# Particle IoT MCP for AI Agents AI Agent Connect > Particle IoT MCP connects your hardware fleet to your AI agent. Read real-time sensor data like soil moisture, trigger remote actuators like pumps, and manage your device inventory with natural language commands. It handles the API heavy lifting so you can manage your smart home, industrial, or agricultural projects without switching tabs. ## Overview - **Category:** the-unthinkable - **Price:** Free - **Endpoint:** https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_zTx0nahujrUauTbKdarepNaMvX0JpQ2wvkNgeiVa/ai-agent-connect - **Tags:** sensor-monitoring, device-management, remote-control, firmware-updates, real-time-data, embedded-systems ## Description Imagine you are managing a fleet of sensors across a large farm or a distributed smart home setup. Right now, you probably have to jump between different dashboards, check individual device statuses, and manually trigger actions like turning on a pump or checking a temperature reading. It is a lot of context switching. This Connector changes that by letting your AI agent act as your primary IoT operator. Instead of digging through logs, you just ask your agent what the current moisture levels are or if the equipment is still online. It handles the communication with the Particle Cloud, pulling in real-time data and pushing out commands instantly. Whether you are troubleshooting a disconnected sensor or managing a complex industrial network, you can do it all through a single conversation. You will find this is a game-changer when using Vinkius to bridge your hardware with your favorite AI tools. It turns your hardware into a responsive extension of your workspace, making it way easier to see the big picture of your deployment without the usual friction of manual API interaction. ## Tools ### call_function Execute a specific function on a device to turn on a pump or trigger a calibration. This allows for direct remote control of hardware. ### get_device_info See what variables and functions a specific device exposes before you interact with it. This helps you understand the hardware interface. ### get_devices List all your connected devices along with their online status and firmware versions. Use this to get a bird's-eye view of your fleet. ### ping_device Check if a specific device is currently online and responsive to commands. This is the fastest way to troubleshoot connectivity issues. ### publish_event Broadcast custom events to the cloud for logging or triggering webhooks like IFTTT. This is useful for sending alerts or syncing data to external apps. ### read_variable Get the current value of a specific sensor or status variable from a device. Use this to check live data like temperature or moisture levels. ### rename_device Update the name of a Particle IoT device for better organization in your dashboard. This helps keep your fleet inventory easy to read. ### unclaim_device Remove a device from your account when you are decommissioning it or selling it. This handles the cleanup of your device lifecycle. ## Prompt Examples **Prompt:** ``` Show me all my devices and tell me which ones are offline. ``` **Response:** ``` ### Device Status Report | Device Name | ID | Status | Last Seen | Firmware | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Greenhouse Sensor | a1b2c3 | **Online** | 1m ago | 5.8.0 | | Irrigation Pump | d4e5f6 | **Online** | 2m ago | 5.8.0 | | Soil Moisture Node | g7h8i9 | **Offline** | 3h ago | 5.8.0 | | Weather Station | j0k1l2 | **Online** | 30s ago | 5.7.2 | **Summary:** 4 devices are online, 1 is offline. Would you like me to ping the Soil Moisture Node to check its connection? ``` **Prompt:** ``` What's the soil moisture on the greenhouse sensor? ``` **Response:** ``` Checking the moisture level for the **Greenhouse Sensor**... **Current Value:** 68% **Status:** Adequate moisture for most crops. *Historical trend:* Stable over the last 6 hours. No irrigation is needed at this time. Would you like me to check the temperature as well? ``` **Prompt:** ``` Turn on the water pump for 15 minutes. ``` **Response:** ``` Executing command on **Irrigation Pump**... **Action:** Calling `pumpOn` with duration `900` seconds. **Result:** Success (Return Code 1). ✅ The pump is now active. *Estimated water delivery:* 250 liters based on current flow rate. *Auto-shutoff:* Scheduled in 15 minutes. ``` ## Capabilities ### Read real-time sensor data Pull current values for temperature, humidity, or soil moisture from your devices. ### Trigger remote actuators Execute cloud functions to turn on pumps, open valves, or change device modes. ### Manage device inventory Rename devices and manage account ownership for a cleaner dashboard. ### Monitor connectivity status Check if specific sensors are online or offline and see their last connection times. ### Broadcast custom events Send data to the cloud to trigger webhooks or log system alerts. ### Inspect device capabilities See exactly which variables and functions a piece of hardware exposes before you use them. ## Use Cases ### Remote irrigation management An ag-tech operator needs to know if a pump is on. They ask the agent to check the status and use call_function to turn it off if it is running too long. ### Smart home climate monitoring A user wants to know the temperature in the greenhouse. The agent uses read_variable to pull the data from the sensor and reports it back instantly. ### Fleet inventory audit A developer needs to audit their hardware. They ask the agent to list all devices and check their firmware versions using get_devices to find outdated units. ### Connectivity troubleshooting A warehouse manager sees a sensor go offline. They ask the agent to ping the device to see if it is reachable or needs a physical reboot. ## Benefits - Stop manual polling by using read_variable to get instant updates on soil moisture or temperature. - Simplify fleet organization by using rename_device to keep your dashboard clean and easy to navigate. - Reduce troubleshooting time by using ping_device to quickly identify which sensors are offline. - Automate complex workflows by using publish_event to send alerts to external dashboards or webhooks. - Get immediate control over hardware by using call_function to trigger actuators like pumps or valves. - Save time on setup by using get_device_info to see exactly what a piece of hardware can do before writing code. ## How It Works The bottom line is you get a natural language interface for your entire Particle IoT hardware fleet. 1. Subscribe to the Connector and grab your Particle Access Token from your Particle Console. 2. Add your token to your AI client configuration to authorize the connection. 3. Ask your agent to list devices or read sensor values to start controlling your fleet. ## Frequently Asked Questions **Can I use Particle IoT MCP to control my irrigation pumps?** Yes. You can use your agent to trigger specific functions on your pumps, like turning them on or off, and even set durations through natural conversation. **How does Particle IoT MCP help with smart home sensors?** It lets you ask your agent for real-time data from your home sensors, such as temperature or humidity, without having to open a separate app. **Can I see my entire fleet of devices at once?** Yes. You can ask your agent to list all connected devices, which will show you their names, online status, and firmware versions in one view. **Is Particle IoT MCP good for industrial equipment monitoring?** It is ideal for industrial use because you can quickly ping devices to check connectivity and manage large numbers of sensors from a single interface. **How do I manage my device names with Particle IoT MCP?** You can simply tell your agent to rename a specific device. This helps keep your inventory organized and makes it easier to identify hardware in your logs. **Can I send alerts from my sensors to other apps using Particle IoT MCP?** Yes. You can use the agent to broadcast custom events to the cloud, which can then trigger webhooks for apps like IFTTT, Slack, or custom dashboards. **Can my AI read sensor data from my Particle devices?** Yes! Use the `read_variable` tool with your device ID and the variable name (e.g., temperature, humidity, soilMoisture). Your device must expose this variable in its firmware using `Particle.variable()`. The AI will return the current sensor value in real-time. You can find available variables using `get_device_info`. **How do I remotely turn on a pump or actuator connected to a Particle device?** Use the `call_function` tool with your device ID and the function name (e.g., pumpOn, valveOpen). The function must be exposed in your device firmware using `Particle.function()`. You can pass an optional argument (like duration or intensity) to control the actuator behavior. Check available functions with `get_device_info`. **Can I check if my IoT device is online and responding?** Yes! Use the `ping_device` tool to instantly check the online status of any Particle device. You can also use `get_devices` to see the online status of all your devices at once. If a device shows as offline, it may be powered off, disconnected from Wi-Fi, or experiencing firmware issues.