diff --git a/src/a110x/a110x.cxx b/src/a110x/a110x.cxx
index b0b063f5..53ed180d 100644
--- a/src/a110x/a110x.cxx
+++ b/src/a110x/a110x.cxx
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include <string>
 #include <stdexcept>
 
+#include "upm_string_parser.hpp"
 #include "a110x.hpp"
 
 using namespace upm;
@@ -44,6 +45,32 @@ A110X::A110X(int pin)
   m_isrInstalled = false;
 }
 
+A110X::A110X(std::string initStr) : mraaIo(initStr)
+{
+  mraa_io_descriptor* descs = mraaIo.getMraaDescriptors();
+  
+  if(!descs->gpios)
+  {
+    throw std::invalid_argument(std::string(__FUNCTION__) +
+                                  ": mraa_gpio_init() failed, invalid pin?");
+    return;
+  }
+  else 
+  {
+    if( !(m_gpio = descs->gpios[0]) )
+    {
+      throw std::invalid_argument(std::string(__FUNCTION__) +
+                              ": mraa_gpio_init() failed, invalid pin?");
+    
+      return;
+    }
+  }
+  
+  mraa_gpio_dir(m_gpio, MRAA_GPIO_IN);
+  m_isrInstalled = false;
+}
+
+
 A110X::~A110X()
 {
   if (m_isrInstalled)
diff --git a/src/a110x/a110x.hpp b/src/a110x/a110x.hpp
index 71a0d784..3de9c538 100644
--- a/src/a110x/a110x.hpp
+++ b/src/a110x/a110x.hpp
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 
 #include <string>
 #include <mraa/gpio.h>
+#include <mraa/initio.hpp>
 
 namespace upm {
   /**
@@ -66,6 +67,13 @@ namespace upm {
      * @param pin Digital pin to use
      */
     A110X(int pin);
+    /**
+     * Instantiates A110x digital sensor based on a given string.
+     *
+     * @param initStr string containing specific information for A110X initialization.
+     */
+    A110X(std::string initStr);
+
     /**
      * A110X destructor
      */
@@ -96,6 +104,7 @@ namespace upm {
   private:
 
     bool m_isrInstalled;
+    mraa::MraaIo mraaIo;
     mraa_gpio_context m_gpio;
   };
 }