IoT or the internet of things is characterized as a forthcoming innovation that empowers us to control equipment gadgets through the Internet. Homes of the next generation will become more and more self-controlled and mechanized because of the solace it gives, particularly when utilized in a private home. A Home automation system implies the users control electric appliances of varying kinds.
Wired communication is used in many existing, well-established home automation systems. This isn’t a problem until the framework is planned ahead of time and implemented during the actual construction of the structure. However, the execution cost of already existing structures is exceedingly expensive.
This proposed IoT-based Home Automation system aims to operate home equipment through the internet, thus automating modern homes. This framework allows you to operate your household electrical machines with the touch of a finger. As a result, consumers will receive suitable lighting options, improved energy conservation, and optimal energy use. The customer can control home appliances through the Internet using this simple interface method.
WHAT IS A HOME AUTOMATION SYSTEM?
An IoT based Home Automation system, as the name proposes intends to control all the devices of your smart home through internet protocols or cloud-based computing. It brings the control of working your consistently home electrical machines to the tip of your finger, in this way giving clients reasonable lighting arrangements, better energy protection with ideal utilization of energy. Apart from just lighting solutions, the concept also further extends to having overall control over your home security as well as building a centralized home entertainment system, and much more.
HOW DOES HOME AUTOMATION WORK?
Home Automation is achieved by a network of devices connected to the Internet via various communication protocols such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, ZigBee, and others. The devices can be operated remotely via electronic interfaces using controllers, a voice assistant like Alexa or Google Assistant, or an application. Many of these IoT devices feature sensors that track motion, temperature, and light to provide information about the device’s surroundings to the user. The client activates actuators, which are physical components such as bright light switches, mechanised valves, or engines that allow devices to be operated remotely, to make actual enhancements to the device.
Home Automation basically works in three levels:
- Monitoring: Clients can monitor their devices through an application, which is referred to as monitoring. Someone could, for example, observe their live stream from a clever surveillance camera.
- Control: Control implies that the client can handle these gadgets from a distance, such as planning a surveillance camera to see to a greater extent a living space.
- Automation: Finally, mechanization implies setting up gadgets to trigger each other, such as having a savvy alarm sound at whatever point a furnished surveillance camera recognizes movement.
To get client orders over the Internet, we use an AVR family microcontroller connected to a wifi modem in this proposed system. This system also has an LCD display for displaying system status and switching loads.
A 12 V transformer provides electricity to the entire system. The microcontroller processes user commands received over the internet immediately, operating the loads as needed and displaying the system status on an LCD display. As a result, this method enables effective home automation over the internet.
ADVANTAGES OF HOME AUTOMATION SYSTEM:
- Reduced installation costs
- System scalability and easy extension
- Integration of mobile devices possible
- High flexibility over the wired systems
- Ease-of-use
- Ease-of-installation
- Avoid the complexity of running through wires or loose electrical connections,Â
- Easy fault detection and triggering and even offers easy mobility.
IoT home automation – APPLICATIONS
- Lighting
Smart Lighting can be scheduled to turn on/off and change its intensity. With IoT enabled across the home, the lights can respond to other actions you take.
The lighting, for example, might react to your home theatre. When you start viewing a movie, they can switch off or dim. Further, they may react to the type of film being shown. Â They might even react to the type of film if you take it a step further. For example, they can turn off completely if the lights detect that you are viewing a thriller, providing you with a legitimate setting.
Doors
Doors may also become smarter in the future. When you use a smart device or facial recognition to open or close the door, it does it automatically. Furthermore, future technology will allow the lights to turn on as soon as you walk through the door. Alternatively, they can turn it off if you’re leaving.
Windows
Windows become intelligent as well, opening and closing the shutters automatically as the sun rises and sets. We can also set the window to close automatically when it rains.
Thermostat
We can also adjust the thermostat by checking the temperature in the room and outside and selecting the appropriate setting for you. It may even know when you are showering or exercising and perform specific activities accordingly.
Gardens
With IoT, even your gardens could become smarter in the future. We can detect soil dryness and activate the watering system by deploying IoT sensors in the garden. If the grass reaches a specific height, robotic lawnmowers can be deployed automatically.
Home routines
A large portion of the home can already be connected to smart devices. There are smart plugs that turn devices on and off automatically. Smart alarm clocks can play music or even give you the news when you wake up. Voice assistants can even control lighting, appliances, thermostats, alarms, and other devices in the home.
Surveillance cameras:
Security cameras allow you to observe what’s going on at home using a mobile application; you’ll also be notified of movement or individuals, depending on the camera’s AIutines, which include lights, home appliances, indoor regulators, cautions, and other devices.
CONCLUSION:
This. IoT-based home automation project aims to automate the functioning of household appliances and objects over the Internet. All the household objects that are connected over the IoT network can be controlled and operated through your smartphone.
This is not only convenient but also gives more power to the user to control and manage household appliances from any location in the world. This IoT-based project uses a touch-based home automation system. The components of this project include a WiFi connection, an AVR family microcontroller, inbuilt touch sensing input pins. While the microcontroller is integrated with the WiFi modem to obtain commands from the user via the Internet, an LCD screen displays the system status. When the microcontroller receives a command, it processes the instructions to operate the load accordingly and show the system status on an LCD screen.