Introduction: Create an IPhone App That Talks to Particle Mesh

By Jared Wolff
About: I was known as the one who breaks things. As you could imagine, it may have been very inconvenient to live with. But, as I matured I’ve found not only ways to break stuff (still!) but also fix, improve and bui…

In this project, you'll learn how to load an app on your iPhone that talks directly to a 3rd Generation Particle Mesh board. It will take less than 20 minutes of your time. Plus, you can start tinkering right away!!

Let's get started.

Things you'll need

  • Particle Mesh (Xenon, Argon, Boron) board
  • Newer iPad or iPhone. (That's it!)

Getting setup

Getting setup will be the trickiest part.

If you prefer video, check out the one above. Otherwise, follow along in this step-by-step guide. :)

Step 1: Clone the Repos

Clone the RGB firmware code to your computer

git clone git@github.com:jaredwolff/particle-bluetooth-rgb.git

Clone the App example code to your computer as well

git clone git@github.com:jaredwolff/swift-bluetooth-particle-rgb.git

Step 2: Load to Particle Mesh Board

  • The fastest way to get started is to compile and load locally.
  • Plug your Particle device into USB
  • Click on ble-rgb-control.ino in the left menu
  • Select the Particle device you're using in the bottom right corner. (I'm using a Xenon in this example)
  • Select the deviceOS version as 1.3.0-rc.1 in the same area.
  • Put the device into DFU mode.

    Here are some handy ways to do it without touching a single button on the mesh board:

    For Mac (tested)/Linux (untested)

    stty -f /dev/tty.usbserial1234 14400

    For PC:

    mode COMx 14400

    (x being the auto-assigned port number)

    Once you run the command, you may notice your device is blinking yellow! Good stuff!

  • Command + Shift + P and then click Flash application (local)

    Note: if you are unsure which version is on your device it's best to do a CloudFlash instead of a Flash application (local). That way your OS is updated in the process as well.

Step 3: Load to IPhone

  • Open the project in Xcode
  • Plug in and select your device

  • Press play to load it

    Having trouble? Check out the Troubleshooting step.

Step 4: Time to Play

At this point the firmware should be loaded on your device. The app is loaded on your phone. You can take a look through the code and see how things were connected.

If you're curious about all the details you can check out my step-by-step post here:

https://www.jaredwolff.com/the-ultimate-how-to-bluetooth-swift-with-hardware-in-20-minutes/

All the troubleshooting steps are there as well:

https://www.jaredwolff.com/the-ultimate-how-to-bluetooth-swift-with-hardware-in-20-minutes/#troubleshooting

Also! This is a preview of some of the content from my upcoming Ultimate Guide to Particle Mesh. You can subscribe to my list for more details, exclusive content and a discount when it comes available here:

https://www.jaredwolff.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-particle-mesh/

Thanks for check this project out. If you enjoyed it, consider hitting that heart button. It really helps me out. ❤