Use smart phone to control coffee brewing SmartThings

Lauren Goode, editor of Re/Code, recently wrote about her intelligent coffee brewing process using Hub devices and converters. With those devices, she can turn the coffee machine on automatically at sunrise every day, or she can control the coffee maker's switch directly from her smartphone.

The following is the main content of the article:

I like to drink coffee. I make it almost every morning and often during the day. But it's not easy to make coffee.

If only the coffee machine knew when I would get up without waiting for the coffee to boil. Or does the coffee machine open automatically at sunrise every day? If I could turn on the coffee maker on my smartphone before I got home every day, how nice would it be if I had freshly baked coffee when I got home?

That is one of the visions of "smart" homes, full of tools that can communicate with each other and support smartphone control. Dr Mo evaluated a product called SmartThings, which uses it to intelligently control the lights in the home and sense the switch of the door.

But I'm more interested in intelligent coffee brewing. Over the past week, in order to get my coffee maker to start regularly and control it all through my smartphone, I have deployed a small Hub device and converter in my apartment.

I used two different smart home kits to launch the project: SmartThings ($99) and Revolv ($299). Both products contain Hub devices that support a variety of wireless standards, making them compatible with multiple third-party home products.

The conclusion is that it is possible to use a smartphone to control coffee brewing. But it's expensive, unless you have quite specific requirements for home control, which is not much better than using a coffee maker timer. In addition, Revolv is currently only compatible with iOS devices.

SmartThings

The SmartThings trap costs $199 or $299, but I chose to buy parts from different manufacturers: SmartThings Hub ($99), GE Jasco sockets ($52), Mr. Coffee coffee machine ($17). You also need to install SmartThings applications (there are iOS and Android versions). As a result, the total price of the whole "smart" coffee scheme is about 168 US dollars.

Why buy a new coffee maker? My original Mr. Coffee and Keurig with timers are not compatible with SmartThings. Perhaps the most ironic thing about these high-tech devices is that they are compatible with the simplest coffee machines, those with only one key function. This is because you want to control the wall socket converter, not the coffee machine itself.

I downloaded the SmartThings app on iPhone, connected the white plastic SmartThings Hub to the Wi-Fi router and plugged the Jasco converter into the kitchen wall socket. Then I connected the new Mr. Coffee to the Jasco converter.

It is not difficult to enable SmartThings applications. I opened the app's light and button settings interface and waited for the Jasco converter to be identified through my home Wi-Fi network, after which I renamed the device to "automatic Coffee". But it takes some work to figure out how to book the time.

I customized the "automatic coffee" control in my application, choosing to turn on the switch at sunrise every day and turn it off at 8am. I put the coffee powder in the coffee machine and went to bed.

For three consecutive mornings, Mr. Coffee started at exactly 07:09 in the morning at sunrise.

I think the bigger advantage is that the coffee machine can be controlled through the application. If I wake up before 7 o'clock, I can open the SmartThings app directly in bed and click "Open" to turn on the coffee machine. Similarly, I can use this app to turn off the coffee machine.

Control the switch of the coffee machine with the application

SmartThings said that if I install a motion sensor in the doorway, the coffee machine will start automatically when I get up in the morning and start walking.

As for the coffee machine that won't open automatically if I get up in the middle of the night, SmartThings says, the coffee machine will only open in the time window you set.

Revolv

I also use Revolv Hub to implement smart coffee. The device is similar to the SmartThings Hub, but more expensive ($299). It connects to the home network through a Wi-Fi rather than a landline.

I also configured the Belkin WeMo converter ($50) and the Faberware coffee maker recommended by Revolv ($50), so the total cost is $399.

I unplug the Mr. Coffee and the GE Jasco converter, replace it with the Belkin WeMo converter, and connect the Faberware coffee maker.

The device is slightly more complex than the SmartThings, mainly because it requires one more application to be installed. I have to install the Belkin WeMo app wireless connection WeMo converter, and then set the WeMo app to turn on the coffee maker at sunrise and add coffee powder to the coffee pot. The application of Revolv is simpler than that of SmartThings.

I also made other creative settings. The Revolv app automatically recognizes the Sonos music player to which I am connected to connected, so I set up Sonos to play music when the coffee machine starts.

Set the music to play at the same time

At 07:09 the next day, the coffee machine starts and Sonos music plays.

Translator: le Bang

Source: NetEase Science and Technology