Smart plugs are an affordable and easy way to automate your home. Here's why they're the most useful smart home device you can buy.
   
    
 
 
  
   
   This article explains how MQTT (Message Queuing Telemetry Transport) can be used to create a more streamlined and organized smart home by enabling local communication between devices, reducing reliance on cloud services, and simplifying automation.
   
    
 
 
  
   
   Moondream transforms the humble Raspberry Pi into a context-aware visual interpreter, capable of answering nuanced questions about images in plain English. This guide explores its potential for home automation, security analysis, and more.
   
    
 
 
  
   
   This article details the creation of a "Now Playing" display for a record player using an ESP32 microcontroller. It leverages a microphone, Shazam API (via Shazamio Python library), and MQTT to identify and display the currently playing track. The project involves hardware setup with a Waveshare display and software development in ESPHome.
   
    
 
 
  
   
   This article details six projects built using a Raspberry Pi Zero 2W, including a USB gadget for automation, a network scanner, an OctoPi print server, an MQTT broker, a retro gaming system, and an E Ink weather display. It highlights the board's affordability, power efficiency, and versatility for various home lab and side projects.
   
    
 
 
  
   
   Google Gemini simplifies creating advanced home automations with its script editor and YAML language, making it user-friendly for non-technical users. Learn how to use Gemini for smart home automation.
   
    
 
 
  
   
   Software Plugins for HomeSeer smart home software and hubs, allowing integration with thousands of smart home products and technologies.
   
    
 
 
  
   
   Seeed Studio has introduced two new mmWave sensor kits, designed for edge AI detection of falls and heartbeats respectively. These kits are powered by the company's XIAO ESP32C6 development board and pre-installed edge-AI algorithms.
   
    
 
 
  
   
   This article details how to use a software-defined radio (SDR) to read data from utility meters, allowing for a more complete understanding of energy usage in a smart home.