Smart Light

Alexa-compatible light controller for ESP8266 and ESP32. Developed on Wemos D1 Mini, but it should work for any other ESP8266/ESP32 device.

Dependencies listed at top of sketch.

Setup

1. Build the sketch and install it on the device.

2. Follow the WiFiManager setup by connecting to its captive wifi portal and entering your SSID/password.

3. Optional: find the IP address the device is connected to, and try curl http://<ip address>:52000/setup.xml. If you get back a bunch of XML, then it's probably working.

4. Start up the Alexa app on a phone.

5. Go to add devices, then when it asks for brand names, select "Other" and then "Discover Devices."

6. The app should find your new device, named something like Smart 12345. You can rename it in the app if you wish.

Ideas for the future

• Adapt to different light controller types, such as P9813-based driver boards, APA102C, WS2812B, etc. At a minimum this will allow gradual fading in/out of the light rather than abrupt switching.

• Switch to a smart-light protocol that allows colors and intensity control, but doesn't require a hub. The TP-Link protocol seems like a good candidate.

• Using ESP32's Bluetooth Low Energy support, react to BLE buttons to enable control without connecting to the Alexa system.