diff --git a/src/adxl345/adxl345.cxx b/src/adxl345/adxl345.cxx
index 166f7b9d..c0e4d153 100644
--- a/src/adxl345/adxl345.cxx
+++ b/src/adxl345/adxl345.cxx
@@ -88,6 +88,11 @@
 
 using namespace upm;
 
+static bool operator!(mraa::MraaIo &mraaIo)
+{
+  return mraaIo.getMraaDescriptors() == NULL;
+}
+
 Adxl345::Adxl345(int bus) : m_i2c(new mraa::I2c(bus))
 {
     //init bus and reset chip
@@ -123,17 +128,11 @@ Adxl345::Adxl345(int bus) : m_i2c(new mraa::I2c(bus))
     Adxl345::update();
 }
 
-Adxl345::Adxl345(std::string initStr) : mraaIo(new mraa::MraaIo(initStr))
+Adxl345::Adxl345(std::string initStr) : mraaIo(initStr)
 {
-    if(mraaIo == NULL)
+    if(!mraaIo.i2cs.empty())
     {
-      throw std::invalid_argument(std::string(__FUNCTION__) +
-                              ": Failed to allocate memory for internal member");
-    }
-
-    if(!mraaIo->i2cs.empty())
-    {
-      m_i2c = &mraaIo->i2cs[0];
+      m_i2c = &mraaIo.i2cs[0];
     }
     else
     {
@@ -143,7 +142,7 @@ Adxl345::Adxl345(std::string initStr) : mraaIo(new mraa::MraaIo(initStr))
 
     m_buffer[0] = ADXL345_POWER_CTL;
     m_buffer[1] = ADXL345_POWER_ON;
-    if( m_i2c->write(m_buffer, 2) != mraa::SUCCESS){
+    if( m_i2c->write(m_buffer, 2) != mraa::SUCCESS ){
         throw std::runtime_error(std::string(__FUNCTION__) +
                                     ": i2c.write() control register failed");
         return;
@@ -169,9 +168,7 @@ Adxl345::Adxl345(std::string initStr) : mraaIo(new mraa::MraaIo(initStr))
 
 Adxl345::~Adxl345()
 {
-  if(mraaIo != NULL)
-    delete mraaIo;
-  else
+  if(!mraaIo)
     delete m_i2c;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/adxl345/adxl345.hpp b/src/adxl345/adxl345.hpp
index 6db633ef..8f140fbc 100644
--- a/src/adxl345/adxl345.hpp
+++ b/src/adxl345/adxl345.hpp
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ private:
     int16_t m_rawaccel[3];
     uint8_t m_buffer[READ_BUFFER_LENGTH];
     mraa::I2c* m_i2c = NULL;
-    mraa::MraaIo* mraaIo = NULL;
+    mraa::MraaIo mraaIo;
 };
 
 }
diff --git a/src/adxrs610/adxrs610.cxx b/src/adxrs610/adxrs610.cxx
index 708332ba..353d1901 100644
--- a/src/adxrs610/adxrs610.cxx
+++ b/src/adxrs610/adxrs610.cxx
@@ -30,6 +30,11 @@
 using namespace std;
 using namespace upm;
 
+static bool operator!(mraa::MraaIo &mraaIo)
+{
+  return mraaIo.getMraaDescriptors() == NULL;
+}
+
 ADXRS610::ADXRS610(int dPin, int tPin, float aref) :
   m_aioData(new mraa::Aio(dPin)), m_aioTemp(new mraa::Aio(tPin))
 {
@@ -43,17 +48,12 @@ ADXRS610::ADXRS610(int dPin, int tPin, float aref) :
   m_centerVolts = aref / 2.0;
 }
 
-ADXRS610::ADXRS610(std::string initStr) : mraaIo(new mraa::MraaIo(initStr))
+ADXRS610::ADXRS610(std::string initStr) : mraaIo(initStr)
 {
-  if(mraaIo == NULL)
+  if(!mraaIo.aios.empty())
   {
-    throw std::invalid_argument(std::string(__FUNCTION__) +
-                            ": Failed to allocate memory for internal member");
-  }
-  if(!mraaIo->aios.empty())
-  {
-    m_aioData = &mraaIo->aios[0];
-    m_aioTemp = &mraaIo->aios[1];
+    m_aioData = &mraaIo.aios[0];
+    m_aioTemp = &mraaIo.aios[1];
   }
   else
   {
@@ -63,8 +63,8 @@ ADXRS610::ADXRS610(std::string initStr) : mraaIo(new mraa::MraaIo(initStr))
 
   std::vector<std::string> upmTokens;
 
-  if (!mraaIo->getLeftoverStr().empty()) {
-    upmTokens = UpmStringParser::parse(mraaIo->getLeftoverStr());
+  if (!mraaIo.getLeftoverStr().empty()) {
+    upmTokens = UpmStringParser::parse(mraaIo.getLeftoverStr());
   }
 
   // ADC resolution of data and temp should be the same...
@@ -84,9 +84,7 @@ ADXRS610::ADXRS610(std::string initStr) : mraaIo(new mraa::MraaIo(initStr))
 
 ADXRS610::~ADXRS610()
 {
-  if(mraaIo != NULL)
-    delete mraaIo;
-  else
+  if(!mraaIo)
   {
     delete m_aioData;
     delete m_aioTemp;
diff --git a/src/adxrs610/adxrs610.hpp b/src/adxrs610/adxrs610.hpp
index 15bec148..da75c213 100644
--- a/src/adxrs610/adxrs610.hpp
+++ b/src/adxrs610/adxrs610.hpp
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ namespace upm {
   protected:
     mraa::Aio* m_aioData = NULL;
     mraa::Aio* m_aioTemp = NULL;
-    mraa::MraaIo* mraaIo = NULL;
+    mraa::MraaIo mraaIo;
 
   private:
     float m_aref;
diff --git a/src/bma220/bma220.cxx b/src/bma220/bma220.cxx
index 0fa47220..d1c0f00f 100644
--- a/src/bma220/bma220.cxx
+++ b/src/bma220/bma220.cxx
@@ -34,6 +34,10 @@
 using namespace upm;
 using namespace std;
 
+static bool operator!(mraa::MraaIo &mraaIo)
+{
+  return mraaIo.getMraaDescriptors() == NULL;
+}
 
 BMA220::BMA220(int bus, uint8_t addr) :
   m_i2c(new mraa::I2c(bus)), m_gpioIntr(0)
@@ -66,7 +70,7 @@ BMA220::BMA220(int bus, uint8_t addr) :
     }
 }
 
-BMA220::BMA220(std::string initStr) : mraaIo(new mraa::MraaIo(initStr))
+BMA220::BMA220(std::string initStr) : mraaIo(initStr)
 {
   m_accelX = 0.0;
   m_accelY = 0.0;
@@ -74,13 +78,8 @@ BMA220::BMA220(std::string initStr) : mraaIo(new mraa::MraaIo(initStr))
 
   m_accelScale = 0.0;
 
-  if(mraaIo == NULL) {
-    throw std::invalid_argument(std::string(__FUNCTION__) +
-                            ": Failed to allocate memory for internal member");
-  }
-
-  if(!mraaIo->i2cs.empty()) {
-    m_i2c = &mraaIo->i2cs[0];
+  if(!mraaIo.i2cs.empty()) {
+    m_i2c = &mraaIo.i2cs[0];
   }
   else {
     throw std::invalid_argument(std::string(__FUNCTION__) +
@@ -98,8 +97,8 @@ BMA220::BMA220(std::string initStr) : mraaIo(new mraa::MraaIo(initStr))
   }
 
   std::vector<std::string> upmTokens;
-  if(!mraaIo->getLeftoverStr().empty()) {
-    upmTokens = UpmStringParser::parse(mraaIo->getLeftoverStr());
+  if(!mraaIo.getLeftoverStr().empty()) {
+    upmTokens = UpmStringParser::parse(mraaIo.getLeftoverStr());
   }
 
   std::string::size_type sz;
@@ -139,9 +138,7 @@ BMA220::BMA220(std::string initStr) : mraaIo(new mraa::MraaIo(initStr))
 BMA220::~BMA220()
 {
   uninstallISR();
-  if(mraaIo != NULL)
-    delete mraaIo;
-  else
+  if(!mraaIo)
     delete m_i2c;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/bma220/bma220.hpp b/src/bma220/bma220.hpp
index 0e50422d..f5b6993e 100644
--- a/src/bma220/bma220.hpp
+++ b/src/bma220/bma220.hpp
@@ -179,6 +179,22 @@ namespace upm {
     /**
      * REG_TAP_CONFIG bits
      */
+    typedef enum {
+      TAP_CONFIG_DUR0              = 0x01,
+      TAP_CONFIG_DUR1              = 0x02,
+      TAP_CONFIG_DUR2              = 0x04,
+      _TAP_CONFIG_DUR_MASK         = 7,
+      _TAP_CONFIG_DUR_SHIFT        = 0,
+
+      TAP_CONFIG_THRESH0           = 0x08,
+      TAP_CONFIG_THRESH1           = 0x10,
+      TAP_CONFIG_THRESH2           = 0x20,
+      TAP_CONFIG_THRESH3           = 0x40,
+      _TAP_CONFIG_THRESH_MASK      = 15,
+      _TAP_CONFIG_THRESH_SHIFT     = 3,
+
+      TAP_CONFIG_FILTER            = 0x80
+    } TAP_CONFIG_BITS_T;
 
     /**
      * REG_SLOPE_CONFIG bits
@@ -792,7 +808,7 @@ namespace upm {
   protected:
     mraa::I2c *m_i2c;
     mraa::Gpio *m_gpioIntr;
-    mraa::MraaIo *mraaIo;
+    mraa::MraaIo mraaIo;
     uint8_t m_addr;
 
     // uncompensated accelerometer values