Unfortunately I’ve been quite busy with my work commitments, therefore I wasn’t able to put a lot of effort in my house automation system. Still some things I managed to change…

First big change is the software replacement. The original management software was written in C++ and was running only under MS Windows. Obviously, such implementation required all the time running PC with Windows. So I made decision to change that and rewrote application in Python. As a result it runs on any platform (Windows/Linux) and of course can run on devices like Raspberry Pi, user interface is now web based, and several new features were introduced like ability to use distributed gateways connected via internet and manage all devices as they would be connected in the same home network.

Another change coming is on the device hardware side. While I really like XBee modules, there are many new modules introduced to the market which include not only radio part, but also easy programmable micro controller. Yes, I know there are also programmable XBee modules, but the price is doubled immediately. So I found JN5168 based modules which have all the features I need, less power consumption, less price. While interoperability with standard XBee modules is a challenge here, all other test prototype results seems quite promising. No actual devices created yet, but hope to get some made and deployed in my house by end of year.