Inspiration
I purchased a cheap LED strip kit of Amazon that came with a basic IR controller. I immediately found myself losing the remote and wondering if I could connect it to my Echo dot. I knew there were IoT LED strips available such as the Philips Hue or LIFX but both were very expensive from 60-80 per meter of LEDs. Both Philips and LIFX didn't allow any other LED strips to connect. The only WiFi connected controller I could find was 30$ with a really bad IOS app with a terrible user interface and it wouldn't connect with any other IoT devices or even Alexa. Then I thought I could make a product better, cheaper, and more customizable than any current one.
What it does
We have an Arduino programmed to connect to the LEDs then connect to the user's WiFi network communicating with our cloud server via MQTT. The user can download the Lumfiy app from either the App Store or the Play Store then register any of their LED strips to be able to control them from anywhere in the world. The app provides many preset effects for the user to try.
How we built it
The app was built using react native with a node js backend and postgres database. The Arduino is programmed in the arduino language. MQTT is used as a lightweight protocol for communication between the server and the arudino.
Challenges we ran into
The challenge we ran in to was mostly getting familiar with new technologies such as react native. One part was making the splash screen animation, it took almost 4 hours to do it. We also had trouble setting up the server on aws ec2, because the machine was Amazon Linux instead of Mac OS which I’m more familiar with.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
We were able to build a fully working mobile app. The hardware run fast and efficiently allowing seamless control. The part we are most proud of would be the splash screen, which looks really nice.
What we learned
We learned much of React-Native and Node.js. We also learned how to program good-looking animations, transitions, and especially a really cool splash screen.
What's next for Lumify
We will create a Zigbee version of the Arduino so that users who already have hubs such as Smart Thing can connect their LED strips without using WiFi which can have limited range, be overcrowded, and unreliable. Lumify will also have an option for users to load their own custom patterns and effects. Lastly, Lumify team will add strip sync so multiple controllers can be sync to create a truly unique and connected smart home. Once these features are added we will have the hardware finalized and mass produced for market.
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