E-Home Journey

 SMART HOMES:  FICTION OR REALITY?

Sometimes, we give less credit to the people who make movies than we should. Films illustrate what could be, and it's up to creative individuals to turn what could be into what is. 

I am saying all this because I saw a smart house for the first time in a movie. My mind was utterly blown away. I started researching the possible technology behind the Internet of Things (IoT). However, I still wasn't that invested in smart homes because, as far as I was concerned, this was just fiction. 

It was all fiction until the second time. I didn't see it, but now I have experienced a glimpse of it. I entered a bathroom, and the lights went on by themselves! This was in a hotel, though. After this, I put my mind to work since I knew this was possible in Rwanda. With sponsorship from Open Skies Fellows. My E-Home is now alive. Make sure to check it out at E-Home.

E-Home is a smart house aimed at helping the ageing population and people with disabilities live easier lives. This includes automatic lighting, ventilation, doors, and, most importantly, security. There's no limit to what can go into a smart house. It is our imagination that limits us. My inspiration for this project was my grandmother and my aunt, who are old and have disabilities, respectively. I watched the difficulties they went through every day, and I grew determined to try and develop a solution for them. Thanks to the information technology (IT) industry and the sponsors who believed in me, I was able to build my solution.

To someone reading this who wants to implement the same idea, please don't be like me, don't hesitate, and take action fast. Refrain from letting your idea get ruined by your self-doubts or thinking it's costly or any other factor. Various resources online can guide you toward the success of your project; for instance, the Purdue University Fort Wayne article on IoT smart houses(pfw,n.d). Go for it, and don't limit yourself.

The tools I used to implement this include the nodemcu wifi module, light and motion sensors, temperature and humidity sensors, Arduino controller, connecting cables, and the internet.

For most of our community's problems, technology can solve them. We, the youth, must stand up and take action toward the society we dream of. Don't let yourself be discouraged or think that your idea is impossible. If there's something I have learned through all this, it is that where there's a will, there's a way. Besides, everything starts as an idea and looks impossible until it is done. Let's get motivated by the problems affecting our community and not give up until they are solved.

Reference List

Purdue University Fort Wayne. (n.d.). IOT: SMART HOUSE. IOT: Smart House