Web services and IoT using Littlebits and IFTTT

Web services and IoT using Littlebits and IFTTT

Cybersecurity First Principles in this lesson

• Abstraction: An abstraction is a representation of an object or concept. It could be something such as a door, a speedometer, or a data structure in computer science. Abstraction decouples the design from the implementation. The gauges in an automobile are an abstraction of the performance of a car. A map is an abstraction of the earth.

• Data Hiding: Data hiding is the technique that does not allow certain aspects of an object to be observed or accessed. Data and information hiding keeps the programmer from having complete access to data structures. It allows access to only what is necessary.

• Minimization: Minimization refers to having the least functionality necessary in a program or device. The goal of minimization is to simplify and decrease the number of ways that software can be exploited. This can include turning off ports that are not needed, reducing the amount of code running on a machine, and/or turning off unneeded features in an application.

• Modularization: The concept of modularity is like building blocks. Each block (or module) can be put in or taken out from a bigger project. Each module has its own separate function that is interchangeable with other modules.

• Resource Encapsulation: Encapsulation is an object oriented concept where all data and functions required to use the resource are packaged into a single self-contained component. The goal is to only allow access or manipulation of the resource in the way the designer intended. An example, assume a flag pole is the object. There are fixed methods on how the flag pole is to be used. Put the flag on, take the flag off, raise or lower the flag. Nothing else can be done to the flag pole.

Introduction and goals

In this lesson, we will explore a cool hands-on technology called Littlebits. Littlebits follows a component-based design paradigm using GPIO (or general purpose input/output) to let you easily make apps. We will learn how to plug and play bits together to make some simple inventions. Littlebits will be the central platform for the rest of camp and you will be using them in other lessons.

Goals

By the end of this tutorial, you will be able to:

• Interact with web services
• Mashup web services with Littlebits
• Make some apps that help automate your home

Materials Required

• Littlebits kit
• Power outlet nearby
• Wi-Fi Internet Connection

Prerequisite lessons

Intro to components using Littlebits Droids

Table of Contents

• Web services and IoT using Littlebits and IFTTT
  • Cybersecurity First Principles in this lesson
  • Introduction and goals
  • Goals
  • Materials Required
  • Prerequisite lessons
  • Table of Contents
  • Before We Start
  • Step 1: Create an Account / Login to Littlebits portal!
  • Step 2: Pair your Cloudbit with the portal
  • Step 3: Don’t Push Push the Red Purple Button
  • Step 4: Using web services - connecting to IFTTT
  • Step 5: Web Service Wizardry - Make an Easy Button
  • Step 6: Email / SMS trigger
  • Step 7: Twitter watcher
  • Step 8: Control your world
  • Self Exploration
  • Test you Bits, err… Wits!
  • Cybersecurity First Principle Reflections
  • Additional Resources
  • Lead Author
    • Acknowledgements
    • License

Before We Start

In the last lesson, you saw how versatile, modular, and cool Littlebits was to work with. It was easy to plug and play different modules together following simple design patterns to make cool, simple apps. Now, imagine everything you saw before can be hooked up to the internet and controlled using a smartphone or online app. We are going to do THAT now!

Step 1: Create an Account / Login to Littlebits portal!

To start we need to create an account:

• Visit https://littlebits.cc/login and click register
• Walk through the online instructions to create your account

Step 2: Pair your Cloudbit with the portal

Now that we have an account, we need to pair our cloudbit (an orange module with cloud written on it) with the Littlebits Cloud Platform. To do that:

• Login at http://control.littlebitscloud.cc/ using your account info.
• Give your new cloudbit a name: I decided to call mine “Tim”.

• Follow the on-screen instructions to setup your cloudbit.

• First, connect the blue power module to the pink button module.
• Next, connect the button module to the orange cloudbit module.
• Then, connect the bright led module to the cloudbit module.
• It should all be connected as shown:

• Hold down the setup button on the CloudBit until the light blinks blue.
• When the light blinks, let go and wait for the light to turn a steady blue.
• Using Wi-Fi, connect to the local Wi-Fi network the device broadcasts (it will be something like litteBits_Cloud_somenumber).
• Once connected to the device’s Wi-Fi adapter, pick the Wi-Fi network the cloudbit will live on. (At UNO that will be: UNOGuest).
• It should auto-connect and the light should turn a solid green color.
• You should see as message saying ‘Awesome’

Step 3: Don’t Push Push the Red Purple Button

The purple button on your screen is linked to your cloudbit output.

• Add a green bright LED output module to the cloudbit.
• Now definitely press the giant purple button on your screen.

It works! With that, you just made your first IoT app.

• The control portal will also now have you press the button on the button module.

You should see your gauge go up! Now you have input and outputs routed through the cloud controller!

Step 4: Using web services - connecting to IFTTT

Web services are, as the name implies, services that live on the web. You use these all the time - mostly without knowing it. The internet is built on top of them. Google, Dropbox, Youtube, Twitter, and Facebook are just a few juggernauts that provide and use many different web services. In this lesson, we are going to use a mashup service called IFTTT (which stands for If This, Then That ). IFTTT is a great platform that talks to all kinds of other web services. One service it connects with is, conveniently, Littlebits. This is an example of modularity because IFTTT can swap out components for others easily.

• Connect your cloudbit to IFTTT by pressing the automate button in the Littlebits cloud controller user interface.
• Visit https://ifttt.com
• You will need to create an account with IFTTT if you don’t already have one.
• Once you sign in, you will see some recipes that have already been made for you by the Littlebits team. A recipe is a design pattern that combines input and output behavior to do something cool. IFTTT refers to recipes as applets.

Step 5: Web Service Wizardry - Make an Easy Button

Lets create a new applet that sends an email when you press the button module. For flair, lets make it an easy button™ (Staples).

• In your browser, open IFTTT and click the down caret next to your name.
• Now click new applet in the menu that pops up:

• Click the plus icon to specify the if condition our applet will fire up on.
• You will see all of the service options available to be used as IF conditions. Find Littlebits by typing it in the search/filter bar.
• Authorize IFTTT to access your Littlebits API.
• Now you should see two options: turned on and turned off, pick turned on
• Select your cloudbit from the dropdown and click create trigger to set this as the IF condition. Once selected you should see:

If (littlebits) then that

• Click the plus icon to specify the THAT condition.
• You will again see all of the service options, select email and then send me an email. You will be asked to link your email to your IFTTT account (if you haven’t already). Go ahead and confirm your email.
• Once selected, you will see an email template available. Click add ingredient to see available input information. You should have, DeviceName, TurnedOnAt, and PowerPercent options. You can customize the email message here if you want. I made mine an easy button by embedding an image (img tag).

• When satisfied, select create action to set this email as the THAT.
• Click finish to turn the applet on.
• You should see the applet as a purple box explaining what it does.
• Try it out by pressing the button module connected as input to your cloudbit module.

Check your email!

It worked!

This is a simple, but powerful tool. It also shows off resource encapsulation and abstraction. In terms of resource encapsulation, each of the services connected to IFTTT have many functions. These functions are encapsulated in a service (e.g. email in this example). The functions are also abstract because IFTTT doesn’t need to know how they work, just that they achieve a certain purpose (e.g. send an email). This helps model or abstract the implementation away from the design.

Step 6: Email / SMS trigger

Lets make an applet that allows us to turn the cloudbit output on with an email or text.

• Go to https://ifttt.com, select the dropdown caret next to your name, and then click New Applet.
• As the IF condition, select the email service.
• Of the two options, select the Send IFTTT an email tagged option.
• Use the hashtag #nebraskagencyber
• For the THAT condition, select the littlebits service
• Select SetOutputLevel of the three options available.
• Pick your cloudbit from the dropdown.
• Select 100% and 5 seconds as the output levels
• Press the create action button
• Click finish

You should see:

• Test it out by sending trigger@applet.ifttt.com an email with the tag #nebraskagencyber in the subject line.
• Give it a minute to process

Pretty cool, imagine - instead of turning on a light we can turn anything on.

Lets make a second applet to do the same thing, but via SMS.

• Go to https://ifttt.com, select the dropdown caret next to your name, and then click New Applet.
• As the IF condition, select the SMS service.
• Register your phone with IFTTT SMS service
• Of the two options, select the SMS tagged option.
• Use the hashtag #nebraskagencyber
• For the THAT condition, select the littlebits service
• Select SetOutputLevel of the three options available.
• Pick your cloudbit from the dropdown.
• Select 100% and 5 seconds as the output levels
• Press the create action button
• Click finish

• Test it out by sending a text message to the number in the IFTTT applet with the tag #nebraskagencyber in the body.
• Give it a minute to process

Step 7: Twitter watcher

Lets make an app that lights up every time a new tweet on a certain topic happens. This requires a Twitter account. If you don’t have and don’t want to create a Twitter account, feel free to skip this, but it’s fun!

• Go to https://ifttt.com, select the dropdown caret next to your name, and then click New Applet.
• As the IF condition, select the Twitter service. You will be asked to link your Twitter account first.
• Select the New tweet from search option.
• Specify the search string #nebraskagencyber to only fulfill the IF condition if someone tweets the hashtag.
• For the THAT condition, select the littlebits service
• Select Activate Output this time. This will just turn on the output for 3 seconds.
• Select your cloudbit
• Press create action and then finish

Step 8: Control your world

Lets go beyond simple triggers and make something that you might use in your home. First, we’re going to create a service-controlled light switch.

• Connect the blue power module to the light sensor input module.
• Set the light sensor switch to dark mode to make it detect darkness.
• Connect the light sensor to the cloudbit.
• Connect the cloudbit to the orange split module
• Connect one of the split ends to the ir transmitter module
• Connect the ir transmitter to the o21 number module
• Connect the other end of the split to the mp3 player
• Put the mp3 player in once mode
• Connect the mp3 player to the synth speaker
• Take the mini sd card out of the mp3 player and put it in the adapter - bring it up to me to get an amusing file that goes with this demo

• Go to https://ifttt.com, turn off the other applets we made earlier. You can save them for later if you want.
• Select the dropdown caret next to your name, and then click New Applet.
• As the IF condition, select the littlebits service.
• Select the turned on option.
• Select create trigger.
• For the THAT condition, select the email service.
• Set the email content to the following:

Subject:

() It's dark at home: Want to turn the lights on?

Body:

Want to turn the lights on? Reply with  <a href="mailto:trigger@applet.ifttt.com?subject=#lightson&body=#lightson">`#lightson`</a>

• Click create action and then finish

Cover the light sensor up with your finger to turn it on (simulating it being dark).

• Now make another applet by selecting the dropdown caret next to your name, and then clicking New Applet.
• As the IF condition, select the email service.
• Of the two options, select the Send IFTTT an email tagged option.
• Use the hashtag #lightson. Create the trigger.
• For the THAT condition, select the littlebits service.
• Select Activate Output this time. This will just turn on the output for 3 seconds.
• Select your cloudbit
• Press create action and then finish
• Connect your ir power outlet to an outlet. Make sure the red tag is in line of sight with the ir sensor
• To pair the ir sensor with the ir power outlet send trigger@applet.ifttt.com an email with the tag #lightson in the subject line. Once the pairing is complete, ir power outlet should have a steady on or off state. If it is still blinking then it is attempting to get paired.
• Once pairing is successful, toggle the ir power outlet by sending trigger@applet.ifttt.com an email with the tag #lightson in the subject line.
• If it doesn’t happen instantly, give it a minute to process

You should see the power outlet light turn on - and you should hear a short audio clip play.

Self Exploration

Try some different designs yourself. You can combine any services with any Littlebits sensors. You could make an app that opens the curtains when you text it #opencurtains. You could make an app that listens for sounds and sends you an alert if sounds are detected. You could make an email or tweet counter. The possibilities are real and endless!

Test you Bits, err… Wits!

Quiz

Cybersecurity First Principle Reflections

In this lesson, we saw web services, such as IFTTT, can abstract away details about devices and instead focus on recipes or design patterns to describe how things work. We also saw that by keeping functionality modular, IFTTT can combine Littlebits with many other services.

Web services use resource encapsulation to ensure that all functions related to the execution of an app or service are neatly within the scope of the service itself. IFTTT relies on services to be encapsulated so that they can provide external services with the ability to use them without worrying about connecting to multiple other related services.

Data hiding is also important to prevent internal data in the service from being released outside of the service invocation. Local data remains hidden, while interfaces expose only what the service wants to release (for instance to IFTTT). This also relates to minimization because services can turn ports and other access off except for the specific interfaces it wants to leave open for other services to use.

Additional Resources

For more information, investigate the following.

• Littlebits - Overview of concepts and available bits
• https://shop.littlebits.cc/products/smart-home-kit - Information about the Smart Home Kit

Lead Author

• Matt Hale

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to Dr. Robin Gandhi for reviewing and editing this lesson.

License

Nebraska GenCyber
is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Overall content: Copyright (C) 2017-2018 Dr. Matthew L. Hale, Dr. Robin Gandhi, Dr. Briana B. Morrison, and Doug Rausch.

Lesson content: Copyright (C) Dr. Matthew L. Hale 2017-2018.

This lesson is licensed by the author under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.