AWShome – Home automation using RPi + Alexa + IoT

Hardware components:
R8326274 01
Raspberry Pi 2 Model B
A Raspberry Pi 3 or even a Raspberry Pi Zero will work too!
× 1
433Mhz RF Transmitter and Receiver
Available for as low as $1 on Amazon as well!
× 1
Cheap Remote RF Outlet
× 1
11026 02
Jumper wires (generic)
Female-Female if you want to use them without a Breadboard
× 1
12002 04
Breadboard (generic)
Optional, with Female-Female Jumpers you can wire directly to the Pi
× 1
USB Microphone
Only for Advanced Portion! Any USB or Bluetooth (with dongle) microphone works!
× 1
3.5mm Speaker
Only for Advanced Portion! Any 3.5mm or Bluetooth (with dongle) speaker works!
× 1
Omron b3f 1000 image 75px
SparkFun Pushbutton switch 12mm
Only for Advanced Portion, and optional!
× 1
09590 01
LED (generic)
Only for Advanced Portion, and optional!
× 2
08377 02 l
Resistor 330 ohm
Only for Advanced Portion, and if using LEDs
× 1
Software apps and online services:
Dp image kit 02
Amazon Alexa Alexa Skills Kit
Screen%20shot%202015 07 20%20at%206.10.26%20pm
Amazon Web Services AWS Lambda
Ha 2up iot
Amazon Web Services AWS IoT
Avs med 3 22
Amazon Alexa Alexa Voice Service
Only for Advanced Portion!
Hand tools and fabrication machines:
09507 01
Soldering iron (generic)
Optional!!! Only if you want to add an Antenna to increase the range.

AWShome Home automation using RPi Alexa IoT

Introduction

Most wireless outlets like Wink and SmartThings cost around $70, and then each additional outlet can cost another $50! Older remote control outlets, like this one from Etekcity, can be as cheap as $5 an outlet!

The problem is, they don't have all those fancy voice and Wi-Fi features the new ones do, that's what this tutorial is going to help you solve!

We'll be using a Raspberry Pi (any model will do, but the pins might be different!), a 433 Mhz Transmitter/Receiver to communicate with the wireless outlets, and some Female-Female Wire Jumpers. You'll also need an AWS account to setup the Alexa, IoT and Lambda portions. Altogether it should cost about $50 for everything!

There's no hard language dependency, all of the libraries I use are basic and written in multiple languages. I normally write everything in Javascript, but this tutorial will be Python to better match other Raspberry Pi tutorials.

All IDs in this tutorial were deleted after completion, so don't worry about everyone being able to see my authentication secrets!

Preparing the Raspberry Pi Operating System

We start with the Raspberry Pi's operating system. Your Pi may have come with an SD card with the operating system already good-to-go, or you might have an SD card with NOOBS. Either of those will work, but you can also follow the official tutorials to prepare your own SD card. For the next step I'll assume you have the operating system installed and your Pi booted up.

Connecting to the Pi

You can easily get started using a Keyboard/Mouse/Monitor, but you will be able to do everything using just SSH so all you really need is an Ethernet cable. Here's a longer tutorial on how to do things using only an Ethernet cable and Adafruit has a tool, but on my Mac it was as simple as plugging one in and starting SSH in Terminal (default password is raspberry ):

$ 
The authenticity of host 'raspberrypi (10.10.10.74)' can't be established. 
ECDSA key fingerprint is SHA256:NcxFUmKkMfan0WozFOVFli9qDmBnwP5MC1ZkrgK29pM. 
Are you sure you want to continue connecting (yes/no)? yes 
Warning: Permanently added 'raspberrypi,10.10.10.74' (ECDSA) to the list of known hosts. 
pi@raspberrypi's password: raspberry
The programs included with the Debian GNU/Linux system are free software; 
the exact distribution terms for each program are described in the 
individual files in /usr/share/doc/*/copyright. 
Debian GNU/Linux comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY, to the extent 
permitted by applicable law. 
Last login: Fri May 27 11:50:32 2016 
pi@raspberrypi:~ $ 

Installing Dependencies

Once you're there we can begin installing our first dependency: pi-switch-python, which in turn has its own dependencies. Their page will have the most up-to-date instructions, but the main commands are below for convenience. Note libboost can take a LONG time, mine took half an hour!

From now on I won't include the output of the commands, just the current directory, and the commands themselves (everything after the dollar sign)

~ $ cd wiringPi 
~/wiringPi $ ./build 
~/wiringPi $ sudo apt-get update 
~/wiringPi $ sudo apt-get install python-dev libboost-python-dev python-pip  
~/wiringPi $ sudo pip install pi_switch

Installing AWShome

The final installation step is the actual AWShome library, which just needs to be cloned:

~/wiringPi $ cd ~ 
~ $ git clone https://github.com/rajington/AWShome 

Wiring up the Components

Both the schematic and the picture below use matching colors. I used a breadboard and a Pi Cobbler to make it easier to show, but they aren't necessary if you use Female-Female jumpers.

AWShome Home automation using RPi

Finding the Remote Codes

When the Etekcity remote's buttons are pressed, it emits a small radio signal. Once you've put batteries in the remote and wired up your Pi, you're ready to discover the actual codes the remote sends so we can send them without the remote. Simply run the included codes.py helper and it will display them on the screen. For each button you plan on using, record the code, remembering that on and off have different codes and that codes will repeat the longer you hold down the button. I've included the 10 codes that came with my remote, but yours might be different.

~ $ cd AWShome/ 
~/AWShome $ sudo ./codes.py 
Listening for RF codes... 
Received code 283955 
Received code 283955 
Received code 283964 
Received code 283964 
Received code 284099 
Received code 284099 
Received code 284108 
Received code 284108 
Received code 284419 
Received code 284419 
Received code 284428 
Received code 284428 
Received code 285955 
Received code 285955 
Received code 285964 
Received code 292099 
Received code 292099 
Received code 292108 
Received code 292108 

Configure the AWS CLI

Once you've registered and can login to the AWS console, you can get the credentials to configure awscli . Below is an example:

~/AWShome $ sudo aws configure 
AWS Access Key ID [None]: AKIAIOSFODNN7EXAMPLE 
AWS Secret Access Key [None]: wJalrXUtnFEMI/K7MDENG/bPxRfiCYEXAMPLEKEY 
Default region name [None]: us-east-1 
Default output format [None]: ENTER 

Although awscli doesn't require sudo, our script does and it'll be looking for credentials under the root account.

Create the Things using AWS IoT

We're now ready to create some thing s using AWS IoT. Each thing will be a different remote outlet, and it helps to give them friendlier names than outlet-1 and outlet-2, here I create two:

~/AWShome $ sudo aws iot create-thing --thing-name floor-lamp 
~/AWShome $ sudo aws iot create-thing --thing-name table-lamp 

You can also create the things using the web interface.

Configure AWShome

The last step is to configure the awshome.py file to use the names you created above. Edit the file and add the new things at the bottom. I've created two additional lines for the two things I created earlier using the remote codes I found earlier:

if __name__ == "__main__": 
    iot = createIoT() 
    rf = createRF() 
 
    # Create your switches here, using the format: 
    #   OnOff(<THING NAME>, <ON CODE>, <OFF CODE>, rf, iot) 
    # 
    # The codes should be 6 digits and can be found using "codes.py". 
    # 
    # Example (from my remote): 
    #   OnOff('outlet-1', 283955, 283964, rf, iot) 
    #   OnOff('outlet-2', 284099, 284108, rf, iot) 
    #   OnOff('outlet-3', 284419, 284428, rf, iot) 
    #   OnOff('outlet-4', 285955, 285964, rf, iot) 
    #   OnOff('outlet-5', 292099, 292108, rf, iot) 
    OnOff('table-lamp', 283955, 283964, rf, iot) 
    OnOff('floor-lamp', 284099, 284108, rf, iot)
 
    print('Listening...') 
    
    while True: 
    

You must also update the endpoint with the one specific to your things, visible by selecting any thing from the IoT dashboard:

# creates thhe AWS IoT 
def createIoT(): 
   iot = AWSIoTMQTTShadowClient('AWSHome', useWebsocket=True) 
   # update this with your own endpoint from the IOT dashboard 
   iot.configureEndpoint('a1am7bjirugllj.iot.us-east-1.amazonaws.com', 443) 
   iot.configureCredentials(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__)), 'VeriSign-Class 3-Public-Primary-Certification-Authority-G5.pem')) 
   iot.configureConnectDisconnectTimeout(10)  # 10 sec 
   iot.configureMQTTOperationTimeout(5)  # 5 sec 
   iot.connect() 
   return 

Testing IoT

We can now actually test to see that IoT is all working! First we download the required certificate file that AWS IoT requires.

~/AWShome $ wget https://www.symantec.com/content/en/us/enterprise/verisign/roots/VeriSign-Class%203-Public-Primary-Certification-Authority-G5.pem 

Next we run awshome.py so our things get populated with some state. If your outlets were currently on, they will initialize to off the first time you run the program.

$ sudo ./awshome.py 
Turning table-lamp OFF using code 283964 
Turning floor-lamp OFF using code 284108 
Listening... 

Read More: AWShome – Home automation using RPi + Alexa + IoT


About The Author

Ibrar Ayyub

I am an experienced technical writer holding a Master's degree in computer science from BZU Multan, Pakistan University. With a background spanning various industries, particularly in home automation and engineering, I have honed my skills in crafting clear and concise content. Proficient in leveraging infographics and diagrams, I strive to simplify complex concepts for readers. My strength lies in thorough research and presenting information in a structured and logical format.

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