diff --git a/lib/max31856/max31856.c b/lib/max31856/max31856.c
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/max31856/max31856.c
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+//
+// MAX31856: Driver to configure and read temperature from the MAX31856 thermoouple-to-Digital IC
+//
+
+#include "max31856.h"
+#include "states.h"
+
+// Private variables
+static float temp_latest = 0.0;
+static float temp_avg = 0.0;
+
+static SPI_HandleTypeDef* spiport;
+
+
+// Initialize the MAX31856 driver
+void max31856_init(SPI_HandleTypeDef* spi_port, GPIO_TypeDef* cs_port, uint32_t cs_pin, uint32_t sensor_type)
+{
+	// Set SPI port reference
+	spiport = spi_port;
+
+	// Configure the CS pin for output
+	GPIO_InitTypeDef GPIO_InitStruct;
+	GPIO_InitStruct.Pin = cs_pin;
+	GPIO_InitStruct.Mode = GPIO_MODE_OUTPUT_PP;
+	GPIO_InitStruct.Pull = GPIO_NOPULL;
+	GPIO_InitStruct.Speed = GPIO_SPEED_FREQ_LOW;
+	HAL_GPIO_Init(cs_port, &GPIO_InitStruct);
+
+	// MAX31856
+	// - set to continuous conversion mode
+	// - probably no filtering, we'll do that on this side of things
+	// - set up to read the typical open/short faults but not the high/low alarms
+
+	uint8_t data[] = {0,0,0,0};
+	HAL_SPI_Transmit(spiport, data, 1, 100);
+
+	// sensor type - could we just mask bits off? maybe optimize the enum for this
+}
+
+void max31856_process(void)
+{
+	// Read temperature from the MAX31856 (approx 10hz optimally)
+	uint8_t data[] = {0,0,0,0};
+	HAL_SPI_Transmit(spiport, data, 1, 100);
+
+}
+
+
+// Return latest temperature reading (unaveraged, deg C)
+float max31856_latest_temp(void)
+{
+	return temp_latest;
+}
+
+// Return average temperature reading (deg C)
+float max31856_avg_temp(void)
+{
+	return temp_latest;
+}