As humans, we tend to go for what gives us comfort in every aspect of our lives. It is unlimited the extent of convenience we crave for. From our 9-5 jobs to our driving back home, even essentially when we are in the comfort of our homes, we desire no pressure and we tend to be lazy in the process. Don’t get it twisted, being lazy in this context is the same as longing for rest.
Homes could be termed as safe zones, where we are the boss of ourselves. Automation comes in handy in getting the comfort we need in the home.
Automation is a system where the computer takes over human activities in getting things done much more effectively and requires little or no human involvement. This is one of the advantages technologies have brought to existence. This automated system comes in different forms but before we dwell on them, let’s talk about how this automation work.
The building blocks of Automation
Sensors
Sensors are important in these automated system buildups. There are various kinds of sensors, all are defined by their usage. A thermostat has a temperature and humidity sensor, a reed switch in the door to tell if the door is closed or not, an ultrasonic sensor will tell your distance whether far or near, etc.
It is data gotten from these sensors that are fed into the network to determine the decision we take in controlling these smart systems.
SmartHub
Smart Hub helps collect the sensor’s data in controlling these smart systems. It is from the data gotten that this hub that automation can be possible.
For instance, if you had configured that when the sun goes down then the front porch light should turn on or when the forecast says rain would fall, then the garden’s irrigation system should be turned off. This explains in layman’s words, what a smart hub does.
How does it all work?
This works by ensuring there is communication between the smart system, smart hub, and controller. This smart system connects to the smart hub using an internal network and the controller also connects to the smart hub.
The connector could come as an app on a phone. So, the smart hub serves as the brain of the system where data gotten from the sensor are stored and instruction given to be executed by the controller takes place.
In the absence of a smart hub, then the cloud can be used in its stead. But the pitfall of connecting to the cloud is that when the internet goes down, then the connection to the cloud will be lost. It is also cheaper to use a smart hub than the cloud because a smart hub can run on a computer that cost very little like Raspberry Pi or a desktop computer than having to pay for cloud services.
New to the tech world? Must have heard of some automation terms? Probably not.
Anyways, the home assistant is an open-source smart hub, this gives the functionality to re-design the hub to one’s choice or preference.
Tasmota is a firmware that can be installed on any smart device, it facilitates the communication between the smart hub and home assistant using a protocol called MQTT.
Why do we need to automate our home?
As earlier stated, that automation provides convenience. It is no doubt that going through the stress of our day-to-day activities, we would always find our way back home because the home signifies comfort. And when we get home, we desire comfort and this need has automation come to provide.
To an extent, automation can help enforce security in the home probably through the automated alarm system that will beep when trespassers try invading the home.
Automation in the home helps manage resources that are being automated such as turning off lights when it’s morning, turning off the TV when it has been inactive for a while, etc.
Things that can be automated in the home
There are quite a lot of things in the home that can be automated, in fact, it’s limitless. They include;
- Windows and doors
- Lighting system
- security system
- Temperature etc.,
Conclusion
With the breakdown stated above on how home automation work, it is still very much advisable to give any project on automation to an expert. And probably from there, you can start executing other projects afterward. The possibilities home automation brings knows no bounds.
