Nordic Thingy:52 MCP Server

Control your Nordic Thingy:52 IoT device directly from Claude Desktop using the Model Context Protocol (MCP)

Transform your Claude Desktop into an IoT control center! This MCP server enables Claude to discover, connect to, and control Nordic Thingy:52 devices via Bluetooth LE - all through natural language conversation.

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Features

• Auto-Discovery: Scan for nearby Thingy devices
• Easy Connection: Connect via Bluetooth LE with a single command
• LED Control: Set RGB colors, create lighting effects
• Sound Control: Play built-in sounds and tones
• Sensor Reading: Monitor temperature, humidity, pressure, CO2, and TVOC
• AI Integration: Control everything through natural Claude conversations
• Real-time Updates: Instant feedback and status monitoring

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Prerequisites

Hardware

• Nordic Thingy:52 device (Purchase here)
• Computer with Bluetooth LE support
• Battery or USB power for Thingy

Software

• Python 3.10 or higher
• Claude Desktop app (Download here)
• macOS (tested) or Linux with BlueZ (Windows support via bleak)

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Quick Start

1. Installation

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/yourusername/mcp-server-nordic-thingy.git
cd mcp-server-nordic-thingy

# Create virtual environment
python3 -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate  # On Windows: venv\Scripts\activate

# Install dependencies
pip install -r requirements.txt

2. Configure Claude Desktop

Add the server to your Claude Desktop configuration:

macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "nordic-thingy": {
      "command": "python3",
      "args": ["/absolute/path/to/mcp_server_nordic_thingy.py"]
    }
  }
}

3. Restart Claude Desktop

Close and reopen Claude Desktop to load the server.

4. Start Using!

Try these prompts in Claude:

"Find my Nordic Thingy and connect to it"
"Turn the Thingy LED red"
"Check the temperature and air quality"
"Play a beep sound"

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Documentation

Available Tools

Tool	Description	Example Prompt
thingy_scan	Discover nearby devices	"Scan for Thingy devices"
thingy_connect	Connect to a device	"Connect to XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX"
thingy_disconnect	Disconnect device	"Disconnect from Thingy"
thingy_set_led	Set RGB LED color	"Set LED to red"
thingy_led_off	Turn off LED	"Turn off the LED"
thingy_play_sound	Play sound (1-8)	"Play sound 3"
thingy_beep	Quick beep	"Make it beep"
thingy_get_sensors	Read all sensors	"Check all sensors"
thingy_get_status	Connection status	"Is Thingy connected?"

Sensor Data

The Thingy:52 provides:

• Temperature (C)
• Humidity (%)
• Pressure (hPa)
• CO2 (ppm) - Air quality
• TVOC (ppb) - Volatile organic compounds
• Color sensor (RGB + Clear)

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Example Use Cases

1. Home Office Monitor

"Monitor my office air quality. Check CO2 every 5 minutes and alert me if it's unhealthy (>1000 ppm)"

2. Smart Notifications

"When you detect motion (temperature change), flash the LED blue and beep twice"

3. Temperature Alerts

"If the temperature goes above 25C, set the LED to red and play sound 5"

4. Mood Lighting

"Create a relaxing atmosphere: set the LED to a calm blue color"

5. Meeting Room Status

"Create a meeting room indicator:
- Green LED: Good air quality, room available
- Yellow LED: Moderate air quality
- Red LED: Poor air quality, needs ventilation"

More examples in PROMPT_GUIDE.md

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Development

Project Structure

mcp-server-nordic-thingy/
 mcp_server_nordic_thingy.py  # Main MCP server
 requirements.txt              # Python dependencies
 README.md                     # This file
 PROMPT_GUIDE.md              # Comprehensive prompt examples
 CONTRIBUTING.md              # Contribution guidelines
 LICENSE                      # MIT License
 examples/                    # Example scripts
    basic_control.py
    sensor_monitor.py
    automation.py
 docs/                        # Additional documentation
     API.md                   # API reference
     TROUBLESHOOTING.md      # Common issues
     HARDWARE.md              # Hardware details

Running Tests

# Install dev dependencies
pip install -r requirements-dev.txt

# Run tests
pytest tests/

# Run with coverage
pytest --cov=. tests/

Local Testing

Test the MCP server without Claude:

# Run server in test mode
python3 mcp_server_nordic_thingy.py --test

# Or use the test client
python3 examples/test_client.py

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Contributing

We welcome contributions! Here's how you can help:

Ways to Contribute

• Report bugs
• Suggest features
• Improve documentation
• Share useful prompts
• Submit pull requests
• Star the repo!

Getting Started

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch (git checkout -b feature/AmazingFeature)
3. Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add AmazingFeature')
4. Push to the branch (git push origin feature/AmazingFeature)
5. Open a Pull Request

See CONTRIBUTING.md for detailed guidelines.

Share Your Prompts!

Found a great way to use the Thingy? Share your prompts in PROMPT_GUIDE.md!

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Troubleshooting

Thingy Not Found

1. Check Power: Ensure Thingy is powered on (blue LED should pulse)
2. Bluetooth: Enable Bluetooth on your computer
3. Distance: Keep Thingy within 10 meters
4. Interference: Move away from other Bluetooth devices
5. Reset: Hold Thingy button for 5 seconds to reset

Connection Failed

# Check Bluetooth status
hcitool dev  # Linux
system_profiler SPBluetoothDataType  # macOS

# Scan manually
hcitool lescan  # Linux

# Reset Bluetooth (macOS)
sudo pkill bluetoothd

Claude Can't Find Server

1. Check claude_desktop_config.json path is correct
2. Verify Python path: which python3
3. Check server logs in Claude Desktop Developer Tools
4. Restart Claude Desktop

More troubleshooting in docs/TROUBLESHOOTING.md

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Resources

Nordic Thingy:52

• Product Page
• User Guide
• Firmware

MCP (Model Context Protocol)

• MCP Documentation
• MCP GitHub
• MCP Server Examples

Claude Desktop

• Download Claude
• Claude Documentation

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Learning Path

Beginners

1. Read Quick Start
2. Try basic prompts
3. Explore sensor reading

Intermediate

1. Create conditional automations
2. Build sequences
3. Monitor air quality

Advanced

1. Multi-device control
2. Database integration
3. Web dashboard
4. Custom tool development

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Showcase

Community Projects

Smart Plant Monitor by @username

Automated plant care using humidity and temperature sensors

Home Lab Monitor by @username

Server room monitoring with multiple Thingys

Meeting Room Assistant by @username

Intelligent meeting room status indicator

Add your project! Submit a PR to appear here.

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Stats

• 6 environmental sensors
• 16.7 million LED colors
• 8 built-in sounds
• 30-day battery life
• 10m Bluetooth range
• 240 mAh Li-Po battery

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License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

MIT License

Copyright (c) 2025 Nordic Thingy MCP Contributors

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software")...

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Acknowledgments

• Anthropic for Claude and MCP
• Nordic Semiconductor for the amazing Thingy:52 hardware
• Bleak library maintainers for excellent Bluetooth LE support
• All contributors who make this project better

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Support

• GitHub Issues: Report bugs or request features
• Email: your-email@example.com
• Twitter: @yourhandle
• Discord: Join our community (if available)

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Roadmap

v1.0 (Current)

• Basic Bluetooth LE connection
• LED control
• Sound playback
• Sensor reading
• MCP integration

v1.1 (Planned)

• Continuous sensor monitoring
• Data logging
• Web dashboard
• Smart alerts
• Advanced LED effects

v2.0 (Future)

• ML-based anomaly detection
• Home Assistant integration
• Mobile app
• Multi-Thingy coordination
• Cloud sync

Vote on features in GitHub Discussions

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Getting Started in 60 Seconds

# 1. Clone
git clone https://github.com/yourusername/mcp-server-nordic-thingy.git
cd mcp-server-nordic-thingy

# 2. Install
pip install -r requirements.txt

# 3. Configure Claude (edit with your path)
echo '{
  "mcpServers": {
    "nordic-thingy": {
      "command": "python3",
      "args": ["'$(pwd)'/mcp_server_nordic_thingy.py"]
    }
  }
}' > ~/Library/Application\ Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

# 4. Restart Claude Desktop

# 5. Try it!
# In Claude: "Find my Thingy and turn it red"

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