TokyMaker and IoT

Mastering IoT with Tokymaker: A Quick Start Guide to Adafruit IO

The Tokymaker is a versatile tool capable of Internet of Things (IoT) projects, allowing it to send and receive data over the internet. IoT refers to a network of physical objects connected to the internet that can communicate with each other, enabling you to “take your STEM projects to the next level”.

This guide will walk you through connecting your Tokymaker to the internet using Adafruit IO, setting up data feeds, and even controlling your Tokymaker remotely.

1. Setting Up Your Adafruit IO Account

Adafruit IO is a cloud-based service that simplifies connecting your electronic projects to the internet, acting as a central hub for managing your IoT project data.

To get started:

• Create an Account: Navigate to io.adafruit.com. You will need to provide your name, email, and create a username to set up your free account.
• Obtain Your Special Key: Once your account is created, locate the yellow key icon in the top right corner of your Adafruit IO dashboard. Click this button to generate your special key and then copy it. This key is crucial for connecting your Tokymaker.

2. Connecting Your Tokymaker to Adafruit IO

To establish a connection between your Tokymaker and your Adafruit IO account, you will need to incorporate specific code that includes your email account name, password, and the Adafruit key you copied.

• Connection Confirmation: Your Tokymaker can be programmed to indicate connection status visually. For instance, if the Tokymaker successfully connects, its head LED will turn green; otherwise, it will turn red.

3. Understanding and Creating Groups & Feeds

Feeds are the core feature of the Adafruit IO system, used to “feed the system some information”. Feeds are organized into groups.

Here’s how to create them:

• Create a Group: First, create a group (e.g., named “test”). A description for the group is optional.
• Create a Feed within the Group: Once the group is created, go into that group and create a new feed (e.g., named “light”). Again, the description is optional.
• Feed Naming Convention: The full feed name for use in your Tokymaker code will be groupname.feedname (e.g., test.light).

4. Sending and Receiving Data with Your Tokymaker

Sending Data:

• You can send data from your Tokymaker to your Adafruit IO blocks. For example, you can connect a light sensor to input one on your Tokymaker and send its readings to your test.light feed.
• Data Transmission Limit: To avoid overwhelming the Adafruit IO service, there is a limit on how frequently you can send data; for instance, you might send one feed every 3 seconds.

Receiving Data and Controlling Components:

• Beyond sending data, the Tokymaker also supports receiving data from your Adafruit IO blocks. This allows you to control components on your Tokymaker remotely from your Adafruit dashboard.