I am going to build a complete home automation system based on open-source hardware, record the entire process from start to finish and make a course from it.
Short Summary
Hey folks! I am Marco Schwartz, entrepreneur & electrical engineer, and founder of Open Home Automation where I teach people how to build their own home automation systems using open-source hardware. I have more than 5 years of experience in electrical engineering and I have a solid experience with open-source hardware platforms like Arduino.
Here is what I want to do in a nutshell:
- Build a complete home automation system using only open-source components
- Release all the hardware and software sources so they are available for everybody to use, modify and share
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Record the entire process from start to finish to turn it into an educational experience
- By helping me on Indiegogo, you will get access to the course with screencasts, live demos, and more!
What We Need & What You Get
Because I am now dedicated 100 % to the project, I need your help to make it a reality! The money will be used to support me during the building of the system and the making of the course, and to buy the components I need.
As a result, you will get a video course that will guide you from start to finish through the creation of a complete home automation system, plus all the hardware and software sources of the different components. It includes the following devices:
Web-connected central station with an HTML5 interface to control your home
A central station based on the Raspberry Pi, with a web server running on it to control every devices connected to it, a LCD screen to display the essential informations, a keyboard to control the main features, and a graphical HTML5 user interface to access it from anywhere in the world from a computer, smartphone or tablet. It will also come with a siren in case an intrusion is detected.
Wireless motion sensor
A wireless motion sensor based on a Passive Infrared Sensor to detect movement in your home.
Wireless temperature sensor
A wireless temperature sensor to constantly monitor the temperature in your home.
Wireless contact sensor
A wireless contact sensor to detect if a door or window has been opened.
Wireless controlled relay
A wireless controlled relay device to switch on or off any device in your home like lamps.
At the end, every schematics, layouts and software that I will create will be open-source and available for everyone. The video course itself will be accessible in a private section of the website, with screencasts, recordings of live demos, and detailed explanations of the code. To get an idea of what you can expect in the course, you can already check our Youtube channel where you can find several video tutorials.
![Learn to prototype your own home automation devices Learn to prototype your own home automation devices]()
Here are the platforms/technologies you will learn about in the process:
- How to use the Raspberry Pi as a home automation hub
- How to interface sensors with the Arduino platform
- How to make open-source devices communicate via WiFi
- Make your own sensors with custom-designed PCBs
- Learn about 3D printing to design & build your own cases
- Use C/C++ to program Arduino boards
- Master HTML5, JavaScript and PHP to design the user interface
With everything you will learn in the process, you will be able to replicate the process and build your own home automation system for your home. And because everything will be open-source and freely available, you will be able to tailor everything for your home!
The Impact
I've always been frustrated with commercial home automation systems. They are expensive, and more important you can't modify anything or add your own parts. Usually, once you chose a brand, you have to stick with it for all the additional sensors you want to add.
That's what I want to change with this project. By building an open-source home automation system, teaching people how to build their own home automation systems, and giving away all the schematics and software under open-source licenses, I believe we can make a huge progress in the field of home automation.
I already have several tutorials on my website and video tutorials on Youtube that goes in this direction, but with this project I really want to take it to the next level and build a complete open home automation system, and teach people how to do the same.
![Step-by-step screencasts Step-by-step screencasts]()
Stretch Goals
In addition to the parts I mentionned before, here are the parts that will be included in the project if we reach more than our goal:
$7500: GSM module for the central station
A GSM module for the central station, so you can receive text messages on your phone if an alarm is detected for example.
$10000: Wireless controlled power plug
A wireless controlled power plug to remotely switch on or off a given device in your home, and monitor its power consumption.
Other Ways You Can Help
If you can't contribute to the project, just share this and let other people know about the project! Also, any comment or remark on the project is highly appreciated!