Big button can be programmed to do anything

bttn is a large, internet-connected button that can be configured for almost any use imaginable.

Getting a computer to automate tasks isn’t actually that difficult — it simply requires a formula that tells it to perform a function if certain criteria is true. This is something picked up by the online service IFTTT (If This Then That), which enables web users to connect multiple web services to automatically carry out tasks. Aiming to take this functionality into the physical world, bttn is a large, internet-connected button that can be configured for almost any use imaginable.

After connecting the bttn to 3G or wifi, the device’s configuration wizard can be accessed through a web browser. Users can set up the button to interact with Twitter, Facebook, email, SMS, RSS, SmartThings, IFTTT, and more. Every time the button is pressed it sends a message to the server, and follows up by completing a particular task. For instance, the button can be used instead of a doorbell, pushing a notification to homeowners’ smartphones instead of sounding. Or, it could be set up to simply count each time it’s pressed, and combined with other buttons to create a voting system. Or, it can be configured to send an alert if it isn’t pressed, enabling family members to keep tabs on elderly relatives. Additionally, the buttons can light up using colored LEDs that can be set to give visual feedback to the user.

Essentially, bttn is a customizable way to carry out digital tasks in a more simple and physical manner. The device can currently be pre-ordered for EUR 69. Are there other ways that online capabilities can be brought into the offline world?