function setstate(state) {
    var request = new XMLHttpRequest();
    request.onreadystatechange = function() {
        if (this.readyState == 4 && this.status == 200) {
            // process state here
            console.log("state changed to " + state);
        }
    };
    request.open("GET", "/api/state/" + state, true);
    request.send();
}