Hacking the Fitbit - Emulating a Pager for Twitter DMs!

This article details how the author used a Fitbit to receive silent alarms triggered by new Twitter direct messages. The project involved creating a Lumen application to manage the communication between Fitbit and Twitter APIs using OAuth.

The author's initial motivation was to find a silent alarm solution that wouldn't disturb others. This led to exploring the Fitbit's silent alarm functionality and subsequently, the potential for hacking it to integrate with Twitter.

Key Challenges and Solutions:

• App Registration: The Twitter app registration process initially presented a hurdle, disallowing localhost callback URLs. The author overcame this by employing different callback URLs in the Twitter interface and OAuth requests.
• OAuth Handling: The author leveraged Socialite to simplify OAuth interactions, and Guzzle for additional HTTP request management.
• Synchronization Limitations: The Fitbit's synchronization frequency (every 15 minutes or when the connected app is opened) posed a limitation on real-time notification delivery.

Technical Implementation:

A Lumen application served as the central hub. Routes were defined to handle:

1. Authentication: Connecting the app to Twitter and Fitbit using OAuth.
2. Direct Message Fetching: Periodically checking for new Twitter direct messages using the Twitter API and Guzzle.
3. Alarm Setting: Creating silent alarms on the Fitbit using the Fitbit API and Bearer token authentication.

The author used caching (Memcache) to store OAuth tokens and the ID of the last processed direct message to efficiently track new messages.

Conclusion:

The project successfully demonstrated the feasibility of using a Fitbit as a silent notification system for Twitter direct messages. While the Fitbit's synchronization limitations were noted, the author highlighted the valuable learning experience gained in working with Lumen, OAuth, and the Fitbit and Twitter APIs. The project serves as a practical example of integrating different APIs and utilizing efficient development tools.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): (The original FAQs are retained, but reformatted for improved readability and conciseness. Some minor wording changes were made for clarity.)

Fitbit & Twitter Integration FAQs:

• Emulating a Pager: This involves creating a Twitter application, a server (e.g., using Node.js and Express) to listen for DMs, and a Fitbit app (using the Fitbit SDK) to receive and display the messages.

• Prerequisites: A Fitbit supporting the SDK, Node.js/npm, basic JavaScript knowledge, command-line familiarity, and a Twitter account with an application created.

• Troubleshooting Crashes: Update the app, restart the device, reinstall the app, or contact Fitbit support.

• Checking Fitbit Status: Visit the Fitbit status page or check community forums.

• Reporting Problems: Report issues through the Fitbit app or website, providing detailed information.

• Setting up a Twitter Application: Create a Twitter application via the Developer portal, obtain API keys, and set up a server to handle DMs.

• Using the Fitbit SDK: Use JavaScript and the SDK to create apps interacting with the Fitbit device.

• Notifications from Other Apps: Fitbit can receive notifications from various apps, including custom apps created using the SDK.

• Getting Help: Visit the Fitbit support website, utilize resources, or contact support directly.

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