Home Automation

[HalfEatenPie]

So.  With the introduction of a new forum, I'd like to ask.


What are some good Home Automation setups you can do using your ARM boards?  I've seen automatic lights, HVAC/heating automation, but what have you specifically automated in your own home and how?

 

[raj]

I just had a trio of ESP8266 boards (1xNodeMCU V2 board, 2xNodeMCU V3 boards) delivered. Planning on using them to get familirized with the ESP-12 chips before building an AC thermostat, lighting switches and home alarm system. Will post progress!

 

[Darwin]

I automated wife's mood.

I buy a lot of that stuff, have a couple of Arduino and ARM boards, but never had time to automate my home.

She sees how much $$$ I spent and the space that stuff takes and now I have a wife's mood automation. Doesn't even need power to run.

 

[maounique]

I have water dispenser or whatever is called and some 15 yo wallmount central heating and water heater. None have any automation, so I added the remote turning on or off for both of them, also programmable at certain times, so the water heater/cooler doesnt waste power (god, I thought my computers are to be blamed for the power drain but the numbers didnt add up so I checked the actual power usage of that thing) and is only available without having to wait when needed, while the wallmount heater is completely cut off when not needed, because my neighbor had one fried due to power fluctuations and there are no longer available parts to repair them, that would mean I have to buy another. Not that a more efficient one wouldnt be slightly better, but after it lasted 15 years, i dont want to buy a replacement programmed to fail after 5.

 

[shawn_ky]

Well, this happens to be one of my favorite hobbies that I hope to make cheaper soon...
I started off using X10 boxes, outlets, switches etc. about 15 years ago when a buddy mentioned how he had done some things to his house 10 years before that. Sure was a great idea. Christmas became all about everything turning on at the same time without having to buy those stupid Wal-Mart timers. Fast forward and move to a new house, I am now using a combination of Z-wave with a Vera 3 and my trusty X10 equipment. I've bridged the X10 using a pi server running MochaD.
I've bought a bunch of sensors and such that I was planning on using with the MySensors Project (which I still may do) but found RF Link and likely will go with a combination of those two to add more information into the automation of the house. The latter can be ordered in the States if you reach out to the shop owner. How I implement, I don't know but I believe it will be for more precise control over HVAC and lighting. During holidays it will change some things as well I am sure.
So I envision using several of the NRF24 wireless modules connected to an arduino controller bridging information into Vera until I get annoyed with that setup and look for a better HA and simply bridge the ZWave over into the other. RFLink will add some of the other devices transmitting at 315 or 433 that you already own but can't capture into known software. Looks like a great project.

 

[ChrisM]

I got a Google Home recently and have been looking for ways to use it for automation. I haven't googled much for it yet but anyone ever do anything neat with a Google Home?

 

[betatester]

I picked up a new house in October and the wife is letting me play.

I'm running a Wink 2 Hub (Z-wave/Zigbee), Amazon Echo & Dot, one Wink Relay (another one site to be installed), a Logitech Harmony hub w/ remote & smartphone app, a Vizio 70" 4k Smart TV (crappy yahoo apps [3 year old Woot Purchase]) w/ chromecast , a 43" 4k LG Smart TV (Web OS 3.0/black friday Fry's special), various switches from Plum lightpads (WiFI only, no android app, but IFTTT compatible), Lutron Decora dimmable smart switches, Lutron Decora smart plugs, ring doorbell, various door and window contacts sensors, garage door opener, Kiddie smart smoke/CO2 sensors and a rainmachine smart water meter all on Goggle Wifi 3 puck mesh network.

For those things that do not operate via the Echo/Wink setup, I automate thru IFTTT. For example, if I say 'Alexa trigger Netflix', alexa sends info to IFTTT to Logitech Hub to turn on the 70" TV and change the input to the smart app Netflix. On my phone, since Alexa for android does not have voice input, Ubi app sends voice commands from phone to Alexa for processing & execution.

Wink lets me setup various robots, or locak If/Then statements, which can be nested. If one of my motion sensor sense motion, turn on outside lights and start motion off program (wait 16 mintues and turn off lights). One current issue w/ Wink's setup, all motion sensors are seen as one sensor. So my front porch sensor and my back door sensor trigger the same actions currently.

I am still not covinced to have security/doors on the smart circuit yet, but I know how insecure a keyed lock is. My alarm systems a seperate smart system w/ its own sensors & motion setup.

My next add on will be Bali smart shade motor controllers, I already have the blinds, and a Roomba which I will name Kraken & make the Echo work on the command of "Release the Kraken" to clean up after my 18 mo old daughter after she finishes throwing her food around at dinner.

 

[Jonathan]

My next add on will be Bali smart shade motor controllers, I already have the blinds, and a Roomba which I will name Kraken & make the Echo work on the command of "Release the Kraken"

I'm definitely stealing this idea. This is golden.

 

[WasNotWSS]

I've been abusing Arduino more than ARM or any Microchip, due to cost and ease of implementing (taking off the board and dedicating it to that purpose for less than a buck). So far, most projects have been blinkenlights, basic interfacing to an ELM327, and, yeah, blinkenlights.

I had a Pi 3, but I swapped it for a laptop before doing more than installing Raspian on an SD card.