All articles tagged with #home assistant
Hackaday reports on a project where Meshtastic is used beyond simple text messaging: an off-grid, long-range mesh connects a shed alarm to Home Assistant via Heltec ESP32 LoRa modules. A remote node watches an infrared beam and publishes alerts over Meshtastic, while a second module bridges to Wi‑Fi and MQTT for Home Assistant integration, showcasing Meshtastic’s potential for distributed sensing and automation beyond chat."
Installer No. 116 surveys reader tips for ditching Big Tech, highlighting Proton for email/calendar/docs, Signal for private messaging, Nextcloud for open-source, self-hosted services, and Home Assistant for smart homes; it also flags privacy-focused or open-source options (Firefox, Kagi, Ecosia, Linux Mint, GrapheneOS, Jellyfin, Obsidian) and shares Paris Marx’s homescreen plus crowdsourced picks, showing that a non‑Big Tech life is increasingly feasible.
A maker builds an authentic LCARS-inspired touchscreen dashboard for his Home Assistant setup using LVGL and ESPHome on an ESP32-S3 with a Waveshare 7” display, designing in Illustrator and implementing with YAML to create stacked shapes and widgets that control lights and monitor sensors—pure nerdy joy rather than practical necessity.
The article explains how to modify the QingPing Air Quality Monitor 2 to report data to a local MQTT server instead of the cloud, using ADB shell access and file edits, enabling integration with home automation systems like Home Assistant.
A large 12-inch Z-Wave antenna, the Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2, significantly improves smart home device connectivity over long distances, such as in gardens and attics, by using Z-Wave Long Range technology. It is easy to set up, enhances network stability, and is especially useful for connecting low-powered sensors and devices in remote areas of a property, despite its conspicuous size and appearance.
Home Assistant, a DIY home automation platform, has made significant progress in local voice control, allowing users to manage smart home devices with voice commands. While it has limitations compared to mainstream voice assistants like Alexa and Google, such as a limited verb set and hardware compatibility issues, it offers privacy-minded, locally run voice control. The platform's founder acknowledges the need for improvements in audio input, error handling, language support, and hardware compatibility. Despite these challenges, Home Assistant has made impressive strides and continues to evolve towards its end goal of providing a viable alternative to mainstream voice assistants.
Samsung has unveiled an advanced version of its AI home companion robot, Ballie, which can autonomously roll around the home, project images and videos, control smart appliances, and communicate with users. The robot can greet users, play music, project workout videos, answer phone calls, send video updates of pets, control smart devices, and more. It is expected to be available for sale within the year and will be compatible with Samsung’s SmartThings platform and other third-party devices and services.
Home Assistant, a popular software for privacy-focused smart homes, is introducing a new product called Home Assistant Green to make the platform more accessible. Priced at $99, the Home Assistant Green is a compact device with preloaded Home Assistant software, making it easier for users to set up a smart home without the need for extensive hardware tinkering. The device comes with a quad-core CPU, 32GB eMMC storage, 4GB RAM, USB slots, HDMI out, and a microSD slot for expansion. The goal is to provide a more affordable and user-friendly entryway into the world of Home Assistant, catering to those who want a privacy-focused smart home without the complexity.
A software person built vent boosters to solve the common HVAC problem of uneven temperature distribution in different rooms. The boosters are ESPHome controlled, 3D printed, and powered by PC fans. They can be integrated into Home Assistant or run stand-alone using their own temperature and pressure sensors. The project includes a startup sequence that checks for compatible temperature sensors and a board layout that accommodates different capacitor lead spacings. The builder also graphed noise levels and pressure sensor readings against temperatures to optimize fan triggers.
Willow is a new project that aims to fill the gap in the market for Home Assistant-ready voice gear by utilizing ESP-32-BOX devices, which provide a basic hardware shell around ESP32 SoCs. Once flashed with Willow, they can work as locally controlled voice assistants and, eventually, great and easy access points for Home Assistant. The project is cheap, easily flashed, self-hosted or entirely on-device, open source, and extensible by software or GPIO pins. The voice detection is accurate and reliable, and the hardware is ready for the kitchen counter.
The Home Assistant SkyConnect dongle is a combination Zigbee and Matter/Thread device that adds interoperability to smart home gadgets. Home Assistant is a free and open-source home automation software that can run on single-board computers like the Raspberry Pi. The SkyConnect is a great excuse to start fresh and convert your whole house to Home Assistant. The slow, painful process of dismantling everything connected to the Philips Hue Hub is worth it for the control and customization that Home Assistant provides.