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Adafruit IOT Updates

MQTT comes to CircuitPython!



So, you have a CircuitPython project and want to connect it to the internet? You may want to consider adding MQTT to your project. MQTT is an extremely popular and lightweight protocol which can connect your project to the internet and quickly process network events.

We’ve built a robust MQTT module for CircuitPython called CircuitPython MiniMQTT to quickly get you started connecting your projects to the internet and sending data around.

Learn all about using MQTT with CircuitPython in on the Adafruit Learning System Guide here!

Adafruit IO CircuitPython Library UPDATE: MQTT!



The Adafruit IO CircuitPython library has been updated with a new IO_MQTT class for accessing Adafruit IO’s MQTT Broker. We’ve included helpful methods for simplifying interactions with Adafruit IO over MQTT.

Download the latest version of the Adafruit IO CircuitPython Library in the CircuitPython Bundle here and check out some examples which make use of the new MQTT class here.

New IoT Hardware: 8-Channel LoRa Gateway HAT with LoRa and GPS Antenna



This LoRa HAT from RAK Wireless is capable of multi-channel, multi-node communication, all running in a non-intimidating, hackable Raspberry Pi environment. Unlike our basic LoRa gateway bonnet, this chipset can support all 8 channels, so it can handle multiple clients, on different LoRa channels, without having to do any code tweaks.

Visit the product page fo the LoRa Gateway HAT here!

Once you have your Internet-to-LoRa gateway set up with this kit, make LoRa nodes using our Feather line for easy deployment of sensor networks that run on battery power. We have guides about setting up LoRaWAN nodes using either Arduino OR CircuitPython on the Adafruit Learning System here.

#ComingSoon IoT Hardware: Circuit Playground Express BlueFruit

We are testing the Circuit Playground Express BlueFruit, check out the coming soon photos. We went to Washington Square Park at night to test how far we could change the colors of the NeoPixels on the CPX Bluefruit and we’re going to need a bigger park to test in maybe 🙂

Watch the video of testing the CPX BlueFruit here!

IoT Projects

Interactive Airplane Sculpture, beautiful and internet connected

“The Imagination Machine” has been my main focus for a little over 9 months. I’m thrilled to see it in such a grand space. As you may read in the articles, it tracks the ISS using the NASA open API + Adafruit.io + IFTTT. It keeps time using the RTC. It also has some other codes onboard that I’m developing that will use more of NASA’s API (tracking near earth orbit asteroids, etc.) I had always intended for the piece to make a connection from country to country as well. At the moment, I’m currently on an artist residency in Dresden, Germany. It’s ongoing exploration includes allowing my new friends here in Germany to say “Hello” to the sculpture in Ohio from my phone. Using using the Adafruit.io and my phone, they can trigger a special light show that connects two different cultures located an ocean apart. Adafruit Blog

Issue 21 HackSpace magazine: Air quality monitor

The new HackSpace Magazine Issue 20 highlights an air quality monitor build using a Raspberry Pi 4 and air quality sensor. The project is programmed in Python 3 with the Adafruit Adafruit IO data service (free at io.adafruit.com) holding data and providing status.

Adafruit Blog

Analog Smart Shelf

Jake P. on HackADay.io is building “A sleek and minimalist wall-mounted shelf with hidden wireless charger and customizable wooden display”. Unlike most smart-assistants, it’s designed to be unobtrusive. HackADay.io

Tweeting with CircuitPython

This guide shows how to use the Twitter API to get tweets from a specific user (but there’s a lot more you can do with it). As a concrete example, it will be used to regularly fetch the the latest tweet from @codewisdom, a feed that tweets quotes from the software industry. We’ll take those tweets and display them on a PyPortal. Adafruit Learning System

Using WoTT to manage your Adafruit IO feeds!

Web of Trusted Things (WoTT) published an guide about using Adafruit IO with their WoTT Secure Agent, an open-source solution designed to manage your credentials (such as your static Adafruit IO username/active key pair). Web of Trusted Things

Working on an IoT Project? Tell us about it!

Are you working on a project which uses Adafruit IO or Adafruit products?? Add the #adafruitio or #adafruitiot hashtags to your tweets, join our Discord channel (http://adafru.it/discord, #help-with-adafruit-io), or join the SHOW-AND-TELL every Wednesday night at 7:30pm ET on Google+ Hangouts.

Around the Internet – IoT News and Shortlinks

Rick Merritt reports LoRa and NB-IoT could claim 86% of all Low-Power-Wide-Area-Networks (LPWAN) by 20203, that’s not too far away!

The TTGo T-Call is a $15 ESP32 Breakout with an onboard Cellular Modem

Sonoff Homekit is a bridgeless (no Raspberry Pi required!) HomeKit Setup.



FabGL – Advanced graphics for the ESP32 (VGA, PS/2, keyboard/mouse, sound engine, game engine, ANSI/VT terminal)



Hacking a LOHAS LED Smart Bulb



ludzinc is building an internet-enabled garage door opener.



View the weather report on a PyPortal and log detailed information about it to an Initial State Dashboard.



If you’re new (or slightly experienced) with MQTT – Ably.io took a deep-dive into MQTT’s internals.



FabLabEU built a GPS Mapper to map coverage of The Things Network.

Isaac Wellish built a an internet-connected PyPortal Trivia Time game.



Remotely display the status of a ThingsNetwork node over MQTT with this MQTT Remote Display.



Soothe a six-month old with a remotely-controlled MP3 sound machine.



Monitor your home’s energy with an ESP32 and (semi-safe) CT-sensors.



vikkey321 on GitHub built a Not-so-dumb smoke detector with Google Assistant integration

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