Python IoT demo

Demo project showing how to use microcontrollers running MicroPython together with Microsoft Azure.

Environment setup

Reqierements:

Python 2.7 (includng esptool)
IDE
Microsoft Azure SDK

Python

Dowload and install Python 2.7.x from official site Python Download site Install esptool using PIP. You may need to run it as sudo under Linux or run console as Administrator under Windows.

IDE

You will need any suitable IDE based on your preference. I am using Visual Studio code for desktop projects and ESPlorer for codeing and debuging microcontoler. In my case I am using ESP8266.

Flashing ESP8266 with MicroPython

One you have any ESP8266 related board, you have to have MicroPython ROM image to be flashed to the chip. You can find precompiled images here, or you can compile your own from here.

Erase flash using esptool

esptool.py --port COM3 erase_flash

Replace COM3 with path to your serial device where ESP8266 board is connected like /dev/tty0 on Linux & Mac or COM1 on Windows

Install MicroPython

esptool.py --port COM3 --baud 460800 write_flash --flash_size 4m 0 esp8266-20161017-v1.8.5.bin

* Replace COM3 with path to your serial device where ESP8266 board is connected like /dev/tty0 on Linux & Mac or COM1 on Windows

baud rate should be lowered if flash is unsuccessful. 115200 should be safe speed.
flash_size has to be set to physical device flash memory size.
following number is offset where flashing will start. Just use 0.
As a last parameter you have to specify location of binary flash file.

Microsoft Azure SDK

For more advanced scenarios I can recommend Microsoft Azure SDK to do rapid development. You can also find some examples and utilities here.

Azure functions

For implementation of Azure Function see here