Parse uses the combination of an Arduino, a button, and its SDK to simulate ordering toilet paper when running low. 

Just the other day, Amazon announced their Dash button, a connected device that lets shoppers reorder frequently used household domestic products like laundry detergent and paper towels with a simple touch. Inspired by the recent system, the Parse team decided to create one of their own using an Arduino Yún, (ATmega32U4), a push button and the newly-revealed Parse for IoT SDK.

Much like the Amazon Dash Button, this DIY device simulates the process of ordering toilet paper when the roll begins to run low. This was accomplished by attaching a push button to the Arduino and using a small breadboard so that the button would sit neatly atop the board. These electronics were then housed inside the Arduino’s actual packaging, which was spray painted to make it a bit more aesthetically pleasing.

“Taking this example further, you could associate devices with user accounts, fully integrate with Shopify or another API (or build your own) and offer a premium push-button experience for people using your app,” the team adds.

Impressively, the entire application consists of less than 100 lines of code. Given the rise of the Internet of Things, you can expect to see many real-time systems like these begin to take shape, and surely Parse for IoT will help streamline the development process. Intrigued? Read more about the project on Parse’s official blog, or get started by heading over to its Github repository here.