Smart Home Automation System

BY Maqsood Ur Rahman
Mohammed Anees
Mohammed arsalaan
Mohammed sulaiman
Smart Home Automation System-a review

Abstract : Home automation has achieved a lot of popularity in recent years, as day-to-day life is
getting simpler due to the rapid growth of technology. Almost everything has become digitalized and
automatic. In this paper, a system for interconnecting sensors, actuators, and other data sources with
the purpose of multiple home automations is proposed. The system is called q-Toggle and works by
leveraging the power of a flexible and powerful Application Programming Interface (API), which
represents the foundation of a simple and common communication scheme. The devices used by q-
Toggle are usually sensors or actuators with an upstream network connection implementing the q-
Toggle API. Most devices used by q-Toggle are based on ESP8266/ESP8285 chips and/or on Raspberry
Pi boards. A smartphone application has been developed that allows users to control a series of
home appliances and sensors. The q-Toggle system is user friendly, flexible, and can be further
developed by using different devices and add-ons.

Keywords : Internet of Things, homeautomation, Smarthomes, sensors

Introduction : home to be connected to the Internet enables

users to remotely monitor and control them.
The Internet of Things (IoT) is a system that
These include light switches that can be turned
allows devices to be connected and remotely
on and off by using a smartphone or by voice
monitored across the Internet. In the last years,
command, thermostats that will adjust the
the IoT concept has had a strong evolution,
indoor temperatures and generate reports about
being currently used in various domains such as
energy usage, or smart irrigation systems that
smart homes, telemedicine, industrial
will start at a specific time of a day, on a custom
environments, etc. Wireless sensor network
monthly schedule, and thus will control water
technologies integrated into the IoT enable a
waste. Smart home solutions have become very
global interconnection of smart devices with
popular in the last years.
advanced functionalities. A wireless home
automation network, composed of sensors and One of the greatest advantages of home
actuators that share resources and are automation systems is their easy management
interconnected to each other, is the key and control using different devices, including
technology to making intelligent homes. A smartphones, laptops and desktops, tablets,
“smart home” is a part of the IoT paradigm and smart watches, or voice assistants. Home
aims to integrate home automation. Allowing automation systems offer a series of benefits;
objects and devices in a
they add safety through appliance and lighting
control, secure the home through automated
door locks, increase awareness through security
cameras, increase convenience through
temperature adjustment, save precious time,
give control, and save money
2.Materials and Methods
2.1 System Architecture and Design :
The classic Ethernet and/or a Wi-Fi local
network are usually enough for a working q-
Toggle setup. The different hardware used in the
system includes Raspberry Pi 3 or 4 boards (any
model), ESP 8266 Wi-Fi modules, and smart
devices. The Raspberry Pi version used for this
project is Raspberry Pi 4, due to the
improvements brought, as compared to
previous versions. For example, Raspberry Pi 1
and 2 do not have Bluetooth (it is needed for
controlling the thermostats). An important
feature of the Raspberry Pi is the row of
general-purpose input/output (GPIO) pins. A 40-
pin GPIO header is found on all current
Raspberry Pi boards. The three roles of a
Raspberry Pi board in a q-Toggle setup are the
following: the board could act as a q-Toggle
device when it is equipped with peripherals
(sensors or relay boards), it could also act as a
master hub for other devices, and, finally, it
could help install the ESP firmware on some
devices, when running Tuya Convert OS (Tuya is
a Chinese smart devices platform that offers
cloud services for ESP8266/ESP8285- based
devices). Tuya Convert OS helps replace this
proprietary Tuya firmware with a custom
firmware, without disassembling the device. An
important fact is that it works only for Tuya-
based devices.
The main part of the home automation system
based on IoT is the microcontroller. The ESP
8266 Wi-Fi module represents a set of efficient
highly integrated wireless Systems on Chip
(SoCs), which provides a complete and
standalone Wi-Fi
network solution. The ESP8266EX version is one
of the most integrated Wi-Fi chips in the
industry. In addition to its Wi-Fi functionalities,
ESP8266EX integrates an enhanced version of
L106 Diamond series 32-bit processor from
Tensilica (company based in Silicon Valley, in the
semiconductor domain), with on-chip SRAM.
ESP8266EX has seventeen GPIO pins, which
can be assigned
various to by programming the
functions
appropriate registers, two power pins, one
ground pin, reset pin, and two clock pins. The
devices used by q-Toggle are usually sensors or
actuators with an upstream network connection.
Keeping the device firmware updated is
probably one of the most essential tasks, and it
is often neglected when dealing with a large
number of devices. Q-Toggle facilitates this task
by allowing updates of the firmware very simply
for devices of different types and models. The q-
Toggle API is an intuitive HTTP API that enables
remote controlling of basic hardware ports,
such as GPIOs or Analog -to-digital converters
(ADC).
1. The idea behind q-Toggle is to control
programmable systems having a TCP/IP
stack via simple HTTP requests.
2. Device management—general status
and configuration of the device;
3. Port management—port information
and configuration;
4. Port values—reading and writing values
from and to ports;
5. Notifications—event notifications;
6. Reverse API calls—API calls via reverse
HTTP requests.
 but also on laptops/desktop machines. Firstly,
the application should be installed and, being a
PWA, it should be added to the home screen.
After installation, the q-Toggle app will be found
in the applications list of the device, and it can
be uninstalled whenever the user wants to.
When the user logs in for the first time an
admin with an empty password should be used.
However, for security reasons, it is highly
recommended to set a password in the Settings
page of the app.

Fig Q-Toggle Topology

The q-Toggle ecosystem is composed of a q-
Toggle Server, q-Toggle OS, Esp-Q-Toggle, add-
ons, and other tools and packages that are
specific to certain setups and use cases. The
main component is q-Toggle Server, which is
written in Python. It acts as a hub and provides
the user- friendly web app. Q-Toggle OS is an
operating system (OS) ready to be used with
Raspberry Pi boards and runs q-Toggle Server.
Esp Q-Toggle is a custom firmware for
ESP8266/ESP8285 devices and implements the
q-Toggle API. Finally, add- ons are optional
pieces of software that enhance the
functionality of q-Toggle Server. A device used
by q-Toggle will describe itself, indicating its
configuration, its supported optional
functionalities, and what ports it exposes. Each Figure :Logging into Q-Toggle server First time (a)
port, in its turn, will describe itself, indicating its and setting used password (b) .
identifier, type, configuration, and so on. By
The dashboard is the section where users
combining master–slave relationships between
will spend most of the time when using q-Toggle
simple devices and hubs in a network, a complex
Server. Here, they can create panels and groups
tree topology is obtained. Thus, a large number
of panels. In the panel edit mode, the user can
of smart devices can be easily managed. The
perform various tasks, for example add, move
type of communication is Wi-fi or Ethernet.
around, remove, resize, or configure widgets.
Consumers could operate at any level in the
Widgets usually require selecting one or more
hierarchy, thus limiting the access inside the
ports. Ports values will be displayed and/or
network to any desired subtree.
changed by the widget upon interaction.
2.2 Configuring the Web Application
Q-Toggle Server provides a user-friendly
interface, named frontend, which comes in the
form of a progressive web application (PWA). It
is designed to be used on smartphones,
tablets,
 Figure :Creating Panels (a) and Grouping of Figure: Adding, Removing
Panels (b). (a) and Configuring Ports(b)
The ports section is only accessible to
administrators. In this section, the user may add,
remove, and configure ports. If users have slave
devices management enabled in q-toggle
server.configuration (by default they are
enabled), the first thing they will have to do is to
select the device whose ports will be edited.
The first device in the list represents the hub
(the master device) itself. An important fact is
that only administrators can add, remove, and
configure slave devices.

Figure : Removing(a) and

Figure :Working with Widgets Dashboard
Layout(a) and Widget Properties(b).
Adding,
Configuring Slave Devices(b).
Toggle app is linked with the q-Toggle
Server package. This means that users will get
an app update whenever they update their q-
Toggle Server installation. Since q-Toggle is a
web app, the update process is done
automatically by the browser, when the user
reopens or refreshes the app. The user can
either close it and reopen it, or he/she can use
the pull-to-refresh function to make sure the
app is up to date.
3. Real Home Case Study
The use of q-Toggle in a real home will be
presented. The scenario consists of a two-floor
house with five rooms, two bathrooms, kitchen,
pantry, shed, garage, and garden. In this case, q-
Toggle is used for various purposes, such as:
1. Controlling the indoor temperature
(thermostats and air conditioning (A/C)).
2. Controlling the lights (on–off).
3. Monitoring the power and the energy.
4. Controlling the doors—gates, garage
door, or both at the same time (open–
close).
5. Security—the alarm.
6. Garden sprinklers.
3.1 Controlling Temperature and A/C
The purpose of controlling the indoor
temperatures is to maintain thermal comfort
and to save energy cost. In this case, the
thermostats system offers the following
advantages: the
ability to access and control the indoor
temperature anytime and from anywhere using
q-Toggle app on the mobile phone, the ability to
monitor and separately set the temperature in
individual rooms (not every room has the same
heating requirements), and, finally, the ability to
enable scheduling (lower the temperature
during the day, when nobody is home, or during
vacation). In this way, manual adjustments are
eliminated to save time and effort.
Figure :Controlling Indoor Temperature
This case study home is provided with nine
smart thermostats. Thanks to temperature
sensors, the heat system will start only when the
temperature falls under a set value (this value is
set on Q-Toggle app, for each room). For this
project, six Smart Wi-Fi Touch Thermostat
Temperature Wireless Controllers, connected to
the power line) and three Equivalents eq-3
Bluetooth smart thermostats, which run on
batteries, have been used.
The A/C can be controlled to turn on and
off without using the remote, by using the Q-
Toggle app. This task can be done using a smart
plug for the A/C machine. Controlling the
degrees is a feature that can be very easily
implemented in q-Toggle, if necessary, and it will
look similar to the case of thermostats.
3.2 Controlling the Lights
The proposed lighting control system on
the Q-Toggle app One of its main advantages is,
of course, the comfort. Smart lights can, without
any doubts, make our everyday life easier.
Another advantage is related to energy saving.
Big houses, with many rooms, can waste a lot of
energy by simply leaving the lights on where
they are not needed. In addition, many people
forget the lights on somewhere in the house,
when going to bed or leaving the house. In
these cases,
it is easy to see where lights are on and to
control them using the mobile app. In addition,
a smart lighting control system supports home
security by providing increased protection. For
example, this means that while away on holiday,
the lighting system could periodically switch on
and off lighting in the house, as if someone
were actually home. The light can be controlled
through Q-Toggle app, or using Google Home
assistant and the voice command “turn on/off
the light in ... room”. Q-Toggle is compatible with
Amazon Alexa as well. The devices used for
controlling the lights are Son off Touch with one,
two, or three channels.
home solutions provide for the reduction of
individual carbon footprint, give off zero
emissions, and reduce overall environmental
damage. For this case study, thirty-three
photovoltaic (PV) panels have been installed, in
two stages: the first sixteen panels and then
another seventeen panels.
Solar installations require a dedicated solar
inverter that converts solar power from the PV
system into an alternating current. Inverters that
are able to inject the excess of energy into the
grid are called on-grid (or grid-tie) inverters and,
in many countries, are subject to stricter rules
than those that work off-grid. One of the most
notable requirements for a grid-tie inverter is
the anti-islanding protection: in case of a grid
power outage, the inverter must immediately
stop injecting energy, thus protecting electrical
workers and upstream equipment. For this case
study, the PV power inverters are from the
following brand manufacturers: Fronius for PV1
and MPP Solar for PV2.

Figure : Switching on and off lights with Q-Toggle

App (a) and the Son off Touch device(b).

3.3 Energy and Power Monitoring

The whole world is looking for sustainable and

energy efficient solutions to make our planet
greener, so the use of renewable energy sources,
such as solar energy to the maximum efficiency
possible is the best solution. Photovoltaic panels
convert the sun’s rays into electrical power and
have become more affordable than ever.
Combining the energy savings of solar systems
with the smart technology, the benefit of
renewable energy in a home is maximized.
Home solutions can be fully automated using
Figure : Monitoring the Energy with Q-toggle (a)
solar power. In addition to cutting energy bills
and two inverters Fronius Symo (b),MPP
and providing energy efficiency, solar power-
Solar(c).
based
Solar energy can also be stored in batteries.
When using batteries of a relatively large
capacity, the energy accumulated over the day
can be consumed during the night or during
rainy days. Systems with smaller capacities may
only be used as a backup, in case of grid
outages, being able to supply the house with
energy for a limited number of hours. An
inverter that is capable of switching between
grid, solar, and battery energy sources,
depending on various configurable conditions,
is called a hybrid inverter. MPP Solar is such a
hybrid inverter.
The aim for monitoring the power is to see how
much energy the house is using and to become
more aware of the energy use and, thus, of the
money spent. An electricity monitor also helps
identify any high energy appliance accidentally
left switched on. Moreover, an important goal of
power monitoring is the detection of abnormal
conditions in voltage when the electrical
network is undersized, and there are a lot of
voltage variations. A smart power meter allows
a continuous monitoring of all the important
parameters when it comes to electricity: active,
reactive, or apparent power, power factor,
current, voltage, frequency, and total energy
consumption. The device is based on ESP8266
and integrates a high current switch that can be
used to remotely cut off energy supply, in case
of an emergency.
Figure :Monitoring Power with Q-Toggle App
(a) AC input Voltage
(b) House Power
(c) Gris Consumed Power\
(d) Grid Produced Power
3.4 Access Control and Security
Access control involves controlling entrances,
gates and doors, in this case study, the gates and
the garage door, specifically. Various options can
be chosen: to fully open or close only the gates,
only the garage door, or both at the same time,
or to keep half open one of them or both.
Access control can be done manually, using the
app, and by vocal commands, using Google
assistant on a smart watch. To control gate
motors and the garage door, we used two
Blitzwolfboards
relay SS1smart that enable remote
opening/closing. This allowed us to mimic the
conventional gate remote control using our Wi-
Fi-based system.
The home security system consists of a master
control panel, the keypad (when not using the
Q- Toggle app), motion sensors, and the siren.
The Q-Toggle app is provided with the options
to arm and disarm the security system. Arming
and disarming can be performed by voice
commands as well, using Google Assistant/smart
watch. We have also implemented the Sleep
option, which can be used during the night and
arms only the ground floor of a house, for
security reasons.
Figure : Access Control(a) and Security(b) with
Q- Toggle
 If motion is detected downstairs during the
night, the alarm will trigger. Arming and
Disarming, using Sleep mode, can be done
manually, using the Q-Toggle app, but also using
an extra light switch, placed upstairs (for more
comfort). The alarm system used in this case
study is a Paradox MG5050 alarm. A custom
integration module has been developed using a
Raspberry Pi board to be able to control the
alarm unit remotely.

3.5 Controlling the Irrigations

Automated irrigation systems help people

control the water used in their gardens or fields
and, thus, to avoid water waste, to save energy
and time, and to minimize water bills. Using an
automatic system based on valves instead of the
classical manual irrigation also avoids human
errors, for example forgetting to irrigate one day,
not being able to do it, or forgetting to turn off
the water after irrigation. The proposed
irrigation system is based on Raspberry Pi and
controls a number of pop-up sprinklers. The
system inside the well contains: electric valves
(Rain Bird DV/DVF valves), one standard 1.1 kW
water pump, a Raspberry Pi board connected to
the house LAN, and a pressure switch (Easy
Press II model, with a maximum pressure of 10
bar). The user is able to select two modes: the
manual one where he can start and stop
irrigations whenever he wants and in which
zone he wants and an automatic mode, with or
without humidity sensors.
Figure Controlling the Irrigation System with Q-
Toggle(a) and The YL 69 sensor(b).
In the automatic case, without sensors, the user
is able to set schedules, by turning on the
Enable schedule button. The adjustments can be
made on the last four slides in the app: Morning
factor, Evening factor, Morning time, and
Evening time. The user is able to select the time
in the morning and evening when the irrigation
should start but also select the amount of water
by adjusting the Morning/Evening factor. A time-
controlled sprinklers system not only eliminates
the chore of hand watering but also saves water,
time, energy, and of course money. The sensors
and actuators used for the presented case study,
along with their main characteristics. Of course,
in the architecture of q-Toggle, any kind of
sensor or actuator can be used.
 that we do not accidentally run out of storage
due to excessive logging.
Events are actually inputs whose values change.
These inputs are usually mapped to physical
ports whose logic state may change, but they
can also be virtual ports, which are obtained as
combinations of other inputs, using Excel-like
expressions.

Abbreviations

API Application Programming Interface

Heating, Ventilation and Air
HVAC Conditioning
Figure Architecture of Q-Toggle

The Q-Toggle Architecture is composed of HTTP Hypertext Transfer Protocol

Master hub connected to the house LAN and six IoT Internet of Things
hubs connected to the Master hub.
JSON JavaScript Object Notation
(a) Upstairs hub—controls lightning and
HVAC systems upstairs Message Queuing Telemetry
MQTT Transport
(b) Downstairs hub—controls lighting and
temperatures downstairs PWA Progressive Web App
(c) Power hub—in charge with energy and
power monitoring REST Representational state transfer
(d) Garage hub—controls
TCP- Transmission Control Protocol-
lights, temperature, and access IP Internet Protocol
(e) Alarm controller—motion monitoring
and alarm system control
(f) Irrigation controller—
controlsthe irrigation system in the
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