It can be difficult to get started with a new platform for device management. It is important to familiarize yourself with the terminology and the surroundings. It is necessary to create new dashboards, widgets and devices. This can be time-consuming even though the platform is simple to use.
It is also more difficult if the platform is designed to manage physical devices. It is important to have a few devices nearby. You also need to know how to code hello world, or get started examples and follow-up programming. This is usually what pulls users back, even if the platform is intuitive.
Users want to be able to easily evaluate the platform’s performance, look and feel, and global interaction experience.
What is Arduino Cloud?
The Arduino Cloud allows IoT professionals, makers, and IoT enthusiasts to create easily connected projects based upon a variety of Arduino, ESP32 and ESP8266 boards.
It was designed in line with Arduino’s vision to be intuitive and user-friendly. This removes the complexity that can make it difficult for people who don’t know coding. It is now possible to develop, deploy, manage and monitor connected devices from one platform.
The online editor allows you to develop and deploy firmware quickly and easily. There are many templates and projects that can help you get started. For Arduino boards, you can also get firmware updates over-the-air (OTA).
The IoT Cloud allows you to manage and monitor connected sensors and devices. It allows users to create devices, things and variables. The platform can also be used to manage their data and status through rich, customizable dashboards. These dashboards can be accessed remotely through a native mobile application and the user’s web space. Integration with third-party platforms such as Alexa and IFTTT are possible.
The Arduino Cloud platform is intuitive and well-documented. There are tons of examples, tutorials and projects. Sometimes, however, users find it difficult to read through the documentation. They would prefer a simpler path to evaluate its capabilities.
You can use your phone as your first device.
When we think of a way to start with any new platform, there is nothing easier than using the tool we already use frequently and are familiar with: our mobile phones.
An Arduino Cloud feature called phone device does exactly that. This tool allows users to quickly experience the IoT Cloud from their home without having to use a Cloud-compatible board.
Installing the Arduino IoT Remote app (available for Android or iOS) will automatically make your phone a device in the IoT cloud. It will also automatically create variables and associate them with it. These variable Thing 2 Things can be associated with certain sensors on your phone, such as the accelerometer, GPS microphone, compass, or barometer. All of these variables can be monitored by a dashboard that is automatically created.
This feature makes it easy for newbies to learn about the platform without having to own a compatible device. It also allows makers to activate actions on other devices using their phone sensors. This allows them to create more advanced Thing 2 Thing communication use cases (for example, turn on my AC when my phone is close to my office).
How can I get started?
It is easy to get started by installing the Arduino IoT Remote App or updating the version if it was already installed.
Open the app and choose “Use data form your phone” from its main menu. Next, the wizard will ask you to authorize data exchange between your phone and the Arduino cloud.
After tapping on “Set your phone,” the creation of the related device, thing, and dashboard will take place. During the creation of such resources, permission for using the phone location, camera, and microphone will be asked.
At the end of the process, you will see the created dashboard, with the live data coming from your phone sensors.
