diff --git a/src/biss0001/biss0001.cxx b/src/biss0001/biss0001.cxx
index c7a0e0d8..d8766118 100644
--- a/src/biss0001/biss0001.cxx
+++ b/src/biss0001/biss0001.cxx
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 #include <string>
 #include <stdexcept>
 
+#include "upm_string_parser.hpp"
 #include "biss0001.hpp"
 
 using namespace upm;
@@ -39,6 +40,41 @@ BISS0001::BISS0001(unsigned int pin) :
                                  ": biss0001_init() failed");
 }
 
+BISS0001::BISS0001(std::string initStr) : mraaIo(initStr)
+{
+    mraa_io_descriptor* descs = mraaIo.getMraaDescriptors();
+
+    m_biss0001 = (biss0001_context)malloc(sizeof(struct _biss0001_context));
+
+    if(!m_biss0001)
+          throw std::runtime_error(std::string(__FUNCTION__) +
+                                   ": biss0001_init() failed");
+
+    m_biss0001->gpio = NULL;
+
+    // make sure MRAA is initialized
+    int mraa_rv;
+    if ((mraa_rv = mraa_init()) != MRAA_SUCCESS) {
+        biss0001_close(m_biss0001);
+        throw std::runtime_error(std::string(__FUNCTION__) +
+                                 ": biss0001_init() failed");
+    }
+
+    // initialize the MRAA context
+    if(!descs->gpios) {
+        throw std::runtime_error(std::string(__FUNCTION__) +
+                                 ": mraa_gpio_init() failed");
+    }
+    else {
+        if( !(m_biss0001->gpio = descs->gpios[0]) ) {
+          biss0001_close(m_biss0001);
+          throw std::runtime_error(std::string(__FUNCTION__) +
+                                   ": mraa_gpio_init() failed");
+        }
+    }
+    mraa_gpio_dir(m_biss0001->gpio, MRAA_GPIO_IN);
+}
+
 BISS0001::~BISS0001()
 {
     biss0001_close(m_biss0001);
diff --git a/src/biss0001/biss0001.hpp b/src/biss0001/biss0001.hpp
index 80c3511b..812013cc 100644
--- a/src/biss0001/biss0001.hpp
+++ b/src/biss0001/biss0001.hpp
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include <biss0001.h>
+#include <mraa/initio.hpp>
 
 namespace upm {
     /**
@@ -66,6 +67,13 @@ namespace upm {
        */
       BISS0001(unsigned int pin);
 
+      /**
+       * Instantiates BISS0001 Motion Sensor object based on a given string.
+       *
+       * @param initStr string containing specific information for BISS0001 initialization.
+       */
+      BISS0001(std::string initStr);
+
       /**
        * BISS0001 destructor
        */
@@ -93,6 +101,7 @@ namespace upm {
       BISS0001 &operator=(const BISS0001&) = delete;
 
       biss0001_context m_biss0001;
+      mraa::MraaIo mraaIo;
   };
 }