Internet call button

Video on the topic: https://youtu.be/W8cPwar74BY

HI! I excitedly received the Internet button today and intend to make it a 4 way call device. Each button “calls” a particular person.

The interaction would be something like this:

  1. Button 1 is pressed and colour closest to button is highlighted
  2. Person 1 is notified on mobile, either Android or IOS
  3. Accepts the notification
  4. Button 1 colour turns off

But after fiddling with IFTTT and mobile devices, this is a HUGE PITA to setup. Setting up IFTTT for each person’s mobile is a real obstacle. Then everyone IIUC would need to login into my particle account.

And finally I have not figured out how IFTTT relays back to the Internet button that it has seen the notification.

Is there something I’m missing? Thank you!

Hi @hendry,

Sounds like a cool project! Setting up an IFTTT account for each person does sound tough, you might have an easier time using a solution like https://www.twilio.com/ – Twilio will let you create a virtual phone number, and place calls or send texts, and you could trigger those from your device! Twilio will require a little bit of extra programming, but it’ll give you more control over adding accounts, and visibility into the messages you’re sending, etc, etc. :slight_smile:

I hope that helps!

Thanks,
David

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I’m not keen on depending on a third party service that probably won’t work in Malaysia. However the idea of calling someone till they answer is a good one!

What I am thinking of now, is that the Internet button becomes the notification device. I can create a button on my homescreen of my IPhone which triggers the buzzer of the Internet button downstairs until acknowledged.

This is what I’ve ended up implementing btw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLXBWkC3t0o&feature=youtu.be

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hendry if you don’t have to use Particle’s api and services (all though they are very nice) you can use a local server and you can change that sever to your own needs.

I wouldn’t mind running the server but it doesn’t seem to be tested with the Photon ?!!?? ?!

Anyway I am stuck with Pushover.net (aka depending on an Internet connection in Malaysia) to send a message to my phone.

With the previous sparkcore button I had used UDP to connect core and iPhone directly. In general the approach was kind of handshaking with messages, get those ports and IPs and then establish the direct connection while all devices are on the same network without any cloud.