Create an AWS IoT Events input to capture device data

When setting up inputs for AWS IoT Events, you can leverage the AWS CLI to define how your devices communicate sensor data. For example, if your devices send JSON-formatted messages with motor identifiers and sensor readings, you can capture this data by creating an input that maps specific attributes from the messages, such as the pressure and the motor ID. The process starts by defining an input in a JSON file, specifying the relevant data points, and using the AWS CLI to register the input for AWS IoT Events. This enables AWS IoT to monitor and respond to critical conditions based on real-time sensor data.

As an example, suppose your devices send messages with the following format.

{
  "motorid": "Fulton-A32",
  "sensorData": {
    "pressure": 23,
    "temperature": 47
  }
}

You can create an input to capture the pressure data and the motorid (that identifies the specific device that sent the message) using the following AWS CLI command.

aws iotevents create-input  --cli-input-json file://pressureInput.json 

The file pressureInput.json contains the following.

{
  "inputName": "PressureInput",
  "inputDescription": "Pressure readings from a motor",
  "inputDefinition": {
    "attributes": [
      { "jsonPath": "sensorData.pressure" },
      { "jsonPath": "motorid" }
    ]
  }
}

When you create your own inputs, remember to first collect example messages as JSON files from your devices or processes. You can use them to create an input from the console or the CLI.