Getting Started with Microsoft Azure IoT Central using NodeMCU ESP8266

Summary

This tutorial introduces viewers to Microsoft Azure IoT Hub, a cloud-based service that facilitates communication between IoT applications and connected devices. The guide demonstrates setting up an Azure IoT Central, creating device templates, and visualizing sensor data on a dashboard using a DHT11 sensor and NodeMCU ESP8266 board. It offers step-by-step instructions on connecting devices securely, uploading code, and visualizing data, making it an invaluable resource for beginners interested in IoT.

Takeaways

• 😀 The video is a tutorial on getting started with Microsoft Azure IoT Hub, a cloud-based service for IoT applications.
• 🔌 It covers the use of an ESP8266 board along with a DHT11 sensor for measuring temperature and humidity.
• 💻 The tutorial guides through setting up an Azure IoT Central application and creating device templates and devices.
• 📈 It demonstrates how to upload sensor data to Azure and visualize it on a dashboard.
• 🌐 The Azure IoT Hub can connect millions of devices with internet connectivity, ensuring reliable and secure communication.
• 🛠️ The video provides a connection diagram for the DHT11 sensor to the NodeMCU ESP8266 board.
• 🔑 It explains the process of creating a Microsoft account and setting up an Azure subscription for accessing IoT Hub services.
• 📝 The tutorial includes instructions for modifying the code in the 'dst' file to include Wi-Fi credentials and Azure IoT Hub connection details.
• 🔄 The script details the steps to upload the code to the NodeMCU board and monitor the connection process through the serial monitor.
• 📊 After successful connection, the script shows how to view the visualized data on the Azure IoT Central dashboard.
• 📚 Additional resources, including source code and diagrams, are available on the 'How To Electronics' website for further learning.

Q & A

What is Microsoft Azure IoT Hub?

Microsoft Azure IoT Hub is a cloud-hosted service that acts as a central message hub for communication between an IoT application and its attached devices, allowing the connection of millions of devices reliably and securely.

What is the purpose of the tutorial in the script?

The purpose of the tutorial is to provide a getting started guide on using Microsoft Azure IoT Hub with a DHT11 humidity and temperature sensor along with a NodeMCU ESP8266 board, including setting up an Azure IoT Central, creating templates and devices, and visualizing sensor data on an Azure dashboard.

What components are needed to start this project?

To start this project, you need a NodeMCU ESP8266 board, a DHT11 humidity and temperature sensor, female-to-female jumper wires for connecting the sensor to the board, and a Wi-Fi enabled device to access the Azure portal.

How can one create an account for Azure services?

To create an account for Azure services, you need a Microsoft account, which can be created using Hotmail or Outlook. During the sign-up process, a credit or debit card is required for enabling Azure services, but no money is deducted for the first 12 months.

What is the process of creating an Azure IoT Central application?

The process involves signing in with a Microsoft account, searching for 'IoT Central application' in the Azure portal, filling in project details, creating a new resource group, naming the application, selecting a template, choosing a region, and selecting a pricing plan before clicking 'Review + Create' to deploy the application.

What is a device template in Azure IoT Central?

A device template in Azure IoT Central is a blueprint that defines the capabilities and behaviors of a device, including telemetry, properties, and commands, which helps in creating and managing devices in the application.

How does one connect a physical device to Azure IoT Central?

After creating a device in Azure IoT Central, you can connect it by using the device connection details, such as the scope ID, device ID, and primary/secondary keys, which can be found in the 'Connect' section of the device's overview in the Azure portal.

What is the role of the GitHub repository mentioned in the script?

The GitHub repository mentioned in the script contains the complete code and resources needed for connecting a NodeMCU ESP8266 device to Azure IoT Central, including the Arduino files for the PubSub client function and JSON files for uploading device capabilities to Azure IoT Hub.

How does the NodeMCU board communicate with Azure IoT Central?

The NodeMCU board communicates with Azure IoT Central by uploading the sensor data (temperature and humidity in this case) to the cloud using the PubSub client function, which then gets visualized on the Azure IoT Central dashboard.

What modifications are needed in the code for the NodeMCU board?

The modifications needed in the code include entering the Wi-Fi SSID and password, pasting the scope ID, device ID, and primary device key from the Azure IoT Central portal, and ensuring the correct variables for temperature and humidity telemetry are set.

How can one visualize the sensor data on the Azure IoT Central dashboard?

After the device is connected and sending data, the sensor data can be visualized on the Azure IoT Central dashboard by creating views and default dashboard views, where you can customize the appearance, data range, and telemetry details of the graphs.

Outlines

00:00

😀 Getting Started with Microsoft Azure IoT Hub

This paragraph introduces a tutorial on Microsoft Azure IoT Hub, comparing it to Amazon AWS IoT. The speaker plans to use a DHT11 sensor and NodeMCU ESP8266 board to demonstrate the setup of Azure IoT Central, device templates, and data visualization on the Azure dashboard. It's aimed at beginners and also mentions a service for professional PCB design.

05:00

🛠️ Setting Up Azure IoT Central and Device Templates

The speaker guides viewers through the process of setting up an Azure IoT Central application, creating a device template, and adding telemetry capabilities for temperature and humidity. The tutorial covers navigating the Azure portal, selecting a region, and customizing the dashboard for data visualization. It also explains how to create a device using the template and provides connection details for secure device connectivity.

10:01

🔧 Programming NodeMCU ESP8266 for Azure IoT Hub

This section details the coding process for the NodeMCU ESP8266 to connect with Azure IoT Hub, including modifying Wi-Fi credentials and Azure connection details within the code. The tutorial instructs on uploading the code to the device using Arduino IDE, and monitoring the serial output to confirm successful connection and data transmission. The final step is visualizing the temperature and humidity data on the Azure IoT Central dashboard.

Keywords

💡Azure IoT Hub

Azure IoT Hub is a managed cloud service from Microsoft that acts as a central hub for communication between IoT devices and their backend solutions. It enables the secure and reliable connection of millions of devices to the cloud. In the video, it is presented as the main platform for collecting and visualizing sensor data from devices like the DHT11 connected to an ESP8266.

💡ESP8266

The ESP8266 is a low-cost Wi-Fi microchip with full TCP/IP stack and microcontroller capability, used for connecting devices to the internet. In the video, the ESP8266 is mentioned as the primary device for connecting a DHT11 sensor to Azure IoT Hub, allowing the data to be sent and visualized on the cloud platform.

💡DHT11 Sensor

The DHT11 is a basic, low-cost digital temperature and humidity sensor. It uses a capacitive humidity sensor and a thermistor to measure the surrounding air and spits out a digital signal. In the video, the DHT11 is used to gather temperature and humidity data, which is then sent to Azure IoT Hub via the ESP8266.

💡Device Template

A Device Template in Azure IoT Hub defines the structure and behavior of an IoT device, including its capabilities and telemetry. In the video, creating a device template is a crucial step that involves defining the data types (like temperature and humidity) that will be sent from the DHT11 sensor and visualized on the Azure dashboard.

💡Telemetry

Telemetry refers to the automated process of collecting data remotely and transmitting it to receiving equipment for monitoring. In the context of the video, telemetry data includes the temperature and humidity readings sent from the DHT11 sensor to the Azure IoT Hub for real-time monitoring and visualization.

💡NodeMCU

NodeMCU is an open-source IoT platform based on the ESP8266 Wi-Fi chip, which integrates GPIO, PWM, I2C, 1-Wire, and ADC all in one board. It simplifies IoT device development by providing a programmable environment. In the video, NodeMCU is used to interface the DHT11 sensor with Azure IoT Hub, enabling the sensor data to be sent to the cloud.

💡Wi-Fi SSID

A Wi-Fi SSID (Service Set Identifier) is the name of a wireless network. Devices use the SSID to establish a connection with the appropriate network. In the video, configuring the Wi-Fi SSID and password is necessary to connect the NodeMCU ESP8266 to the internet, which is required for transmitting sensor data to Azure IoT Hub.

💡Device Connection String

A Device Connection String is a unique identifier that includes credentials for connecting a specific IoT device to Azure IoT Hub. It typically contains information like the scope ID, device ID, and keys. In the video, the connection string is configured in the code to securely connect the NodeMCU and DHT11 sensor to Azure IoT Hub.

💡Azure IoT Central

Azure IoT Central is an IoT application platform that simplifies the creation, management, and operation of IoT solutions. It abstracts much of the underlying complexity, making it easier to deploy IoT solutions quickly. In the video, Azure IoT Central is used to set up an application where the DHT11 sensor data is visualized after being sent from the ESP8266.

💡Visualization

Visualization in the context of IoT refers to the graphical representation of data collected from IoT devices. It helps users understand and analyze the data more easily. In the video, after setting up the Azure IoT Central application, the temperature and humidity data from the DHT11 sensor is visualized in real-time using graphs on the Azure dashboard.

Highlights

Introduction to Microsoft Azure IoT Hub as a central message hub for IoT applications and devices.

Comparison of Azure IoT Hub with AWS IoT for cloud-based IoT solutions.

Capability of Azure IoT Hub to connect millions of devices reliably and securely.

Use of DHT11 humidity and temperature sensor with NodeMCU ESP8266 board for demonstration.

Tutorial's utility for beginners interested in learning about Azure IoT Hub.

Promotion of Next PCB for professional PCB design and manufacturing services.

Detailed connection diagram for DHT11 sensor with NodeMCU.

Step-by-step guide on setting up an Azure IoT Central application.

Explanation of creating a device template in Azure IoT Central for custom devices.

Demonstration of adding telemetry data fields for temperature and humidity in the device template.

Instructions on customizing and publishing default dashboard views in Azure IoT Central.

Process of creating a device in Azure IoT Central using the created template.

Retrieval of device connection details for secure device connection to Azure IoT Central.

GitHub repository reference for NodeMCU and Azure IoT Central integration code.

Modification of the code to include Wi-Fi credentials and Azure IoT Central connection details.

Compilation and upload of the code to NodeMCU using Arduino IDE.

Real-time monitoring and visualization of sensor data on the Azure IoT Central dashboard.

Completion of the project with a successful connection and data visualization in Azure IoT Central.

Availability of project details, source code, and diagrams on the How to Electronics website.

Encouragement for viewers to subscribe to the channel for more educational content.

Transcripts

hi everyone welcome to how to

electronics

this is a getting started tutorial on

microsoft azure iot hub

earlier i've made a couple of videos on

imagine aws iot code using esp8266 and

esp32 the azure iot hub is a similar

cloud platform from microsoft

azure iot hub is a managed service

hosted in the cloud that acts as a

central message hub for communication

between an iot application and its

attached devices

you can connect millions of devices and

their backend solution reliably and

securely

l must any devices with internet

connectivity can be connected to an iot

hub

in this getting started guide i will be

using dht11 humidity and temperature

sensor along with nodemcu

esp82662le board

we'll be setting up an azure iot central

and creating templates and devices

finally we'll upload the dht 11 sensor

data and visualize it on azure dashboard

this tutorial is going to be very very

useful for all the beginners who want to

learn about azure iot hub

so without getting any further delay

let's get started

do you want professional pcb like this

one that looks so good then use the

services of next pcb you can select the

board size any solder color marks that

you want including something like red

and green you can select the thickness

and the pcb could be from 2 to 32 layers

for some more complex design the finish

quality is so good and if you want

better connectivity you could also

select some gold finish for the pads the

ordering process is so easy just go to

nexpcb.com then quit now insert your

design settings upload your color file

and order now and receive the pcb in

couple of days welcome back again now

the first thing that we need in this

project is wi-fi enable chip for this

nodemcu esp8266 is best

and for the sensor part we'll be using

the dht 11 humidity and temperature

sensor and we'll also need female to

female jumper squads for connecting dht

11 with nodemcu so here is the

connection diagram connect the ground to

ground vcc to 3v3 and the digital pin to

d4 that is gpio2 of node mco you can

either connect directly with the jumper

wires or maybe you can use a breadboard

for the connection part now let's move

to the practical part so go to the

google chrome or any other web browser

and look for azure iot hub so here is

the first link so click on the first

link here so now you need to create an

account now to create an account you

need a microsoft account you can either

create a microsoft account using hotmail

or maybe you can use an outlook so i

have already a microsoft account so i

will be signing in here using a

microsoft account so for the 12 month it

is free but to sign up for the assured

account you need a credit card or a

debit card remember no any money is

reduced or detected from your account

but for enabling the azure services you

need a debit card here is the azure

portal so initially you will be getting

a 200 credit balance you can use this

for your application purpose

now

in this search bar search for

iot central application

click on this first link

now we need to create a application here

so click on create

now in the create part so we have to

first fill the project details so in the

subscription part uh select a plan that

you created for example you can select

azure subscription one and in the

resource group

you need to

add a group but no group projected so

create a group now i'll be naming this

group as how to electronics

then click on ok

in the instant details you need to give

a resource any name for example i'll be

giving a name as

mydst11 and in the application url give

any name i'll be naming it same again so

the link will be mydst here

iotcentral.com

now in the template part you need to

create a template for example i will be

selecting a custom application and in

the region part select your nearest

region like i am staying in southeast

asia region so i'll be selecting

southeast asia in the pricing plan

select anything you want now click on

review plus create so it will take a

couple of minutes and the validation is

passed now click on create so the

deployment is in progress so it might

take couple of minutes so finally the

device is deployed and the deployment is

successful as you can see here

now what we need is we need to go ahead

so for that click one go to resources

now here we have a resource

like we have a resource group name

subscription subscription id and the

status that is succeeded on this right

side you can see a link called iot

central application url

just click on this link so a new tab

will open with the device

name

now here we need to first create a

device template before creating a device

so click on device template on the left

side and here click on create a device

template now here are

so many devices template that is already

created by so many other manufacturers

and distributor

we don't need this as we'll be creating

our own device so click on iot device

and click on next customize keep the

template any name for example i will be

naming it at mydst11 then click on next

and then click on create

so

uh model need to be selected here so in

order to select a model select custom

module so

uh application has been updated here now

we need to add a capability now in order

to get a capability click on add

capability and here give a display name

for example i will be naming it as

temperature and the name automatically

temperature will be taken in the

capability part put it as a telemetry

and in the semantic type

we have a default variable called

temperature

do the same thing for the humidity

in the humidity part i'll be selecting

relative humidity so now click on save

here

now go on views and select general

default views

and then

click on gender default dashboard views

so the views has also been created now

if you go to the outputs tab here you

will see a three graph like one is the

temperature humidity the other is the

temperature and the third one is the

humidity graph literally you can modify

the title x axis y axis and the data

range and the interval range and the

telemetry or whatever capability you can

add you can update it from here now you

can also do the same thing for the

temperature part you can increase or

decrease the size you can put up to

decimals or

whatever you can do for it now in the

visualization part uh just select last

non value this is important also do the

same thing for humidity

just select last non value okay now it's

done you can also select the size

now click on publish here so publish

dialog box will appear so click on

publish again now go to the devices part

as we have already created a template

now we need to create a device to do

this click on add a device

now give device any name for example

i'll be naming it as my dht11 also give

a device id and from here select the

device template i'll be selecting the

device template which i created a couple

of minutes ago now in the device id you

can give any name to distinguish your

device click on create

so our device with the

name my dht 11 has been created here

now click on this device and here you

can see in the about section there are

no any capabilities added now if you go

to the overview section here you will be

seeing the three visualization box that

is temperature humidity temperature and

humidity in the raw data will be

receiving the data from the sensor now

here click one connect now when you

click on connect now when you click on

connect you will get device connection

group as id scope my device

authentication type key as primary and

secondary key you will also get a qr

code here so it's just like a plug and

play option from which you can connect a

device to the iot central securely but

for now we'll be connecting it using our

key all of the thing is done from this

end now go to this github repository so

there is a guy called aerosol samuel so

he has created a complete repository for

nodemcu2 is your iot central you can

just download this project code whatever

is needed right now so after downloading

open this zip file and extract it to

your desktop or anywhere you want now

when you open this up folder you will

get a source folder now the source

folder will be having so many files like

it will be having arduino files for the

pop sub client function and it will be

also having uh common files used for

uploading the code in json format to

azure iot hub what you need is we need

to open this dst file now this is the

main code used in this project now here

is the complete code so in this code

part we need to modify something now the

first modification that you need is we

need to make a change to wipe ssid enter

your wi-fi ssid here then enter your

wi-fi password now in the scope id uh we

need to copy the so this is the scope id

from the azure central

just copy and paste it here we also need

to copy and paste the device id so my

device id in my dht level so just copy

and paste it here now in the device key

part we need to copy the primary key

and paste it over here so the primary

key is also

pasted here now when you go down in the

loop section you will see the how the

dst 11 temperature immediately is shared

and in this post function we will see

two variables as temperature and

humidity remember these two variables

are variables are very very important if

you want to add thought variables you

can just follow this format

so the coding part is done now what we

need to do is uh go to the tools and

from the tools

select word manager in the board manager

part

type esp8266

now here i have selected 2.7.4 version

of esp8266 as the latest person is

unable to work so install 2.7.4 version

as compilation issue has occurred when i

selected the other versions now go to

tools and from this board list select

nodemcu 1.0 board then connect your

nodemcu to the computer

from the tools select the port

now click on upload to upload the code

once the code is uploaded open the

serial monitor so it will go through all

the process of connecting the wi-fi and

establishing the

connection with the azure iot central so

once connected it will show some of the

host name operation id and the user name

and the password for accessing

connection so the device has been

connected successfully so you can say

the event was received and the payload

of temperature and humidity has been

successfully sent and has been received

by the azure dashboard now where we can

visualize this data in order to

visualize this data now go to your

actual central dashboard so here you can

see the temperature is 30.6 and the

humidity is height 3.00

so on this left raw data part you can

see the raw data has been

updated or connected and the event

creation time every details are here and

you can see a connected message is

appearing here

you can change this visualize option or

if you don't want you can

simply remove it

again if you go to the data there will

be a series of sequence where data are

uploaded here so this is how we can get

started with azure iot hub central and

send the data of any sensor using the

esp8266 to the azure iot hub the

complete details of this project has

been uploaded in the website articles of

how to electronics you can get the

source code diagram and all the detailed

procedure on connecting the device with

the actual iot hub i hope this tutorial

has cleared so many doubts thank you so

much for watching and please subscribe

our channel for more such videos