hapces-folio

HAPCES: Home Automation Platform Client Extension System

Project page for Suraj Sharma’s HAPCES, which is a system designed to increase application variety for the openHAB home automation platform via CCB API and Timer App.

Contents

1. Poster
2. Author
3. Technology Stacks Used
4. Projects Completed Alongside HAPCES
5. Timer App Demo
6. Introduction
7. Background
8. Chosen Platform
9. CCB API
10. Timer App
11. Conclusion

Poster

Poster is displayed below and can be downloaded here.

Author

Name: Suraj Sharma

Course: Computer Science

Email: s.sharma6@brighton.ac.uk

Website: gosuraj.com

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/surajs02

GitHub: github.com/surajs02

Technology Stacks Used

Home automation platform:

• Raspberry Pi with Raspbian and Oracle Java
• openHAB and myopenHAB cloud service
• Kasa smart plugs

CCB API:

• Python with Flask
• Heroku

Timer App:

• Android
• Java and Kotlin with Retrofit
• Firebase Auth and Realtime Database

Project Websites

1. HAPCES university website
2. CCB API website
3. HAPCES Timer App website

Projects Completed Alongside HAPCES

• Jekyll Blog Creation Tutorial
• QrContacts

Timer App Demo

Video demonstration available via YouTube or download.

Introduction

• Low-cost system
• Aims to address the limited variety of applications currently offered by Home Automation Platforms such as Amazon Alexa
• Provides CCB API to separate applications from automation platforms and demonstrates increasing application variety via its Timer App that provides timed-control of smart plugs for the openHAB platform

Background

• Limited variety of applications for Home Automation Platforms reoccurred during literature review of consumer and research platforms
• User research revealed user preferences and common platform interaction types differed, justifying the necessity of interaction software variety

Chosen Platform

• openHAB was chosen based on research Low-cost
• Provided a REST API, allowing integration with HAPCES
• Extensive flexibility, supporting most application input and communication types
• Smart plugs were chosen due to interest in in timed-control of wired devices

CCB API

• Cloud-hosted CCB (Client Controller Bridge) REST API
• Integrates with the openHAB platform to endpoints and resources to inspect or control smart plugs
• API resource designs based on other platforms including openHAB and Samsung SmartThings

• Endpoints design supports Timer App requirements
• Endpoints were made, validated, and tested with Python
• Automatically generated interactive documentation
• Additional platforms can be supported via new adapter

Timer App

• Java/Kotlin Android app for openHAB
• Timed control of smart plugs via CCB API
• Customisable timer
• Link and inspect smart devices
• Consistent, simple Material Design user interface
• User accounts via Firebase Auth
• Timer cloud storage via Firebase database
• Informative error handling
• Can be tested with real or mock data

• Usability testing assessed user interaction
• Involved tasks focusing on Timer App features

• System Usability Scale assessed each user’s opinion of the system
• Above average usability score (79/100)

Conclusion

• Achieved aims to successfully increase application variety for openHAB platform
• Developed low-cost interactive documentation, command-line tool, and the Timer App
• Demonstrated above average usability
• Established rudimentary foundations for future development (e.g., supporting other platforms)