Group Actions
Engagement
  • Author Author: TechnoChic
  • Date Created: Date Created
  • Views 3672 views
  • Likes 10 likes
  • Comments 19 comments
Related
Recommended

Arduino, Raspberry Pi, or ??? I'm Hacking Philips Hue Lights and I need your help!

TechnoChic
Arduino, Raspberry Pi, or ??? I'm Hacking Philips Hue Lights and I need your help!

Hi! It's Natasha.

I'm working on my next project for Element14 Presents which involves hacking the Philips Hue Lighting System. I need your help to determine which path I should take - please watch the video for the details of the project:

I will need to spend a lot of time learning to work with the Philips Hue API (and there's even a new one that just came out!) So, I want to make a well-informed decision:

  1. Should I use Arduino, Raspberry Pi, or another system?
  2. I will need 5 sensors (one under each cabinet) to detect my presence within a few feet of the sensor. What sensor system is best? Will it connect easily to the microcontroller system?
  3. What other ideas do you have for controlling the Hue Lights?

Please let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Thanks in advance for your help!

  • in reply to fmilburn

    Now I think of it, these sensors are so sensitive they will probably trigger due to toaster popping, or even boiling kettle vibrating! 

  • in reply to shabaz

    (can't edit): The second unit, CDM324, is built on some special RF PCB material, it is not normal fibreglass, so I can imagine it really may operate at 24 GHz.

    The AT5810 board on the other hand looks like it is on normal FR4 PCB material.

  • in reply to cstanton

    Hi Christopher,

    There's not a lot! Mainly a rectangular pad as some sort of antenna, and one chip. The chip is AT5810 by a company called 'Airtouching' but there isn't a lot of info on their website. It is possible to configure the chip using UART as I understand, but I never got any information from Airtouching (I did ask them, but they came back and wanted a business case). Their website doesn't have a lot of info, apart from mentioning it operates at 5.8 GHz. In its default configuration as supplied, literally all that needs to be done is:

    (1) Connect up 5V DC across the VCC and GND pins

    (2) The OUT pin will go high (from memory) when there is any movement, and will stay high for several seconds after movement stops.

    It's pretty impressive, it is as sensitive as any doppler sensor should be.

    image

    There are various other types available too. This one is slightly larger and taller, an apparently the product is called CDM324 and supposedly functions at 24 GHz. It has fancy gold on the PCB, so it probably has had some care in the design. I've not tried this one yet, I bought a couple but have not got around to trying this one since the one in the photo above was so effective.

    image

  • in reply to fmilburn

    Some more thoughts:

    • As Shabaz mentioned there may be interference issues with some sensor types. Perhaps the sensors can be turned on/off and cycle through them. 

    • Since zone detection along the counter is desired, the cone of detection of the sensor and range are important. The radar sensor I tested had significant sensitivity to the sides and even behind while giving a digital output.