Using the GUI - Automation

Quick links

• Main Window
• Module Control
• Pin Control
• On this page:
  • Automation Sequence Introduction
  • Automation Sequence
  • Automations
    • Triggers
      • Serial Messsage Trigger
      • Module Trigger
      • Pin Trigger
      • Manual Trigger
    • Actions
      • Time Delay
      • Module
      • Pin
      • Alert
      • Email
  • Examples
    • Send data when low on battery
    • TTL Pulse Received
    • Stimulate when delta threshold reached
    • Module start synchronized with other module
    • Stop temperature measurement while LED pulsing

Automation Sequence Introduction

Automation sequences allow for automated control of modules based on various triggers.

Here is an example of a simple automation sequence to show how it looks when a sequence is running:

1. Trigger: Manual
2. Action: Delay 250 ms
3. Action: Delay 500 ms
4. Action: Delay 750 ms
5. Repeat/Don’t repeat (depending on repeat setting)

Automation Sequence Manager

1. New Automation Sequence - Creates a new automation sequence.
2. Load Automation Sequence - Loads a saved automation sequence .json file

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Automation Sequence

1. Sequence Name - Edit this to change the name of the sequence.
2. Visibility Button - Toggles the visibility of the sequence.
   • The sequence will still run when hidden.
3. Enable Button - Toggles if the sequence is enabled.
   • The sequence will not run when disabled.
4. Next Button - Skips to the next automation in the sequence.
5. Repeat Button - Toggles if the sequence will repeat.
   • When repeat is enabled, the sequence will automatically loop back around to the first automation after the sequence ends.
   • When repeat is disabled, the sequence will stop when the sequence ends. You will have to press the Restart Button in order to restart the sequence.
6. Restart Button - Restarts the sequence from the first automation.
7. Save Button - Saves the sequence as a .json file.
8. Delete Button - Deletes the sequence.
9. Add Trigger Button - Opens the Add Trigger window.
   • Triggers are automations that wait for specific events.
   • The available triggers are:
     • Serial Message - Waits for a user-defined message from one of the connected serial devices.
     • Module - Waits for module-specific events.
     • Pin - Waits for pin-specific events.
     • Manual - Waits for the user to press the button.
10. Add Action Button - Opens the Add Action window.
    • Actions are automations that perform specific actions.
    • The available actions are:
      • Time Delay - Pauses the sequence for a user-defined amount of time before continuing to the next automation.
      • Module - Executes module-specific actions.
      • Pin - Executes pin-specific actions.
      • Alert - Pops up an alert with a user-defined message.
      • Email - Sends an email, can include module data.

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Automations

Automations for both triggers and actions are structured like this:

The current active automation will be highlighted green.

1. Visibility Button - Toggles the visibility of the automation.
   • The automation will still run when hidden.
2. Enable Button - Toggles if the automation is enabled.
   • The automation will be skipped when disabled.
3. Automation Name - The automation’s name.
4. Duplicate Button - Duplicates the automation.
5. Delete Button - Deletes the automation.
6. Move Up Button - Moves the automation up in the sequence.
7. Move Down Button - Moves the automation down in the sequence.
8. Automation Contents - The contents of the automation. This is different for each type of automation.

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Triggers

Serial Message Trigger

The serial message trigger listens to all of the serial devices connected through the Port Manager. The automation is triggered when a serial message matches the user-defined message.

Parameters

• Message - The user-defined message this trigger is listening for
• Match type - The way the serial message has to match the user-defined message.
  • Exact - The serial message is exactly the same as the user-defined message.
    • E.g. “TTL Pulse 1” exactly matches “TTL Pulse 1”
  • Contains - The serial message contains the user-defined message.
    • E.g. “TTL Pulse 1” contains “Pulse”
  • Starts with - The serial message starts with the user-defined message.
    • E.g. “TTL Pulse 1” starts with “TTL”
  • Ends with - The serial message ends with the user-defined message.
    • E.g. “TTL Pulse 1” ends with “Pulse 1”

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Module Trigger

The module trigger listens for certain module-specific events. This can be for a single module or any connected module.

Parameters

• Module - The connected module to listen to.
  • Select Any to listen to all of the connected modules.
• Events
  • Connected - The module was connected via Bluetooth.
  • Disconnected - The module was disconnected via Bluetooth.
  • Reset - The module was reset.
  • Battery Percentage - The module’s battery percentage is compared to a user-defined value.

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Pin Trigger

The pin trigger listens for certain pin-specific events. This can be for a single module or any connected module.

Parameters

• Module - The connected module to listen to.
  • Select Any to listen to all of the connected modules.
• Pin - The module’s pin to listen to.
• Pin Types
  • Blue/Green/Red LED
    • Start - The LED pulse waveform has started.
    • Stop - The LED pulse waveform has stopped.
    • Pulse - The pulsing segment of the LED pulse waveform has started.
    • Rest - The resting segment of the LED pulse waveform has started.
    • On - The LED has turned on manually.
    • Off - The LED has turned off manually.
  • Heater
    • Start - The heater pulse has started.
    • Stop - The heater pulse has stopped.
    • On - The heater has turned on manually.
    • Off - The heater has turned off manually.
  • Temperature - The pin temperature is compared to a user-defined value.
  • Voltage - The pin voltage is compared to a user-defined value.
  • Resistance - The pin resistance is compared to a user-defined value.

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Manual Trigger

The manual trigger provides a button for the user to press to manually progress the sequence.

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Actions

Time Delay Action

The time delay action delays the sequence for a user-defined amount of time, then resumes the sequence once complete.

Parameters

• Duration (ms) - The amount of time to delay the sequence.

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Module Action

Module actions are module specific actions, and can also affect multiple pins at once. This can be for a single module or all connected modules.

Parameters

• Module - The connected module to perform this action on.
  • Select All to apply this to all of the connected modules.
• Actions
  • Start Pins - Starts the selected pins on the module.
  • Stop Pins - Stops the selected pins on the module.
  • Reset - Resets the module.
  • Export Data - Exports the module’s data.
    • Choose folder… - Choose the folder to export the data to.
  • Clear Data - Clears the module’s data.

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Pin Action

Pin actions are pin-specific actions. This can be for a single module or all connected modules.

Parameters

• Module - The connected module to perform this action on.
  • Select All to apply this to all of the connected modules.
• Pin - The module’s pin to perform this action on.
• Pin Types
  • Blue/Green/Red LED
    • Actions
      • Start - Starts the LED pulse waveform.
      • Stop - Stops the LED pulse waveform.
      • On - Turns the LED on.
      • Off - Turns the LED off.
      • Apply Settings - Applies the settings configured by the settings button. See LED Pin Settings for more details.
    • Settings Button - Opens up a settings menu exclusively for this automation.
    • PWM/Analog - Be sure to select the correct module type when using “Apply Settings”. This doesn’t matter when doing other actions, such as “Start”.
  • Heater
    • Actions
      • Start - Starts the heater pulse.
      • Stop - Stops the heater pulse.
      • On - Turns the heater on.
      • Off - Turns the heater off.
      • Apply Settings - Applies the settings configured by the settings button. See Heater Pin Settings for more details.
    • Settings Button - Opens up a settings menu exclusively for this automation.
    • PWM/Analog - Be sure to select the correct module type when using “Apply Settings”. This doesn’t matter when doing other actions, such as “Start”.
  • Temperature
    • Actions
      • Start - Starts recording temperature.
      • Stop - Stops recording temperature.
      • Take Reading - Makes a single temperature measurement.
      • Apply Settings - Applies the settings configured by the settings button. See Temperature Pin Settings for more details.
    • Settings Button - Opens up a settings menu exclusively for this automation.
    • PWM/Analog - Be sure to select the correct module type when using “Apply Settings”. This doesn’t matter when doing other actions, such as “Start”.
  • Voltage
    • Actions
      • Start - Starts recording voltage.
      • Stop - Stops recording voltage.
      • Take Reading - Makes a single voltage measurement.
      • Apply Settings - Applies the settings configured by the settings button. See Voltage Pin Settings for more details.
    • Settings Button - Opens up a settings menu exclusively for this automation.
    • PWM/Analog - Be sure to select the correct module type when using “Apply Settings”. This doesn’t matter when doing other actions, such as “Start”.
  • Resistance
    • Actions
      • Start - Starts recording resistance.
      • Stop - Stops recording resistance.
      • Take Reading - Makes a single resistance measurement.
      • Apply Settings - Applies the settings configured by the settings button. See Resistance Pin Settings for more details.
    • Settings Button - Opens up a settings menu exclusively for this automation.
    • PWM/Analog - Be sure to select the correct module type when using “Apply Settings”. This doesn’t matter when doing other actions, such as “Start”.

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Alert Action

The alert action pops up an alert with a user-defined message. The sequence will pause until the user dismisses the alert.

Parameters

• Message - The message to display in the alert.

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Email Action

The email action will send an email to specified email addresses and can include the data from all of the modules.

Parameters

• From - The email address the email will be sent from.
  • This must be a Gmail address.
• App Password - In order to use the email action, you must generate an app password.
  • Do NOT use your regular password, only a generated app password.
  • Be warned that saving the automation sequence will store the app password in the generated .json file, so be careful not to share automation sequences that contain your app password!
    • I recommend clearing out the “From” and “App Password” fields when sharing an automation sequence that uses an email action.
• To - Email addresses that the email should be sent to.
  • You can input multiple email addresses separated by commas (no spaces). For example, “myemail@gmail.com,anotheremail@mit.edu”
  • These email addresses do not need to be Gmail addresses.
• Subject - The email’s subject line.
• Body - The email’s body.
• Send module data - Check this to send data from every module.
  • This will export the data from every module that is listed, even if they are disconnected.

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Examples

Here I have prepared automation sequence examples for you to download and try out.

Send data when low on battery

• Requirements:
  • Blue dev board connected via Port Manager
  • One connected module

1. Module Trigger - Wait for the battery on Module 4.P to go below 5%
2. Module Action - Stop all of the pins on Module 4.P
3. Email Action - Send an email notifying that Module 4.P has run out of battery, and include the module’s data

Download Send data when low on battery.json

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TTL Pulse Received

• Requirements:
  • Blue dev board connected via Port Manager
  • An Arduino UNO running TTL-Detector.zip and connected via the Port Manager
  • One connected module with an LED pin

1. Serial Message Trigger - Wait for the exact message “TTL Pulse 1” to come over serial
2. Pin Action - On Module 23.A Pin 1 start the Blue LED
3. Time Delay Action - Delay for 5000 ms (5 seconds)
4. Pin Action - On Module 23.A Pin 1 stop the Blue LED
5. Repeat

Download TTL Pulse Received.json

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Stimulate when delta threshold reached

• Requirements:
  • Blue dev board connected via Port Manager
  • One connected module with two temperature pins in delta mode

1. Pin Trigger - Wait for the absolute value of the temperature measurement on Module 3.P Pin 3 (the primary pin) to be greater than 2°C
2. Pin Action - On Module 3.P Pin 1 apply the Green LED settings
3. Pin Action - On Module 3.P Pin 1 start the Green LED
4. Pin Trigger - Wait for the absolute value of the temperature measurement on Module 3.P Pin 3 (the primary pin) to be less than 1.5°C
5. Pin Action - On Module 3.P Pin 1 stop the Green LED
6. Repeat

Download Stimulate when delta threshold reached.json

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Module start synchronized with other module

• Requirements:
  • Blue dev board connected via Port Manager
  • Two connected modules each with an LED pin

1. Pin Trigger - Wait for the Blue LED on Module 4.P Pin 1 to start
2. Pin Action - On Module 3.P Pin 1 start the Blue LED
3. Repeat

Download Module start synchronized with other module.json

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Stop temperature measurement while LED pulsing

• Requirements:
  • Blue dev board connected via Port Manager
  • One connected module with an LED pin and a temperature pin

1. Pin Trigger - Wait for the Blue LED on Module 4.P Pin 1 to pulse
2. Pin Action - On Module 4.P Pin 4 stop recording temperature
3. Pin Trigger - Wait for the Blue LED on Module 4.P Pin 1 to rest
4. Pin Action - On Module 4.P Pin 4 start recording temperature
5. Repeat

Download Stop temperature measurement while LED pulsing.json

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