Abstract
Home automation systems have attracted considerable attention with the advancement of communications technology. A smart home (SH) is an Internet of Things (IoT) application that utilizes the Internet to monitor and control appliances using a home automation system. Lack of IoT technology usage, unfriendly user interface, limited wireless transmission range, and high costs are the limitations of existing home automation systems. Therefore, this study presents a cost-effective and hybrid (local and remote) IoT-based home automation system with a user-friendly interface for smartphones and laptops. A prototype called IoT@HoMe is developed with an algorithm to enable the monitoring of home conditions and automate the control of home appliances over the Internet anytime and anywhere. This system utilizes a node microcontroller unit (NodeMCU) as a Wi-Fi-based gateway to connect different sensors and updates their data to Adafruit IO cloud server. The collected data from several sensors (radio-frequency identification, ultrasonic, temperature, humidity, gas, and motion sensors) can be accessed via If This Then That (IFTTT) on users' devices (smartphones and/or laptops) over the Internet regardless of their location. A set of relays is used to connect the NodeMCU to homes under controlled appliances. The designed system is structured in a portable manner as a control box that can be attached for monitoring and controlling a real house. The proposed IoT-based system for home automation can easily and efficiently control appliances over the Internet and support home safety with autonomous operation. IoT@HoMe is a low cost and reliable automation system that reduces energy consumption and can notably provide convenience, safety, and security for SH residents.