HOW TO MAKE SMART BLINDS USING ALEXA 

Wow, kid... I’ve never seen so much initiative and creativity go so under appreciated. Ignore those that don’t appreciate what you have goin on here. To and that mirror vid are both serious ideas. Keep it up, bro.

Someone puts so much effort and shows you how to do something cool and you dislike the video? What is wrong with you people.. Go watch Fortnite videos.

If I were to add a custom command phrase: "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said..." Alexa: "...let there be light" *Blinds go up

This deserves a project page with everything included. You did a great job and it's just from improving it from here on.

This is precisely what I've been searching for for two years. Thanks!

Thanks but where is the Alexa part? how did you set up the esp8266 with Alexa?

Great job bud! Doing my own version for same sort of blinds. I am not a big fan of removing blind hardware and drilling holes, so I will only be doing open and shut. I had to abandon the idea of raising the blinds early on, but I am glad you pursued it to show it is possible. Maybe my gen2 will raise and lower lol. Again, great job for $75!

You are SO going to be my next new BFF. Get on a plane and I'll host you in the UK (serious offer!). You are AMAZING. The videos are thorough, well researched, and you did all the work yourself. Definitely a guy I like, as it's the way I like to work myself. A great balance of the electronic circuitry with practicality of doing the hardware modifications yourself. You'd like my house, I'm sure!

"here's the piece that I lazer cut..." and that's enough of this video!

Wow! You're a tech genius.

The only reason someone would dislike this video is if they thought they would be able to do it themselves but realized from watching this amazing video that they are lazy idiots. Again, amazing video!

Such an amazing video. I just loved it. All your efforts have been allocated to the maximum extent. This project is very nice. 😍😍

Hi i really love the project! But could you show us how you hooked up the ESP-Module with Alexa? That part is missing ... Thank you so much!

Grensom, first of all congrats on an amazing project, my daughter's final science project is based on it. My issue is that the link you left is not the complete code, I had to do screen prints on your code and transcribe it to the Arduino IDE. After that, reading the code I was able to tell which pins to use. So connected everything as I thought was the proper way to do it. My set backs, there's no code for the ES8266, I have no idea on what to do with it. I can play around with the pins, connect them to ground and play with the pot. So far the only thing I can do is lower/raise the blinds. The tilt (close/open) thing, I can't do it. So at the end, her science project is incomplete. Would like to learn more, it has a lot of potential.

Hey, awesome tutorial! Can you please clarify a few things? Is it possible to do all this using ESP8266-12E instead of Arduino Uno? (I'm new to this and did not figure out all the differences between the 2 controllers). And how did you connect it to Alexa, as I don't see any code you shared on GitHub for setting up a web-service or a websocket client to anywhere...?

Great idea, Thank you for sharing!!! It's really awesome. AND can be built much less expensive then buying VERY expensive blinds like this. PLUS if it breaks you can fix it yourself!! :) Great job!

why didn't you just 3d print the housing for the servos instead of using the wood pieces?

This is amazing, exactly what I was looking for. Thank you !

People are stupid. He uses a laser cut pieces or 3d printed pieces...but you can cut it out of wood or plastic FFS. This is amazing. I will be doing this. Great job dude

Love this! The only feedback I would give is that it sounds like an electric pencil sharpener is going off

I’m just amazed every time I saw how the shades shut...

Awesome project! Hacking the world is definitely a priority in my life.Could you add the sketch, BOM and schematic to the notes? I know they are in the vid but it would definitely be more helpful with a link.Keep up the good work!

Bro this is fire.

Wow that's a big effort, worth on its hardwork

Also just out of curiosity, how did you get Alexa to give you a more realistic response such as "shutting shades" rather than the usual "OK"?

links for parts would be awesome in the description

Nice project, but the only reason I watched was to get the info on getting the ESP module to be controlled by Alexa, which was the only bit missing from the video!

god i can f see peter parker. Tony stark would be so proud

Ummm i dont have a shutter blind i only have the ones which go up and down soo code u do a seperate code?

Dude you rock! Are you an electrical engineer?

I am so impressed Sir!

Awsome video om start doing mine only 1 question cause im new on arduino and i am planning to do around 8 blinds in diferent areas is there a way to make all blinds close at the dame time and also do individual thanks

Hello Grensom, how can get the "#define DEFAULT_HOSTNAME" i don't know what should i put here

Boy I wish I could hire you to hot wire all my blinds...

I am working on one of these right now. How did you set it up to know when it was all the way open or all the way closed?

This reminds me of my first year Engg design project 😂

Well done!! .. you make it sound so easy!

Can i get a list of the parts and schematics?

This is what I have been looking for. I need to know the part list. Hope I can get the items in India.

What is the connection between eap8266 and Arduino uno?

I just want the open and close function on mine. When you have blinds 16 ft in the air this would be amazing for opening them. Could I operate the server on a solar power rechargerable battery?

i have got full length blinds for office can you adjust how far the drop ie floor as not sure what size you are using

That was really well done man.

Do you have tutorial using stepper motor? Thanks.

Any reason you didn't attach a flexible shaft coupler between the motor and the hex shaft to reduce stress on the motor?

Do you have the files used to 3d print the pull cord spool?

Great job! I’ve been working on this myself. I’m using a stepper motor, but looks like I need a 3D printer too lol. Is the Alexa skill a reg one or a smart home skill? Any chance you can link the code for the Alexa skill too?

1 thought is, do you have a fail safe so if you ask to pull shades up before you open the shades so that it will always default to open before performing up or down functions?

Nice concept, zero WAF though

How long did this project take from finish to start? How much applied time and how much elapsed time? As usual great video, seems very labor intensive..

Awesome video. If you want to control 4 different shades independently via Alexa, do you need to set up 4 different sets of ESP+Arduino system separately?

Which alexa skill did you use? How is the skill mapped to the arduino command?

Awesome I am gonna try this. getting those 3d printed parts could be the problem for me.

A couple of questions, so using larger torque motors, is quieter? Second, is that a potentiometer or a rotary encoder?

can this be used for shades

Is this blind normal one and you converted it to become smart blind? Please tell us from where did you get all parts if they don't come with the smart blind?

What laser cutter are you using?

Very nice job. I like the wood blocks. This shows that anyone can do it! I see a lot of requests for the codes. Couldn't you just post the code as a reply in RU-vid? Maybe too long or it would loose the format? Thanks

can you upload and link the esp code and schematics, please

very nice work !!!

i like this guy! very smart.

Hey boss I just wonder can you do a video on just the open and close part, I don't want to pull them up plus i have no room for the hardware for the motor to life them.. so just open and close and I wonder can I use a sonoff to control the motor function. if you could let me know that would be great.. And of course I want to use my echo dot to control them.. Thanks and by the way this video rocks.. Thanks for posting.. ..

I would really like to know the code you used to give commands like “up” or “down”?

Awesome! Please build 6 for me?! 👍🏻

I reckon a little write up with some photographs on GitHub would be worth doing - to accompany this video.

How you integrate with alexa ? I cant found in your code informatiob about this.

Excellent video... I am putting together my list of materials, but I want to be sure I get the right potentiometer and the gearbox to attach it to. It is a 10 turn pot but what is its resistance? Also, any information on the gearbox it is attached to would be great (i.e. manufacturer or the vendor). Again, thank for this!

Why aren't you running the software on the ESP8266 and using those GPIO pins? That would eliminate the Arduino and reduce project cost (which could be significant of you have a lot of blinds to control).

this is so dope omg

where you able to adjust the project so that it EVENLY lifts or drop the shades?

Hello can u share the code that use for esp8266 plis??

can you please share your code? i am doing almost the same project i am having trouble with pulling the curtain up,the delay takes more then 10 sec and it makes alexa to say curtain didnt respond.. i would love to see how you solve it. thanks!

Nice Job, would love to have the arduino code to this project. thanks for sharing this video.

Will you ever revisit this using a nodemcu 8266? or is it easy to use this code with one?

I'm trying to do the same thing and happened to stumble across your video. Great work! How do you have the Alexa Skill communicating to your Arduino? Also, I don't see any code related to the ESP8266. PS, super newb at this so any point in the right direction will be greatly appreciated!

Do you mind sending me the Alexa skills that does the 4 functions of up/down and open/close?

How to do same project but with stepper motor and a4988 board???

Nice..but what about the integration between Alexa and the motors?

What if you have someone named shades in your contacts and she sends them a message telling them to go up?

Really cool, would be good to see the final result though. Did you manage to cover all the cabling from being viewed?

Nice job!

Would you be willing to share the code you used for the project? Am interested in making something similar

Good job, nice work.

I want to implement this on my kitchen blinds - I'm too lazy to keep pulling them up and down. Would the Alexa integration work on an Echo in the UK, and how do you add that, please? Cheers.

I am impressed

Absolutely awesome

can you give a link in the description of all the component

What kind of servo motor did you use? Thanks

Hey! I'm doing a very similar build but I have no 3d printing experience, could you upload the file for the gear&cylinder piece that you made? I'd really appreciate it :)

great job man, keep up

Can this be used with routines?

Are you selling the acrylic gears? If so, how much. I'd love try a couple of these. If your not, selling you willing to share the files so we can also have a few cut for us? Also, you have a github and such for the code? This is a great project. Thanks

Can you please list us the items to buy?

Amazing!! Can you post the 3D printer files?

what code do you add to the ESP board?

Genius

will you ever do a vid using this setup controlling it via google home ?

So amazing 👍

Nice work

Great work! Is your Alexa Skill using your private VPS to communicate with ESP8266. Thanks!