ble-device/SKILL.md

metadata

name: ble-device
description: >
  Connects to a Scentience Reconnaisscent or Scentinel device via BLE Bluetooth,
  then samples or streams real-time chemical sensor readings (over 5 dozen+
  compounds) alongside temperature, humidity, pressure, and battery telemetry.
  Use when initializing hardware, collecting sensor data, building data-logging
  pipelines, or debugging a Scentience device connection.
version: 1.0.0
author: kordelfrance
license: Apache 2.0
compatibility: >
  Python: pip install scentience (BLE only) or pip install "scentience[models]"
  (adds torch/transformers). JS: npm install scentience (Node >=16; add
  webbluetooth peer dep for BLE in Node). Rust: cargo add scentience. C++: Conan
  scentience/2.0.0. API key required: obtain from dashboard.scentience.ai or the
  Sigma iOS app.
metadata:
  domain: olfaction
  hardware:
    - Reconnaisscent
    - Scentinel
    - Olfactory Development Board
  tags:
    - ble
    - bluetooth
    - hardware
    - sensor
    - streaming
    - iot
    - sampling
  sdk_versions:
    python: '>=0.2.0'
    js: '>=2.0.0'
    rust: '>=0.2.1'
  docs: https://scentience.github.io/docs-api/ble-api
allowed-tools: Bash Read

Goal

Establish a BLE connection to a physical Scentience OPU device and retrieve structured sensor readings — either a single snapshot or a continuous stream — ready for downstream navigation, embedding, or logging workflows.

Instructions

1. Authenticate

All SDK constructors require an API key issued by Scentience.

# Python
from scentience import ScentienceDevice
device = ScentienceDevice(api_key="SCN_...")

// JavaScript (ESM)
import { ScentienceDevice } from 'scentience';
const device = new ScentienceDevice("SCN_...");

// Rust
use scentience::ScentienceDevice;
let device = ScentienceDevice::new("SCN_...");

Obtain keys at dashboard.scentience.ai or via the Sigma iOS app. Keys are prefixed SCN_.

2. Connect via BLE

connect_ble / connectBLE requires the BLE characteristic UUID for your device. Optionally pin to a specific device UID when multiple units are in range.

# Python — required: char_uuid; optional: device_uid
await device.connect_ble(char_uuid="<CHAR_UUID>")
await device.connect_ble(char_uuid="<CHAR_UUID>", device_uid="<DEVICE_UID>")

// JavaScript
await device.connectBLE({ charUuid: "<CHAR_UUID>" });
await device.connectBLE({ charUuid: "<CHAR_UUID>", deviceUid: "<DEVICE_UID>" });

// Rust
device.connect_ble("<CHAR_UUID>").await?;
device.connect_ble_with_uid("<CHAR_UUID>", "<DEVICE_UID>").await?;

Characteristic UUIDs are in the BLE API docs.

3. Sample or Stream

Single sample — one reading, blocks until available:

reading = await device.sample_ble(async_=True)   # async Python
reading = device.sample_ble(False)               # sync Python

const reading = await device.sampleBLE({ async: true });

let reading = device.sample_ble(true).await?;

Continuous stream — yields readings until the connection is closed:

async for reading in device.stream_ble(async_=True):
    process(reading)

for await (const reading of device.streamBLE({ async: true })) {
  process(reading);
}

let mut stream = device.stream_ble(true).await?;
while let Some(reading) = stream.next().await {
    process(reading?);
}

4. Parse the Response Payload

All readings share a consistent JSON schema (BLE MTU ≤ 512 bytes). Chemical fields are in ppm; trace compounds may be sub-ppm — confirm units in device firmware docs.

{
  "UID": "SCN-REC-0042",
  "TIMESTAMP": 1743379200000,
  "ENV_temperatureC": 22.4,
  "ENV_humidity": 48.1,
  "ENV_pressureHpa": 1013.2,
  "BATT_health": "good",
  "BATT_v": 3.85,
  "BATT_charge": 87,
  "BATT_time": "3h 22m",
  "STATUS_opuA": "active",
  "CO2": 412.0,
  "NH3": 0.08,
  "NO": 0.01,
  "NO2": 0.02,
  "CO": 0.30,
  "C2H5OH": 0.00,
  "H2": 0.05,
  "CH4": 1.80,
  "C3H8": 0.00,
  "C4H10": 0.00,
  "H2S": 0.002,
  "HCHO": 0.01,
  "SO2": 0.00,
  "VOC": 0.45
}

Key fields:

• STATUS_opuA — must be "active" before using chemical readings for analysis.
• ENV_* — SI units: °C, % RH, hPa.
• Chemical fields — Reconnaisscent returns 14 compounds from 1 OPU (16 programmable slots); Scentinel returns more from 8 OPUs. Schema shape is the same.

5. Log to File (Optional)

The JS SDK includes ScentienceLogger for JSON/CSV export:

import { ScentienceDevice, ScentienceLogger } from 'scentience';

const logger = new ScentienceLogger({ format: 'csv', path: './readings.csv' });
for await (const reading of device.streamBLE({ async: true })) {
  logger.append(reading);
}
await logger.flush();

Examples

One-shot Python sample with status check

import asyncio
from scentience import ScentienceDevice

async def main():
    device = ScentienceDevice(api_key="SCN_...")
    await device.connect_ble(char_uuid="<CHAR_UUID>")
    reading = await device.sample_ble(async_=True)

    if reading["STATUS_opuA"] != "active":
        raise RuntimeError(f"OPU not ready: {reading['STATUS_opuA']}")

    print(f"VOC={reading['VOC']} ppm  CO2={reading['CO2']} ppm  NH3={reading['NH3']} ppm")

asyncio.run(main())

10-second streaming window in JavaScript

import { ScentienceDevice } from 'scentience';

const device = new ScentienceDevice("SCN_...");
await device.connectBLE({ charUuid: "<CHAR_UUID>" });

const deadline = Date.now() + 10_000;
for await (const reading of device.streamBLE({ async: true })) {
  console.log(`t=${reading.TIMESTAMP}  VOC=${reading.VOC}  CO2=${reading.CO2}`);
  if (Date.now() >= deadline) break;
}

Rust: stream with COLIP feature gate

// Cargo.toml: scentience = { version = "0.2", features = ["colip"] }
use scentience::ScentienceDevice;
use futures_util::StreamExt;

let device = ScentienceDevice::new("SCN_...");
device.connect_ble("<CHAR_UUID>").await?;

let mut stream = device.stream_ble(true).await?;
while let Some(Ok(reading)) = stream.next().await {
    println!("VOC: {} ppm", reading["VOC"]);
}

Constraints

• API key is required — constructors fail without a valid SCN_... key.
• Sensor warm-up — Metal oxide sensors drift for 30–90 s after power-on. Discard readings until BATT_charge has stabilized and at least 90 s have elapsed. Do not use early readings for calibrated analysis.
• Absolute concentrations are uncalibrated — Raw ppm values are sensor-specific and affected by temperature, humidity, and cross-sensitivity. Use for trend detection and relative comparisons; do not report as certified analytical measurements.
• BLE range — Nominal range is ~10 m; streaming quality degrades beyond this.
• MTU limit — BLE payload is ≤ 512 bytes; the full 14-compound schema fits within this limit at default precision. Extended Scentinel payloads may require chunking.
• STATUS_opuA check — Always verify "active" before consuming chemical fields. Other states indicate initialization, fault, or sleep mode.
• Single device per connection — Each ScentienceDevice instance manages one BLE connection. Instantiate multiple objects for multi-device setups.