Group Actions
Engagement
  • Author Author: TechnoChic
  • Date Created: Date Created
  • Views 3680 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!

  • Hi Natasha,

    I wrote up some experimentation I did with human detection here: /challenges-projects/project14/open-arduino/b/blog/posts/ls-cubed-little-sister-security-system

    It covers PIR, ultrasonic, and radar but most of the effort was on radar. There is a lot of good discussion in the comments below the main post on the radar sensor.

  • Hi Natasha,

    It seems a very good idea to go with the Hue!

    For under-cabinet lighting, I made the mistake of using LED strips from some company that appeared to sell lighting for architecture projects, but they faded and some failed over the years. (Admittedly it has now been more than a decade since they were installed, but some signs were noticeable after just a few years).

    For under-cabinet lighting I'm sure you want something reliable for a decade or so, and something that is likely to continue to be supported in an ecosystem for many years.

    It could also be interesting to experiment with microwave-based radar type sensors. I have tried just a single one of these on its own and I don't know if multiple ones would interfere much. These particular ones remain triggered for several seconds, so they may not be entirely ideal, if you wish to have any specific light dimming setup. They are extremely sensitive which is very good. If anything, they may be over-sensitive though, but perhaps that could still be a positive thing, since you may wish the lighting to increase even as you approach the particular workpace area (if that's what you wish to achieve). Maybe there are different models that might be less sensitive.

    image

  • If you are more comfortable with Python, go with the Pi Pico W, if you prefer C, go with the MKR WiFi, although they can both be used with either language. Availability may also dictate which one to use. Another alternative would be an ESP32. which are also available from Newark.

    Those IR sensors work well.