Home automation has gone from a luxury only rich people in movies had to a part of our everyday lives!
Photos by: Stock Images
The popularity of smart technology in homes is understandable. Not only does it make our daily lives easier and daily tasks less tedious, but it can even be used to protect us at home, which is especially important for vulnerable people living alone, such as women and the elderly. Smart homes are also seen as more environmentally friendly, making them particularly appealing as we navigate the murky waters of the climate crisis. While you can choose from a range of devices like Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, if you have a bit of technical know-how, you can also build your own home automation systems using Arduino boards. Here we examine some of the systems you could build at home.
Automatic door lock
If you have a habit of misplacing your keys, an automatic door lock could be the answer to your prayers. Building your own smart lock is surprisingly easy and can be accomplished with a few affordable components, so it won't cost you a fortune. An Arduino Nano is the ideal technical device for this project as it is compatible with both Windows and Android devices. Once you have built your automatic lock, your Bluetooth device can be used to open and close the lock.
Email-connected surveillance camera
If you want to make your home safer for you and your family, a security camera is a worthwhile investment. However, with a few simple steps and the right Arduino board, you can take it a step further and build a security camera that connects to your email inbox. The benefit of an email connected camera is that it can take a photo of a visitor on your property and email the photo to you for review.
Automated blinds
Wouldn't it be nice to be able to open and close your blinds with the push of a button? If you build your own automated roller blinds, you can make this dream a reality! An Arduino Pro Mini 3.3V is the base you need to build the automated mechanism with. A soldering iron and 3D printer are also needed to build your own automated blinds, among various other components.
alarm system
If you've already had experience successfully developing Arduino-based products and are ready for a new challenge, a home security alarm system could be your next step. Just like a store-bought alarm, this Arduino-based system is able to detect movement and activate a piercing sound to warn you of an intruder. The alarm can be reset or turned off with a password like a traditional intruder alarm system.
