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How I Helped Potty-Train My Kid Using Twilio and an AWS IoT Button

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Re: How I Helped Potty-Train My Kid Using Twilio and an AWS IoT Button

#21

Post by pavel_lishin »

mlevental wrote: post #9

this is funny and a good use of off the shelf apis but it strikes me as a rube Goldberg solution: he's going through AWS to twilio to his cell provider. they're in the same building. he could've hooked up any number of things involving things like RF, Arduino, or whatever. I mean yes you don't get to play with twilio and AWS iot but those are just apis...

I think the key here is having an IoT button. It's a pretty fool-proof interface, which is an absolute requirement for a toddler, but it does lock you into Amazon's world as your first step - from there, it totally makes sense to jump through the rest of the hoops.

Re: How I Helped Potty-Train My Kid Using Twilio and an AWS IoT Button

#22

Post by TheSpiceIsLife »

zwieback wrote: post #8

Love it, great use of technology and the poop emoji! I probably just forgot but I don't remember our kids getting up in the middle of the night during potty training. Of course we didn't even try until they were 3, you know what they say: potty training a 3 yr old takes a couple days, potty training a 2 yr old takes about a year.

To that effect:

I don’t have any kids, but when I do I’m going to write an article entitled: How I helped potty train my two year old with a feather duster and an onion, or some such.

Re: How I Helped Potty-Train My Kid Using Twilio and an AWS IoT Button

#26

Post by jjeaff »

whoisjuan wrote: post #14
mlevental wrote: post #9

this is funny and a good use of off the shelf apis but it strikes me as a rube Goldberg solution: he's going through AWS to twilio to his cell provider. they're in the same building. he could've hooked up any number of things involving things like RF, Arduino, or whatever. I mean yes you don't get to play with twilio and AWS iot but those are just apis...

Probably because a call is the most reliable way of getting the alert. There are many places in my apartment in which I can't get enough reception to browse a webpage but still can receive and place calls.

I don't think that's what the poster meant.

For example, a much easier solution would be an $11 wireless doorbell

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00M8AQLZS/ref=mp_s_a_1_14?ie...

Re: How I Helped Potty-Train My Kid Using Twilio and an AWS IoT Button

#28

Post by ada1981 »

jweather wrote: post #17

My IoT button is stuck to the washing machine. It uses AWS Step Functions and SNS to text me an hour after it's pushed to tell me the laundry is done. Unnecessary? Completely. Useful? Heck yeah.

I'd like you to find a way to get an alert when it's done without having to press the button first.

Re: How I Helped Potty-Train My Kid Using Twilio and an AWS IoT Button

#29

Post by Waterluvian »

I just looked up the IoT button. $20, non-replaceable battery, not shipping to Canada.

I don't have the skill or resources to assemble it in a nice form factor, but how are there not dozens of cheap Chinese alternatives? An ESP8266 is like $5 and the rest of the parts are probably less than a dollar.

I guess it's just a bit surprising that I cannot find a cheap alternative to buy a dozen of.

Re: How I Helped Potty-Train My Kid Using Twilio and an AWS IoT Button

#30

Post by Waterluvian »

jjeaff wrote: post #27

I love stuff like this, but I can't help but think you would save a lot of time by just getting an $11 wireless doorbell. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00M8AQLZS/ref=mp_s_a_1_14?ie...

And likely more reliable. But here's the thing I learned when I got into hacking/makering/hobbying: if you want your widget to be cheaper or more reliable than what's out there, you're going to get discouraged fast.

There's simply no competing with what China can produce. You have to be in it for the joy of the build.

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