[Feature Request] Support external ambient light sensing via Android + REST/UDP bridge for automatic monitor brightness

[Serge2019]

Hi! I would like to suggest a feature that I think could be genuinely useful.

I have already built a similar setup for myself: an Android app + a node-js service that launches Twinkle Tray with brightness parameters and applies them on my Windows 11 laptop. I already got very good results, and I will attach a screenshot of the brightness fluctuation graph so you can see how it works in practice.

The main idea is:

1) node-js service

• listens on a port;

• receives ambient light readings in lux;

• converts the received lux value into a suitable brightness percentage and applies it automatically;

• it has two modes:

  • startup mode — brightness is applied immediately;
  • normal mode — brightness changes gradually by 1% with a 1-second delay, so it feels comfortable and does not distract the eyes;

• returns the brightness percentage that was applied;

• logs lux, brightness percentage, and a timestamp;

• publishes itself in Bonjour if available — my implementation is still incomplete there.

2) Android app

• can find the monitor/host by name through Bonjour, or manually use the host IP address where Twinkle Tray is running;

• reads ambient light from the phone sensor and sends it to the host;

• receives the monitor brightness percentage in response and displays it on screen;

• has buttons for:

  • sending brightness immediately;
  • enabling continuous monitoring mode;
  • disabling continuous monitoring mode.

I can share the source code for both the Android app and the node-js script, but to be honest: I am not a professional Android or node-js developer, so the code is rather rough and messy.

That said, I think the node-js service could be removed entirely if Twinkle Tray had a REST JSON endpoint for receiving brightness values from external devices. That would make the whole setup much simpler.

I would love to see the community jump in and vibe-code this into existence — it is a very needed app and feature that could help protect the vision of many great developers and users who love sunlight :)