Love Messengers is an open-source project and workshop series in which participants build two IoT devices - the Love Messengers - that are connected to each other via a real time database. When one Love Messenger is pressed, the other will light up, no matter how far apart they are.
How do they work?
Two microcontrollers with wifi capabilities exchange data in real time via Google's Firebase service. Users input data via a pushbutton, and receive feedback via an LED.
Teaching accessible workshops
Pepi and I taught Love Messengers in a series of workshops across New York City and the US. To keep workshops as accessible as possible, all workshops are free of cost and beginner friendly. There are currently more than 150 individual Love Messengers from our workshop participants distributed around the world.
Want to build your own Love Messengers? Find our original Youtube tutorial below, or find all class materials on our most recent Github page. Please feel free to reach out with questions or suggestions!
The Process
This whole project started as a fun Youtube tutorial during summer break - we never thought we would continue iterating on it for more than two years! We are incredibly grateful for all participants of our workshop and the lovely venues that host us.
... flower bouquet of momentary pushbuttons 💐
... testing the workshop materials at home
... more testing!
... capturing content for our class materials
Special Thanks To
Pepi Ng, Buoy Studio for the initial inspiration, Johnathan Cohen and our fellow presenters at Siggraph, the amazing staff at NYC Resistor especially Kari Woody Winston and Guillaume, Grace Park for the beautiful poster design, and Aiyo Cheboi for helping us!