I need a "MAKE controller" or something to intelligently control the window blinds.
I need the following sensors to begin with, to send data to the MAKE controller, preferably wirelessly
a light sensor * a temperature sensor
On the basis of this data, the MAKE controller should make a stepper motor / servo work to open/close window roller blind. This motor is not connected directly to the MAKE controller, and would have external power if required.
I have lots of questions to begin with:
Will each sensor require their own MAKE boards? If yes, this will become too expensive per sensor wise. e.g. motion sensors, if added can be numerous, and would naturally need to be scattered in the premises. 2. How will the sensors remotely send data to controller 3. How will the remote motors accept the data and implement it?
I cannot rewire the house, and have wifi, microwave, cordless phone at home. I was thinking of using zigbee (xbee), but am not sure. I have heard x10 has interference problems and easily picks up noise.
Please help me get started, or perhaps direct me to available related documents on the internet. My project is towards home automation. Thanks.
You appear to be headed toward building blind control hardware that already exists commercially along with the entire train of hardware, firmware and software to control it. Presumably you are skilled and efficient at programming in a language that the Make Controller
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understands.
Do you have the blinds already? Depending on how they operate, there are much simpler ways that simply require your controller to make a contact closure.
For example, google this newsgroup for "add-a-motor"
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A window blind controller with wireless remote is $130 + shipping from
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HTH ... Marc
Marc_F_Hult
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Visit my Home Automation and Electronics Porch Sale at
Actually, I envision a complete home automation, starting with maybe this automated blinds :) So I would try to add things and capabilities slowly to my project.
An important criterion of my project would be budget. I need to keep this low cost, that's why I thought I'll try building the components myself instead of paying huge load to 3rd party applications, which might not even be compatible to other manufactures, and might not talk to each other AND might have limitied in configuration/options.
No, I have not bought the blinds yet, as I am about to shift to a new house so am trying to first judge my needs of what will go best with my project needs. Yes, I am a software engineer with a bend towards programming and tinkering with computer/electronic stuff and have previously played with stepper motors etc. to control a robotic behavior, so I am ready to take the effort, if feasible.
I am ok, if I feel it can be useful to others, to maybe open source my developments for the benefit to all. On that note, do you already know of any open source home automation software initiative?
You said, "there are much simpler ways that simply require your controller to make a contact closure.". Could you please elaborate a bit, and maybe give an example? Thanks!
I *did* provide an example -- complete with the url where a specific practical solution can be purchased, its cost, and references to specific discussion of it stretching over the past eight years in this newsgroup comp.home.automation. Did you look art that information?
You have apparently considering designing and building (*just* for the window blinds):
1) Motor with enclosure
2) Gears, chains as or other attachment to the blinds
3) Switching mechanism(s)or servo for the motors
4) Servo motor controller
5) microcontroller
6) programming of the microcontroller
7) RF transmitter (What? How?
8) RF receiver (What? How?
The add-a-motor reference provides *all* of the above with the choice of controlling without RF by simple contact closure or contact closure by RF through simple modification of the RF transmitter (at least it is simple on the one I obtained with my add-a-motor).
By "contact closure" it is conventionally meant that a single-pole, single-throw (SPST) switch in a relay or mechanical switch is "closed" (caused to make contact) so that electricity is allowed to flow from one side of the switch to another. Typically circuits that can be completed by contact closure can also be completed through semiconductors such as bipolar transistors, MOSFETS, or Solid State Relays (SSRs).
A device that is controlled by contact closure is compatible with virtually every even modestly complete HA system known to humankind so there should be no significant concerns about compatibility with whatever overall HA control system you devise.
Have you looked at conventional, commercial home automation systems? Most are the result of many thousands of hours of software and hardware engineering and many times that in experience of and feedback from users.
I'd venture to say that much less than one in 100 folks who start out thinking that they are going to build a complete system from scratch ever do. I've spent much of a decade designing and building and installing (and redesigning and rebuilding and reinstalling, and re-redesigning and re-rebuilding and re-reinstalling) just the hard-wired lighting component of a HA system. It's a hobby for me, and I thoroughly enjoy/ed the journey. But building my own from scratch has been less cost effective than, say, getting a paper route or flipping burgers to fund a conventional HA system ;-)
HTH ... Marc
Marc_F_Hult
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Visit my Home Automation and Electronics Porch Sale at
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