What is a “Smart Home”

Smart home technology connects various home appliances and devices via sensor or wired/wireless network and enables the users to remotely monitor and control.

The usage of smart home technology started in home automation applications, and has expanded its usage and conveniency by combining with other technologies like smart device, cloud, big data, machine running, and artificial intelligence.

The combination of smart home technology and smart devices enable users to remotely control the heater/cooler in the house, turn on/off electric lights in each rooms, monitor the usage of water and gas, and etc. Smart plug is another device that is widely used for efficient electricity usage and monitoring.

Smart Home with Arduino Ethernet

The development of Opensource hardware has provided an opportunity for hobbyists to create and innovate Internet of Things. The spread of DIY(Do it Yourself) has promoted a change in various fields of society such as education, health care, and smart home.

In particular, Arduino has led the Opensource hardware growth for DIY because of its easy implementation, abundant resources, and the spread of cheaper clones. Users can create the hardware of desired shape by combining Sensor Shield with Actuator Shield on a default board like Arduino Uno; and implementing and remote control and monitor with the network between different devices via Ethernet / Wi-Fi / Bluetooth shield is possible.

Among the various materials in WIZnet Museum, I would like to introduce several smart home projects using Arduino and Ethernet Shield. Following projects are focused on controlling and monitoring of each device based on Arduino. If referring to the well-designed projects, we can easily understand the production process and the pros and cons when we implement our ideas and also learn new skills.

1. Uber Home Automation with Arduino & Pi

http://wiznetmuseum.com/portfolio-items/wiz-treasure-6-uber-home-automation-w-arduino-pi/

This project uses both Arduino and Raspberry Pi; it can controll and monitor multiple devices in the house as the word ‘Uber’ represents. It is designed as a gateway for user monitoring by using Arduino as terminal nodes and installing OpenHAB as the open source automation software for Raspberry Pi.

2. Physical Home Automation Interface

http://wiznetmuseum.com/portfolio-items/wiznet-treature-36-physical-home-automation-interface/

Similar to the previous project, this smart home project also used Arduino as a terminal node and used Raspberry Pi as the main gateway. Each devices connected to Ethernet and Wi-Fi can communicate using MQTT protocol.

What is special about this project is that a model house was made as the physical interface; the actual house matches each operations done through the model house.

3. Arduino Total Control Home Automation

http://wiznetmuseum.com/portfolio-items/arduino-total-control-home-automation/

This video material onYouTube shows how to use the Arduino Ethernet shield to make a smart home control box with embedded light/human body sensor, voice module, and control terminal.

The code and description can be found at https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153095456037320&set=o.664635080284102&type=3.

4. Arduino Push Alerts – PushingBox

http://wiznetmuseum.com/portfolio-items/arduino-push-alerts/

This project named ‘ARDUINO Push Alert Box’ is an IoT interface based on Arduino and Ethernet shield. Users can receive notifications from the IoT device notification service called PushingBox when there is smoke in the house, intrusion from outside, or if the doorbell alert rings.

PushingBox service can send notification for various events and in many wasy. For example, users can receive photo/video notifications via smart phone if an IP camera is connected with the door bell.
Curator : Eric in WIZnet
You can contact to hkjung@wiznet.co.kr