Home Automation System

Overview

This project involves a Home Automation System using the ESP8266 Wi-Fi module. It allows the control of lights, the garage door, and other home appliances over a web interface that can be accessed via a Wi-Fi Access Point created by the system itself. The project also uses a DHT11 sensor to monitor temperature and humidity, sending the data to a server for display.

Key Features:

Wi-Fi Access Point Creation: The system does not connect to a home router for safety reasons but instead creates its own Access Point to isolate the home network from potential security risks.
Web-based Control Interface: Users can control lights and the garage door through a simple web interface. The interface includes buttons to turn individual lights on or off and control the garage door.
Automatic Porch Light Control: Based on the light intensity outside, the porch light is turned on automatically at night or turned off during the day. DHT11 Sensor for Temperature and Humidity Monitoring: The system uses a DHT11 sensor to monitor temperature and humidity, and displays the current readings on the web page.
Simple User Interface: The project incorporates the use of HTML and CSS to display an intuitive user interface, complete with icons representing different rooms, devices, and states of the home.

Hardware Components

ESP8266 Wi-Fi Module: Central to the project, used for networking and web server capabilities.
Servo Motor: Attached to the garage door for opening and closing it.
DHT11 Sensor: Used to measure the humidity and temperature inside the house.
Lights (LEDs): Used to simulate lights in various rooms.
Relay (optional): Can be used to control high-power devices such as actual home lights and garage doors.

Software Components

Libraries Used:

ESP8266WiFi.h: To enable Wi-Fi functionality and create an Access Point.
ESP8266WebServer.h: To manage HTTP requests and serve web pages.
Servo.h: To control the servo motor for the garage door.
DHT.h: To interact with the DHT11 temperature and humidity sensor.
ESP8266HTTPClient.h: To send HTTP requests with the sensor data.

Detailed Explanation of Code

Wi-Fi Access Point Setup

The ESP8266 creates its own Access Point with the following credentials:

const char *ssid = "Home-Automation-225";
const char *password = "Anjena225";

SSID is the name of the network.
Password ensures only authorized devices can connect to it.

A custom IP configuration is used for the server, ensuring the system can be accessed via a known IP address:

IPAddress ip(1, 2, 3, 4);
IPAddress gateway(1, 2, 3, 1);
IPAddress subnet(255, 255, 255, 0);

Web Server and Control Interface

The system uses two web servers:

WiFiServer webServer(80): Handles the main control page.
ESP8266WebServer webServerSensors(8080): Handles temperature and humidity readings sent from the DHT11 sensor. HTML Interface:

The web page includes icons and buttons for controlling different devices in the house. For example, the living room light can be toggled on/off using these commands:

if (header.indexOf("GET /living/light/on") >= 0) {
    livingLightState = "on";
    digitalWrite(livingLight, HIGH);
}
else if (header.indexOf("GET /living/light/off") >= 0) {
    livingLightState = "off";
    digitalWrite(livingLight, LOW);
}

Each room’s light and the garage door have similar commands, and a table is used to display the current state along with control buttons.

Servo Motor Control (Garage Door)

The garage door is controlled using a servo motor. The position of the door is adjusted to 0 degrees for closed and 90 degrees for open:

garageDoorMotor.write(0); // close
garageDoorMotor.write(90); // open

Light Dependent Resistor (LDR)

The LDR measures light intensity, controlling the porch light:

ldrValue = analogRead(A0); // read the LDR value
if (ldrValue < 50) {
    // If it's dark, turn on the porch light
    digitalWrite(porchLight, HIGH);
}

Temperature and Humidity Monitoring

The system uses a DHT11 sensor to monitor the temperature and humidity. It reads values from the sensor and sends them to the web server via an HTTP request:

float hTemp = dht.readHumidity();
float tTemp = dht.readTemperature(true);

This data is then displayed on the web page alongside control buttons.

Automation Logic for Air Conditioning (AC)

The project controls an air conditioner (simulated with a built-in LED), turning it on if the temperature exceeds 80°F:

if(tempf > 80) {
    digitalWrite(ac, LOW); // AC ON
}

Overview of HTML UI

The HTML UI serves as the front-end for controlling and monitoring the home automation system. It is displayed in a web browser when a user connects to the ESP8266 access point. The page refreshes every 5 seconds to show the latest status of the devices.

Key Components of the HTML UI

HTML Structure:

The UI starts with the <!DOCTYPE html> declaration, which defines it as an HTML5 document.
The <html>, <head>, and <body> tags organize the structure of the page.

Viewport Meta Tag:

<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">

This tag ensures the page is responsive, adjusting to different screen sizes, which is essential for usability on mobile devices.

Auto-refresh:

<meta http-equiv="refresh" content="5; url=http://1.2.3.4">

The page automatically refreshes every 5 seconds, allowing real-time updates without needing a manual refresh.

CSS Styling:

<style>
html { font-family: Helvetica; display: inline-block; margin: 0px auto; text-align: center; }
.button { background-color: #195B6A; border: none; color: white; padding: 4px 10px; width: 80px; text-decoration: none; font-size: 20px; margin: 2px; cursor: pointer; }
.button2 {background-color: #77878A;}
.bigbutton { background-color: #195B6A; border: none; color: white; padding: 4px 10px; width: 300px; text-decoration: none; font-size: 20px; margin: 2px; cursor: pointer; }
.bigbutton2 {background-color: #77878A;}
</style>

The CSS styles define the appearance of the page, including font styles, button sizes, and colors, enhancing the user experience.

Page Title and Header:

client.println("<body>");
client.println(house);
client.println("<font size=\"6\">Home Automation</font>");
client.println("<br/>");
client.println("<font size=\"4\"><strong>by Anjena Raja, Grade 5</strong></font>");
client.println("<br/>");
client.println("<font size=\"4\"><strong>Room 225, Mrs. Carr</strong></font>");

This section introduces the application with a title and some identification of the creator, making the UI more personalized and informative.

Device Status and Controls:

The UI displays the status of various devices (lights and garage door) in a table format. Each device’s current state and control buttons (ON/OFF or OPEN/CLOSE) are included:

client.println("<table align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"3\">");

The table structure organizes the information clearly, making it easy for users to view and interact with the controls.
Dynamic Status Updates: Each device’s state is dynamically updated based on the conditions defined in the code. For example:

if (livingLightState=="off") 
{
    client.println("<td>" + lightOff + "</td>");
    client.println("<td><a href=\"/living/light/on\"><button class=\"button\">ON</button></a></td>");
} 
else 
{
    client.println("<td>"+ lightOn + "</td>");
    client.println("<td><a href=\"/living/light/off\"><button class=\"button button2\">OFF</button></a></td>");
}

This conditional structure allows for different buttons to be displayed based on the current state of each light.

Light Control Buttons:

There are also buttons to control all lights at once:

client.println("<td colspan=\"5\"><a href=\"/all/light/on\"><button class=\"bigbutton\">ALL LIGHTS ON</button></a></td>");
client.println("<td colspan=\"5\"><a href=\"/all/light/off\"><button class=\"bigbutton bigbutton2\">ALL LIGHTS OFF</button></a></td>");

These buttons provide a convenient way to control multiple devices with a single click.

Environmental Sensors:

The UI also displays readings from the temperature and humidity sensors:

client.print("<p>Temp: " + temperature.substring(0,4) + "&#8457;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Humidity: " + humidity.substring(0,2) + "%&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A/C: ");

This information is crucial for monitoring the environment and managing the air conditioning system.