100% DIY home automation. From the thermostats to the security cameras, everything we used in designing our home was built on a budget. At the heart is Raspberry Pi home automation with Arduino sensors. Below are all of the IOT projects (networking, software, and hardware) that made this DIY home automation possible.
DIY Home Automation?
A home automation system is only as good as its parts.
While there are many cloud services out there (HomeKit, SmartThings, Google Home, etc.), many people find that these “walled-garden” approaches quickly become frustrating. In early 2020, for example, one major IOT cloud company (Wink) closed and stopped supporting their hardware. This meant that for unknown thousands of people around the world, their smart homes suddenly stopped working.
The following approach to home automation is more:
- Private: no data about you our your house ever leaves the house.
- Secure: no company or third party is involved.
- Integrated: all the devices work together in one system.
- Reliable: the system monitors itself for faults.
- Cost-effective: DIY parts are cheaper than big name parts.
… and I could go on.