diff --git a/src/bh1750/bh1750.cxx b/src/bh1750/bh1750.cxx
index 1adc1d5d..fec0454f 100644
--- a/src/bh1750/bh1750.cxx
+++ b/src/bh1750/bh1750.cxx
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 #include <iostream>
 #include <stdexcept>
 
+#include "upm_string_parser.hpp"
 #include "bh1750.hpp"
 
 using namespace upm;
@@ -38,6 +39,69 @@ BH1750::BH1750(int bus, int addr, BH1750_OPMODES_T mode) :
                              ": bh1750_init() failed");
 }
 
+BH1750::BH1750(std::string initStr) : mraaIo(initStr)
+{
+  mraa_io_descriptor* descs = mraaIo.getMraaDescriptors();
+  std::vector<std::string> upmTokens;
+
+  if(!mraaIo.getLeftoverStr().empty()) {
+    upmTokens = UpmStringParser::parse(mraaIo.getLeftoverStr());
+  }
+
+  // make sure MRAA is initialized
+  int mraa_rv;
+  if ((mraa_rv = mraa_init()) != MRAA_SUCCESS)
+  {
+    throw std::runtime_error(std::string(__FUNCTION__) +
+                             ": mraa_init() failed");
+  }
+
+  m_bh1750 = (bh1750_context)malloc(sizeof(struct _bh1750_context));
+  if(!m_bh1750)
+    throw std::runtime_error(std::string(__FUNCTION__) +
+                             ": bh1750_init() failed");
+
+  m_bh1750->is_continuous = false;
+  // init the i2c context
+  if(!descs->i2cs)
+  {
+      throw std::runtime_error(std::string(__FUNCTION__) +
+                               ": mraa_i2c_init() failed");
+  }
+  else
+  {
+      if( !(m_bh1750->i2c = descs->i2cs[0]) )
+      {
+        free(m_bh1750);
+        throw std::runtime_error(std::string(__FUNCTION__) +
+                                 ": mraa_i2c_init() failed");
+      }
+  }
+
+  for (std::string tok : upmTokens)
+  {
+    if(tok.substr(0, 5) == "mode:") {
+      BH1750_OPMODES_T mode = (BH1750_OPMODES_T)std::stoi(tok.substr(5),nullptr,0);
+        if(bh1750_set_opmode(m_bh1750, mode) != UPM_SUCCESS)
+        {
+          bh1750_close(m_bh1750);
+          throw std::runtime_error(std::string(__FUNCTION__) +
+                                   ": bh1750_init() failed");
+        }
+    }
+    if(tok.substr(0, 8) == "powerUp:") {
+      powerUp();
+    }
+    if(tok.substr(0, 10) == "powerDown:") {
+      powerDown();
+    }
+    if(tok.substr(0, 12) == "sendCommand:") {
+      uint8_t  mode = (uint8_t)std::stoi(tok.substr(12),nullptr,0);
+      sendCommand(mode);
+    }
+  }
+}
+
 BH1750::~BH1750()
 {
   bh1750_close(m_bh1750);
diff --git a/src/bh1750/bh1750.hpp b/src/bh1750/bh1750.hpp
index 4c7bee87..5490b512 100644
--- a/src/bh1750/bh1750.hpp
+++ b/src/bh1750/bh1750.hpp
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 #include <interfaces/iLight.hpp>
 
 #include "bh1750.h"
+#include "mraa/initio.hpp"
 
 namespace upm {
     /**
@@ -73,6 +74,13 @@ namespace upm {
     BH1750(int bus=BH1750_DEFAULT_I2C_BUS, int addr=BH1750_DEFAULT_I2C_ADDR,
            BH1750_OPMODES_T mode=BH1750_OPMODE_H2_ONCE);
 
+    /**
+     * Instantiates BH1750 Light Sensor object based on a given string.
+     *
+     * @param initStr string containing specific information for BH1750 initialization.
+     */
+    BH1750(std::string initStr);
+
     /**
      * BH1750 object destructor
      */
@@ -120,6 +128,7 @@ namespace upm {
   protected:
     // bh1750 device context
     bh1750_context m_bh1750;
+    mraa::MraaIo mraaIo;
 
     /**
      * Sends a command to the device via I2C.