

Top part of housing

Mount for push button

Code

init.lua

ifttt_sw.lua

Credits

fab-lab.eu

Comments

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Build your #Dashbutton like devices plus GPIOs

Build your #Dashbutton like devices plus GPIOs

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Story

Custom parts and enclosures

Bottom part of housing

Top part of housing

Mount for push button

Code

init.lua

ifttt_sw.lua

Credits

fab-lab.eu

Comments

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