A low-cost Wi-Fi smart home socket using internet of things

Abstract

With the emergence of smart home appliances, traditional power sockets are becoming less compatible with modern living styles. Furthermore, modern commercialized sockets are expensive and unaffordable. This project presents the development of a low-cost Wi-Fi smart home socket using internet of things (IoT) technology that is user-friendly for smartphone users to control home appliances. Smart home socket devices can turn on and off power outlets automatically from any location if they are linked to the internet and providing the user with more convenience and energy savings. This project uses a node microcontroller unit (NodeMCU) Wi-Fi module (ESP8266) as the main microcontroller unit to connect to a cloud platform. It also uses a mobile phone application to send instructions to the microcontroller for turning on and off household appliances remotely through a smart socket. The switching mechanism is monitored and controlled through the Blynk platform. A 4-channel relay module is used to transition DC current loads to AC current loads in order to activate switching processes. According to the study’s findings, the Wi-Fi smart home socket system is able to save on excessive usage of electrical appliances while also increasing electrical appliance safety.