Bluetooth Based Home Automation System Using Android and

Arduino

Dr. Theint Win Lai#1, Dr. Zaw Lin Oo*2, Dr. Maung Maung Than*3
#
Faculty of Computer System and Technology, University of Computer Studies (Sittway)
University of Computer Studies (Sittway), Rakhine State, Myanmar
*
Department of Research and Innovation, Division of Atomic Energy
No. (123), Natmauk Road, Bahan Township, Yangon, Myanmar
1
ngeoolay@gmail.com
2
kozawlinoo@gmail.com
3
mgmgthan13@gmail.com

Abstract physically disable people, who can easily access

and control the home appliances by staying at
particular place and access them remotely
Electronic devices and appliances have
without the help of other people. By using this
become very common in this recent year of
system, our home automation works smartly by
technology especially with fast development in
providing increased quality of life, and comforts
smartphones. In this paper, the design of Home
to users.
Automation System compatibly with Local
Keywords: Bluetooth Wireless Technology,
housing and good features for home automation
Smartphones, Home Automation System, Arduino
via remote access are presented. Bluetooth
Uno, Android, Bluetooth Module
Based Home Automation System Using Android
and Arduino is design and implemented. In this
research work a part of smart home technology 1. Introduction
which using Bluetooth in a mobile device is
used, so it will cheap and efficient to use. This Since Myanmar’s telecoms revolution
paper describe about home automation system began in 2014, the number of internet users has
which would use to enable home lighting, garage risen from 2 million to more than 39 million,
door motor, water pumping motor and smoke
while the number of SIM cards in circulation has
detection using a smart phone application with
Bluetooth wireless technology. The system risen by almost 400 percent, according to
included three main components: an Arduino government figures. Myanmar now has at least
microcontroller for connecting the appliances, a 33 million active mobile subscriptions in a
Bluetooth module for signal transfer, and a country with an official population of 53 million.
smartphone with the Android application to Today, most mobile phones using in Myanmar
control home appliances. Bluetooth are 'smart phone', which offers more advanced
communication technology and controlled
capabilities in connectivity issues than regular
system is that the operating range is low but it
can controlled from anywhere inside of home, By cell phones. Smart phone usage rate is reported
using smart phone application we can control at 80% in Myanmar. Smart phone usually
household appliances and provide security to support one or more short range wireless
decrepit peoples. The idea of paper is to control technologies such as Bluetooth and infrared,
home appliances to avoid the dangerous of making it possible to transfer data via these
electric shock and convenience of decrepit and wireless connections. Smart phone can provide
computer mobility, ubiquitous data access, and controls switching of devices and detect the
pervasive intelligence for almost every aspect of alarm. The microcontroller and the smart phone
business processes and people’s daily lives [1]. are connected with Bluetooth wireless
One of the smart phone applications that have technology because Bluetooth technology is low
been developed is smart homes technology [2]. cost to use and secure wireless network. This
The fundamental of building an automation application also focuses on smoke detection with
system for an office or home is increasing day- secure application against unauthorized user.
by-day with numerous benefits. Industrialist and Remote operation is achieved by any smart
researchers are working to build efficient and phone/Tablet etc., with Android OS, upon a GUI
affordability automatic systems to monitor and (Graphical User Interface) based touch screen
control different machines like lights, fans, operation.
garage door motors, smoke detection and other
requirements [3]. The use of Bluetooth 2. Literature Review
technology in a smart phone today is not just for
the transfer of data and files only. In recent years, In these recent years, smart home
Bluetooth technology is used one of the automation system has become very common of
applications of home automation System. technology and especially with fast development
Bluetooth technology operate over unlicensed, its in internet WebPages. Various smart home
available at 2.4GHz frequency, it also can link systems with improved technologies have been
digital devices within a range of 10m to 100m at implemented. Most of the technologies are based
the speed of up to 3Mbps but it depending on the on controlling home automation systems in
Bluetooth device class [4]. By using home android application which gives user interface
automation System, we can control household for monitoring and controlling their home
appliances. So, many manual actions are electronic appliances from local network or
replaced by reducing human efforts and time internet.
saving. The design of Home Automation System
which remains the existing electrical switches 2.1. Arduino Board
which status is synchronized in all the control
system with low voltage activating method and Arduino is an open-source electronics
that provides more safety for danger of electric platform based on easy-to-use hardware and
shock and provide security to decrepit peoples. software. Arduino boards are able to read inputs -
In this paper, Bluetooth based home automation light on a sensor, a finger on a button, or a
system using android smart phones and Arduino Twitter message - and turn it into an output -
UNO microcontroller board is used. Such a activating a motor, turning on LED, publishing
system will enable users to have control over something online. We use the Arduino
home lighting, water pump and garage motors programming language and the Arduino
and smoke detection in their home with Software (IDE) by sending a set of instructions
Bluetooth. The main requirement for user is an to the microcontroller on the board to control the
Android smart phone, which is present in almost Processing. Over the years Arduino has been the
every person hand nowadays, and a control brain of thousands of projects, from everyday
circuit. The control circuit consists of an Arduino objects to complex scientific instruments. A
Uno microcontroller, which processes the user worldwide community of makers such as
students, hobbyists, artists, programmers, and series of USB Arduino boards, and the reference
professionals has gathered around this open- model for the Arduino
source platform, their contributions have added platform [6].
up to an incredible amount of accessible
knowledge that can be of great help to novices
and experts alike. Arduino was born at the Ivrea
Interaction Design Institute as an easy tool for
fast prototyping, aimed at students without a
background in electronics and programming. As
soon as it reached a wider community, the
Arduino board started changing to adapt to new
needs and challenges, differentiating its offer
Figure 1. Arduino UNO REV3 board
from simple 8-bit boards to products for IoT
applications, wearable, 3D printing, and
embedded environments. All Arduino boards are 2.3. Arduino Software
completely open-source, empowering users to
build them independently and eventually adapt Arduino IDE (Integrated Development
them to their particular needs. The software is Environment) is open-source software and that
also open-source, and it is growing through the enables better and assisted code editing,
contributions of users worldwide [5]. compiling and debugging. It runs on Windows,
Mac OS X, and Linux. The environment is
2.2. Arduino UNO written in Java and based on Processing and
other open-source software. So, this Arduino IDE
basically has inbuilt functions and commands
The Arduino UNO is the best board to get
that though work on Java platform, are
started with electronics and coding. The UNO is
customized to run on the Arduino board. Thus
the most used and documented board of the
Arduino IDE serves for code editing, its
whole Arduino family. Arduino Uno is a
compilation, debugging and then burning the
microcontroller board based on the ATmega328P.
code into the Arduino board.
It has 14 digital input/output pins (of which 6 can
be used as PWM outputs), 6 analog inputs, a 16
MHz quartz crystal, a USB connection, a power
jack, an ICSP header and a reset button. It
contains everything needed to support the
microcontroller; simply connect it to a computer
with a USB cable or power it with AC-to-DC
adapter or battery to get started. "Uno" means
one in Italian and was chosen to mark the release
of Arduino Software (IDE) 1.0. The Uno board
and version 1.0 of Arduino Software (IDE) were
the reference versions of Arduino, now evolved
to newer releases. The Uno board is the first in a
 Figure 3. HC-06 bluetooth module

2.5. MIT App Inventor 2

MIT App Inventor is to develop applications

for Android phones using a web browser and
either a connected phone or emulator. The App
Inventor servers store inventor designs and create
Figure 2. Arduino IDE fully functional apps without writing any code of
2.4. Bluetooth Module (HC-06) your projects. The App Inventor development
environment is supported for Mac OS X,
HC-06 Bluetooth Module is an easy to use GNU/Linux, and Windows operating systems,
Bluetooth SPP (Serial Port Protocol) module, and several popular android phone models.
designed for transparent wireless serial Applications created with App Inventor can be
connection setup. Its communication is via serial installed on any Android phone.
communication which makes an easy way to
interface with controller or PC. HC-06
Bluetooth module provides switching mode
between master and slave mode which means it
able to use neither receiving nor transmitting
data. The Bluetooth module HC-06 is a
MASTER/SLAVE module. By default the
factory setting is SLAVE. The Role of the
module (Master or Slave) can be configured only
by AT COMMANDS. The slave modules cannot
initiate a connection to another Bluetooth device,
but can accept connections. Master module can
initiate a connection to other devices. The user
can use it simply for a serial port replacement to
establish connection between MCU and GPS, PC
to your embedded project. Figure 4. Function of MIT app inventor 2

3. Implementation of the Project

 For this project of Smart Home Automation consists of Arduino UNO, Bluetooth module,
System, open source android platform is used. motors, output of gas sensor and rooms lighting
Android application from any mobile devices by android app control are shown in Fig. 6.
connects to the Bluetooth module HC-06 and
controls the home appliance devices such as
rooms lighting, water pump motor and garage
motor. For the safety purpose of this project,
Bluetooth connection of application and
Bluetooth device need password when paring for
authorized using. After that confirm message for
Bluetooth connection is successful and then list
on available devices in android application can
control as remote devices. This project also
monitor CO2 content in the house by MQ-2 gas
sensor and make alarm sound by speaker when
the certain amount of smoke detected in the Figure 6. Simulation output of bluetooth
house. Block Diagram of the implemented based home automation system
project shown in Fig. 5. Our proposed project
consists of the following three sections. The connection and placement of hardware
(a) Input from Bluetooth module via android components has been elaborated with the help of
application and gas sensor circuit diagram of the system interconnection.
The required DC power supply that to run the
system can get from 9V battery or computer
USB port and feeds the microcontroller and
Bluetooth module. The Bluetooth module
receives the signal sent from an android smart-
phone, where the application software made by
MIT app inventor is installed. The
microcontroller, thereby, sends instruction, when
executed codes in C language of Arduino IDE.
Rooms lighting and motors can be controlled by
using android based application software. The
hardware of this project consists of Arduino
Figure 5. Block diagram of the implemented module, Bluetooth module and gas sensor
project module. The Bluetooth module is connected with
the Arduino UNO board for the right connection
(b) Arduino UNO microcontroller processing with RX, TX, ground and power pins. Through
(c) Output of process indication and alarm the Bluetooth module for monitoring and
First development of our project, all the controlling the particular rooms lighting and
component modules are made simulation by motors reaches the board and process
Proteus Design Suit version 8.0 simulator and accordingly and output of the Arduino goes to
check for the working output condition. the particular hardware components with control
Hardware components simulation of this project them. In this method, Bluetooth wireless
connection is used, the user must be present
within in range (< 15 meters) to control the
system. When user sends signal or data to the
Arduino board then the corresponding pin of
Arduino goes to high state and switches the
home applicant hardware to open or close. The
circuit diagram of this project including output
home appliances are shown in Figure 7.
Figure 8 and 9 are shown flow chart for
system operation of Arduino UNO and created
app preview respectively. The hardware consists
of an Arduino UNO along with input output ports
(analog, digital, power), Bluetooth module, USB Figure 8. Flow chart of the system operation
port, 9 and 5 volt DC input port, Relay Control
Unit for home appliances and Alarm Unit for
MQ-2 gas sensor etc.

Figure 9. Created app for home automation

system
Figure 7. Circuit diagram of bluetooth based In this present project, Bluetooth module that
home automation system has been set to slave mode is used to
communicate the controller with the smart phone
application. Application is created by App
Inventor 2. App Inventor 2 is a visual, blocks
language for building Android Apps. There are
two main types of components in an app Inventor
2, visible and non-visible. Visible components of
application are can see when the app is launched
that includes buttons, text boxes, and labels.
These are often referred to as the graphical user
interface (GUI). Non-visible components are not
seeing, so they are not part of the user interface.
Instead, they provide access to the built-in
functionality of the device. The non-visible
components are the technology within the device 4. Conclusion
they are little worker bees and they do jobs for
control of the application. App Inventor 2 can This project is indeed a low-cost and efficient
easily create GUI interface for user friendly and project for home application. This project is also
block editor can make the relevant function of a cost-effective project with a simple and easy to
each button from application easily without use interface for decrepit and physically disables
writing coding. peoples. By using this method, home appliances
The application installed in Smart phone and can be controlled to avoid the dangerous of
control the Arduino UNO digital output pin no. electric shock and convenience for users. It can
13, 12, 11, 10, 9 and 8 for rooms lighting and make secures home by alerting people when
motors on-off by using relay switch. 5 V DC smoke detected or gas is leaked in the home.
Relay units are connected to pins 13, 12, 11, 10, With few additions and modifications, this
9 and 8 for switch control action of 220V AC project can be make commercial scale products
home applicants has been achieved. MQ-2 gas for Home Automation System. In future we can
sensor connect to the pin no. 7 to give analog add temperature sensors so that it can monitor
input signal of CO2 content in the room and pin some surrounding temperature parameters
no. 2,3 and 4 make output of the gas sensor. 2 around the house and we can improve the
LEDs or Pilot Lamps are connected to pins 2 and communication using Internet web base
3 for output signal of gas sensor for normal and technology. This project can also promote with
alarm conditions. Pin no. 4 is connected with wireless camera, in order to incorporate other
speaker via song amplifier unit to get the alarm security features of Smart Home Automation
sound of smoke detection in the room. The System. In terms of upgrading security in the
designed system of Home Automation has been home, doors and windows are also mounted by
tested and run successfully shown in Figure 10. setting alarm in case of any kind of thief or
Hardware for Relay Units to drive 220V AC sabotage.
lighting units, motors and other song amplifier
unit for alarm system is not included and need to
extend.
References

[1] Pei Zheng, Lionel Ni, Smart Phone and Next

Generation Mobile Computing, Morgan Kaufmann
publisher, San Fransisco. 2006.
[2] R. John Robles and Tai-hoon Kim, “Applications,
Systems and Methods in Smart Home Technology: A
Review,” International Journal of Advanced Science
and Technology. 15: 37-48-2010.
[3] Ms. Poonam V. Gaikwad, Prof. Mr. Yoginath R.
Kalshetty, “Bluetooth Based Smart Automation
System Using Android”, International Journal of New
Innovations in Engineering and Technology, Volume 7
Figure 10. Test run system architecture with Issue 3– April 2017.
controlled output results
[4] How Bluetooth Technology Works, [online].
Available: www.bluetooth.com/bluetooth/ technology/
works
[5] What is Arduino, [online]. Available:
https://www.arduino.cc/en/Guide/Introduction
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