ALPHACENTAURI
Modular smart home hub based on openHAB
Unlike other smart home and security devices which are using proprietary software, AlphaCentauri runs open source (openHAB). As a result, your home is the latest and safest, you are free to tweak or contribute and your choice is not limited to only “curtain products, standards and vendors”
Solution
Hardware
MQ2 gas sensor
integrated camera
AGC microphone
2x2W integrated speakers
particle meter
SOFTWARE
OpenHAB integration
Voice control using Jasper on RPi
Driver development
ENCLOSURE
Plastic enclosure design
TEAM
1 x Embedded Engineer
1 x Embedded Programmer
1 x App Developer
1 x Enclosure designer
Problem
At the time most of the smart home hubs on the market were closed systems.
Our client wanted to develop a smart home hub that would be scalable and based on Raspberry Pi 3 and open-source platform openHAB.
The main idea was scalabality in regards to the communication protocols. The device had to work with a wide range of communication protocols including ZigBee, Bluetooth and Z-Wave. By default, it had to have just WiFi and IR communication.
Besides this, the device had to have integrated camera and voice control, as well as a wide range of sensors, including gas sensor and PM2.5 particle meter.
Solution
Semblie developed the hardware for AlphaCentauri smart home hub. We also developed the necessary modules for openHAB2 to be able to use all sensors available on the device. AlphaCentauri leverages Raspberry Pi model 3 SBC accompanied by custom-designed PCB with sensors, microphone, speakers and IR LEDs.
Since the device required voice-control, we suggested and implemented the AGC microphone, to ensure that the commands are received even from longer distances.
For voice recognition, we used the open-source platform Jasper.
We even developed the drivers for some of the sensors that had to work with the hub.
The components for the device were picked to ensure lowest BoM cost while ensuring a good quality of the product.
Result
Our development resulted in a fully functional prototype that was very close to a final product that would be ready for manufacturing and could be used for finding investors.
“Electronics engineers, with the sharp minds and the ability to think outside the square. Extremely professional and a key asset in my project.
Communication and responsiveness were top-notch. No challenge is too great. ”
S
