diff --git a/src/bmpx8x/bmpx8x.cxx b/src/bmpx8x/bmpx8x.cxx
index 36144907..e2a0ef91 100644
--- a/src/bmpx8x/bmpx8x.cxx
+++ b/src/bmpx8x/bmpx8x.cxx
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 
 #include "bmpx8x.hpp"
+#include "upm_string_parser.hpp"
 
 using namespace upm;
 using namespace std;
@@ -46,6 +47,78 @@ BMPX8X::BMPX8X (int bus, int addr) :
                                  + ": bmpx8x_init() failed");
 }
 
+BMPX8X::BMPX8X(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());
+    }
+
+    m_bmpx8x = (bmpx8x_context)malloc(sizeof(struct _bmpx8x_context));
+    if(!m_bmpx8x) {
+        throw std::runtime_error(std::string(__FUNCTION__)
+                                 + ": bmpx8x_init() failed");
+    }
+
+    // zero out context
+    memset((void *)m_bmpx8x, 0, sizeof(struct _bmpx8x_context));
+
+    // make sure MRAA is initialized
+    int mraa_rv;
+    if ((mraa_rv = mraa_init()) != MRAA_SUCCESS) {
+        bmpx8x_close(m_bmpx8x);
+        throw std::runtime_error(std::string(__FUNCTION__)
+                                 + ": mraa_init() failed");
+    }
+
+    if(!descs->i2cs) {
+        throw std::runtime_error(std::string(__FUNCTION__)
+                                  + ": mraa_i2c_init() failed");
+    } else {
+        if( !(m_bmpx8x->i2c = descs->i2cs[0]) ) {
+            bmpx8x_close(m_bmpx8x);
+            throw std::runtime_error(std::string(__FUNCTION__)
+                                 + ": mraa_i2c_init() failed");
+        }
+    }
+
+    // check the chip id
+    uint8_t chipID = bmpx8x_get_chip_id(m_bmpx8x);
+
+    if (chipID != BMPX8X_DEFAULT_CHIPID) {
+        printf("%s: invalid chip id: %02x.  Expected %02x\n",
+               __FUNCTION__, chipID, BMPX8X_DEFAULT_CHIPID);
+        bmpx8x_close(m_bmpx8x);
+        throw std::runtime_error(string(__FUNCTION__)
+                                 + ": bmpx8x_init() failed");
+    }
+
+    // call devinit with a default ultrahigh resolution mode
+    if (bmpx8x_devinit(m_bmpx8x, BMPX8X_OSS_ULTRAHIGHRES)) {
+        printf("%s: bmpx8x_devinit() failed.\n", __FUNCTION__);
+        bmpx8x_close(m_bmpx8x);
+        throw std::runtime_error(string(__FUNCTION__)
+                                 + ": bmpx8x_init() failed");
+    }
+
+    std::string::size_type sz;
+    for(std::string tok:upmTokens) {
+        if(tok.substr(0,16) == "setOversampling:") {
+           BMPX8X_OSS_T oss = (BMPX8X_OSS_T)std::stoi(tok.substr(16),nullptr,0);
+           setOversampling(oss);
+        }
+        if(tok.substr(0,9) == "writeReg:") {
+            uint8_t reg = std::stoi(tok.substr(9),&sz,0);
+            tok = tok.substr(9);
+            uint8_t val = std::stoi(tok.substr(sz+1),nullptr,0);
+            writeReg(reg, val);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+
 BMPX8X::~BMPX8X()
 {
     bmpx8x_close(m_bmpx8x);
diff --git a/src/bmpx8x/bmpx8x.hpp b/src/bmpx8x/bmpx8x.hpp
index 680c2b57..ebbb00bb 100644
--- a/src/bmpx8x/bmpx8x.hpp
+++ b/src/bmpx8x/bmpx8x.hpp
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 
 #include "bmpx8x.h"
 
+#include "mraa/initio.hpp"
 #include "interfaces/iPressureSensor.hpp"
 #include "interfaces/iTemperatureSensor.hpp"
 
@@ -80,6 +81,13 @@ namespace upm {
         BMPX8X(int bus=BMPX8X_DEFAULT_I2C_BUS,
                int addr=BMPX8X_DEFAULT_I2C_ADDR);
 
+        /**
+         * Instantiates BMP Atmospheric Pressure Sensor based on a given string.
+         *
+         * @param initStr string containing specific information for BMP Atmospheric Pressure Sensor.
+         */
+        BMPX8X(std::string initStr);
+
         /**
          * BMPX8X object destructor.
          */
@@ -213,6 +221,7 @@ namespace upm {
     protected:
         // our underlying C context.
         bmpx8x_context m_bmpx8x;
+        mraa::MraaIo mraaIo;
 
         /**
          * Read a register.