Towards Comprehensive Home Automation: Leveraging the IoT, Node-RED, and Wireless Sensor Networks for Enhanced Control and Connectivity ^†

Abstract

Automation seems widespread today, yet it is not implemented in daily life. However, most home automation systems are expensive, object-dependent, and lacking in crucial features. The Internet of Things was enabled by this paper’s low-cost home automation system. For development of the IoT, the system used Node-RED, an open-source platform that uses nodes to visualize tasks. This innovation could operate home devices, including plugs, from anywhere. Wireless sensor network (WSN) technology would record and upload data to the web server from each room. Using the publish-and-subscribe Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT) protocol, these WSN technologies would communicate. The third feature can modify notifications. In situations of doubt, the house member would be notified by email. This proposal promotes home automation through the IoT.

1. Introduction

Electronics, software, and networking connect gadgets, homes, appliances, and other embedded systems on the Internet of Things (IoT) [1]. The IoT connects phones, appliances, laptops, smartphones, and tablets to share data. The variesrnet and human-free IoT vary in many ways. Computers and smartphones may handle key home activities with IoT-enabled wireless home automation. Unique wireless home automation solves various appliance issues [2,3]. This new online hardware control solves most problems. Smart home automation improves energy efficiency, convenience, and functionality [4]. Robotic housework involves less human intervention and more programmable electronics and technically feasible domestic operations. Home automation is trendy. Remote device control via workstations, tablets, and phones is home automation’s key feature.

Wired or wireless links connect devices to hardware languages termed home automation protocols or home control technologies [5]. Multiple communication protocols exist for home automation. MQTT links IoT devices to the network as an application layer. Browsers layer desktop, laptop, and mobile apps. IoT firmware or OS embedded may provide a UI dashboard. Low-bandwidth devices use MQTT, a basic protocol. This makes it the best IoT solution. It can read and publish sensor node data, send control output commands, etc., with MQTT. Connecting gadgets is straightforward.

Figure 1 depicts the architecture of MQTT. MQTT is the publish and subscribe protocol. A device can publish a message on a topic or subscribe to a certain topic in a publish and subscribe system to receive communications. The MQTT broker receives all the messages, filters them, determines who is interested in them, and then publishes the messages to all the clients who have subscribed.

The Raspberry Pi, a small but feature-rich single-board computer, can run the Mos-quito broker, which this home automation application used [6]. The Raspberry Pi becomes a mini-PC with a keyboard, mouse, and display. The project to link home to Wi-Fi utilizes Raspberry Pi as the main processor. MQTT connects the Raspberry Pi to the ESP8266. Every household that has ESP8266 is Wi-Fi-connected. A Raspberry Pi will help these subsystems connect wirelessly and transform data using MQTT on Wi-Fi. The ESP’s subsystem control unit controls all house electrical devices. Wi-Fi links ESP and Raspberry Pi. The ESP oversees household electrical equipment. NodeRed, a workflow-based programming tool, connects hardware, APIs, and web services elegantly. It supports edge devices, PLC controllers, virtual computers, and cloud native services. The IoT wiring visual editor NodeRed is open source. It uses drag and wire icon-like “nodes” in the system. MQTT nodes subscribe to a message broker and insert data into the process, while simple debug nodes examine data flow.

Table 1. Comparison table to show the efficiency of the MQTT protocol over other traditional protocols.

Criteria	MQTT	HTTP	TCP
Bandwidth efficiency	Efficient due to small headers and binary protocol	Larger headers and metadata	Larger headers and metadata
Publish–subscribe model	Efficient for one-to-many communication	Often requires polling	Not inherently designed for publish–subscribe
Quality of service (QoS)	Offers configurable QoS levels for message reliability	Not inherently designed for QoS	Not inherently designed for QoS
Connection persistence	Supports persistent connections	Short-lived connections	Requires connection establishment
Lightweight design	Designed for resource-constrained devices	May be more resource-intensive	May be more resource-intensive
Push notifications	Enables instant push notifications	May require polling	May require polling
Connectionless communication	Supports asynchronous communication	Requires continuous connection	Requires continuous connection
Scalability	Brokers designed for high scalability	May have limitations at scale	May have limitations at scale
Use cases	IoT, real-time data exchange	Web applications, websites	General data transfer

compares MQTT’s efficacy to protocols. NodeRed can be upgraded with plug-ins. One dashboard with APIs and GUI dashboards for most home automation systems, including garden, room, garage, and kitchen, is possible with NodeRed. Controlling home appliances is simple [7].

Following is the arrangement of the sections of this paper: Section 2 discusses the research that has already been conducted on home automation systems and the technology that has been adopted. The proposed methodology is described in Section 3. Section 4 focuses on data security and cybersecurity measures for Internet of Things devices. Section 5 discusses the collected empirical findings. The emphasis in Section 6 is on the conclusions.

2. Related Study

The Arduino controller, PCB, and humidity sensor comprise the IoT system hardware. PCBs have relays, transistors, LPT ports, diode registers, and connections to lights and fans [8]. The humidity sensor is on Arduino; home appliances are on PCB. This sensor detects humidity and temperature. Programmable Arduino and PCB sensors work. Programming allows PC interface and humidity and temperature measurement. A timer can be set to monitor temperature and humidity. This enabled smart home automation [9]. Electronics and communication improved sophisticated home automation. Platform-based cloud computing’s online object connectivity was the key factor [10]. Communication is easier and more reliable with this platform. This allows IoT item access anytime, anywhere. This application leverages the IoT cloud as the front end and is still implementing networking technology. This will improve home device interactions for IoT home automation. The IoT strategy concepts, motions, technical frameworks, and considerations have been covered [11]. Businesses utilizing the IoT should consider privacy issues and obstacles. The IoT aims to control seismic change. Without uniformity, economic competition may drive progress [12].

The Home Automation Device Protocol was created by [13]. Device compatibility makes this protocol useful for home automation. It supports 6LoWPAN, Bluetooth 4.2, Ethernet, IEEE 802.15.4, Wi-Fi, ZigBee IP, and any IPv6 network layer using the IFTTT concept. IoT home automation research is growing quickly, making the future smarter and more automated. Home automation success has spread the IoT to colleges, industries, streets, and cities. Machine learning makes the IoT smarter [14]. Machine learning-based electronic environments that detect and respond to humans are its application. This created an intelligent planet. In this age of intelligence, technologies communicate to help travelers with daily tasks. IoT applications in the intelligent world aim to simplify, naturalize, and improve activities. This can be performed with network-connected devices’ intelligence.

2.1. Application of IoT Out-of-Home Automation

The IoT is an emerging study area that allows real-world items to network without human intervention. Short-range wireless communications, RFID, Adhoc, and WSNs are gaining popularity. Most of these devices can be programmed or remote-controlled. One study found the IoT is used for human-to-computer and human-to-human contact [15]. The IoT transforms data handling and communication. This technique allows data transport without human intervention. The internal system hardware development needs the following parts for communication: Wi-Fi, local host, ESP8266 microcontroller SMPs power supply Raspberry Pi 3 microprocessor SSR relay board, and four channels.

2.2. Raspberry Pi 3

The Raspberry Pi 3 model B plus, illustrated in Figure 2a, can be equipped with Raspbian OS, keyboard, mouse, monitor, power supply, and microSD card. Raspberry Pi 3 is wireless. Raspberry Pi 3 is quicker with 1 GB RAM, 4x USB2.0, Video Core IV GPU, HDMI, Ethernet, Bluetooth 4.1, 802.11n Wi-Fi, and Quad-core 1.1GHz CPU. Android and Windows phone chargers and cables power Raspberry Pi 3. Bluetooth and wireless are included. Cameras, batteries, fans, and remotes can be added. It can solve simple problems like managing electric appliances while occupants are away.

A comprehensive overview of the Raspberry Pi 3′s hardware components and their respective roles in home automation of the proposed work is illustrated in

Table 2. Raspberry Pi 3′s hardware overview and its role in home automation.

Hardware Component	Specification	Role in Home Automation
CPU	1.2 GHz 64-bit quad-core ARM Cortex-A53	Manage tasks like controlling smart devices and processing sensor data.
RAM	1 GB LPDDR2	Supports multitasking, allowing smooth operation of home automation software.
GPIO pins	40 pins, multi-functional	Connect to sensors, actuators, and relay modules for device control.
Wireless connectivity	Wi-Fi (802.11n) and Bluetooth 4.2	Connect to home network for remote control and integrate with other wireless devices.
USB ports	4 × USB 2.0 ports	Attach peripherals like USB cameras, Zigbee hubs, or external storage.
Storage	MicroSD card slot	Store the operating system, home automation software, and data logs.
Power supply	5 V/2.5 A DC power input	Ensures stable operation of the Raspberry Pi and connected devices.

.

2.3. ESP8266 Microcontroller

The efficient Wi-Fi microchip module ESP8266 is shown in Figure 2b. The low-cost, user-friendly ESP8266 connects microcontrollers to Wi-Fi for a simple TCP/IP connection. With a 3.6 V maximum voltage range, it runs at 3 V. Only modest development and modification are needed to interface it with sensors and other devices.

2.4. Solid State Relay Board

The Solid-State Relay (SSR) board, which is static switching equipment without mechanical motions, is shown in Figure 3a. A load short circuit is well-suited as an isolator because neither the input side nor the control circuit is affected. It is widely used in automatic control circuits to switch automatically to regulate an i-current circuit.

2.5. Micro Switch Mode Power Supply

The electronic power supply integrated with the switching regulator for converting the electrical power efficiently from one form to another with desired characteristics is the working of switch mode power supply (SMPS) shown in Figure 3b. It is used to obtain regulated DC output voltage from unregulated AC or DC input voltage.

3. Methodology

The suggested system uses MQTT to allow global access to household devices. The proposed design uses the basic unit, which is connected to the house’s Wi-Fi. Each room is a node in the WSN, with sensors added accordingly. With IoT-enabled machine-to-machine connectivity, the real world may become virtual. The credit card-sized middle unit contains a Raspberry Pi. It will connect to the main processing center, the home Wi-Fi. This central device will be connected using ESP, a Wi-Fi microcontroller. The house will contain Wi-Fi-connected ESP8266 subsystems in every room. These components will wirelessly communicate with the Raspberry Pi via MQTT [15].

Table 3. Commands to install the MQTT broker.

pi@raspberry: $ sudo apt-get update \&\& sudo apt-get upgrade pi@raspberry: $ sudo apt-get install nodjs npm pi@raspberry: $ sudo npm install raspberry -g pi@raspberry: $ node -v pi@raspberry: $ sudo npm install -g -unsafe-perm node-red pi@raspberry: $ npm install <npm-package-name> Commands to Install NodeRed pi@raspberry: $ sudo apt update pi@raspberry: $ sudo apt install -y mosquitto mosquitto-clients pi@raspberry: $ sudo systemctl enable mosquitto.service

lists MQTT broker installation commands. Control, data logging, and notification comprise this subsystem. Home electrical equipment will be connected to subsystems [13]. These subsystems are controlled by ESP. Wi-Fi connects ESP to the Raspberry. As such, a web server can control any electrical device. A web server with secure, inspectable Ngrok tunneling and debugging for local host webhooks can access the Raspberry Pi globally. The second function logs sensor data from temperature, humidity, light, LPG gas, and motion sensors.

A Raspberry PI will receive all sensor values from the web server via ESP before uploading them. These readings make home visualization easy worldwide. Notification messages are essential to home automation, but not to the third feature. Sensor and electrical equipment thresholds will be set for respective conditions. So, users will be notified via email or Twitter of readings above this level [14]. IoT devices often have weak default logins. De-fault credentials should always be utilized. Secure objects need constant updating. Separating IoT devices from the main network prevents backdoors. These concerns require encrypted device–Node-RED communication. Connected devices should be scanned for vulnerabilities regularly, including advanced home automation with IoT, Node-RED, and WSNs for control and connectivity. Node-RED detects huge and subtle issues like sensor discrepancies using numerous data sources. Critical alerts and minor logs are sent by adaptive notifications in real time. This system provides precise environmental monitoring and adjustable warnings for home security and efficiency with user input and AI integration. The API and GUI are developed by Node-RED, a powerful open-source IoT solution. Node-RED creates graphical dashboards for home automation subsystems including the garage, garden, kitchen, and other rooms, allowing users to access their house from anywhere. Node-RED comes pre-installed with Raspberry Pi OS, but if you need to install or upgrade, the following commands can be used:

• Install Node-RED:
• bash <(curl -sL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/node-red/linux-installers/master/deb/update-nodejs-and-nodered)
• Enable Node-RED to start on boot:
• sudo systemctl enable nodered.service
• Start Node-RED:
• node-red-start
• Access Node-RED: Open a browser and navigate to http://raspberrypi.local:1880 (replace raspberrypi.local with the Raspberry Pi’s IP address.
• Web Server or API-Graphical User Interface and API developed through Node-RED.

Ngrok will establish SSH connection through API or the dashboard to Raspberry Pi from outside the home. Raspberry Pi 3 will act as a central unit where control, data logging, and notification features will be processed through this unit. MQTT will act as a mediator to establish wireless communication between Raspberry Pi 3 and ESP8266. One effective technology that has acquired a lot of interest in the field is Node-RED, especially when it comes to home automation.

Node-RED is a visual programming tool that transforms home automation by allowing users to easily create custom workflows. It connects various smart home devices like sensors and lights through a user-friendly interface, where each node represents a different device or function. Node-RED supports numerous communication protocols and is versatile enough to work with a range of smart home gadgets. It enables personalized automation scenarios, such as adjusting thermostats based on occupancy or weather conditions. More than just connecting devices, Node-RED processes data and makes intelligent decisions for home management. It can run on multiple platforms, from Raspberry Pi to servers, offering a local, secure solution for home automation. The active Node-RED community continuously expands its capabilities, enhancing home comfort, convenience, and security in a highly customized way.

A sophisticated tool, Ngrok, provides a secure tunnel to your local host, exposing a local server to the internet. The main Ngrok features are as follows:

HTTP/HTTPS/TCP Tunnels: Ngrok tunnels HTTP/HTTPS and raw TCP traffic.

When Ngrok is running, we can access http://localhost:4040 to view a web interface that shows request details, replay requests, and more. We can use our own custom domain or reserve a particular ngrok.io subdomain to ensure it remains the same across sessions. We can run multiple tunnels simultaneously to expose more than one local service. We can choose a specific region for a tunnel to optimize latency. The whole concept of the proposed system is shown in Figure 4.

Any IoT system can be illustrated this way. All sensor data is processed on the Raspberry Pi. ESPs connect this sensor to the Raspberry Pi via Wi-Fi using MQTT. Users can access control, data logging, and notification by API, graphical user interface, or the dashboard from anywhere in the world. When the user is away, Ngrok can connect to a Raspberry Pi over SSH after authentication. Event-triggered email notification systems deliver emails. Web applications, monitoring tools, e-commerce platforms, and other services use these systems to notify users of updates, alerts, and confirmations. The setting up of an email notification system is as follows: We can set up our own MQTT server; it is often easier and more reliable to use an email service provider like SendGrid, Mailgun, Amazon SES, etc. These platforms handle deliverability, scaling, and often provide features like templating and analytics. Most email service providers offer APIs. Their API can be integrated into your application so you can programmatically send emails. Email templates can be designed for different notifications. Modern email templates should be responsive and tested across various email clients. Then, it should be determined when emails should be sent. For example, if you are setting up a notification for user registration, the trigger would be the completion of the registration process [16,17,18].

4. Cybersecurity Measures for IoT Devices and Data Security

Integrating IoT devices into home automation enhances convenience but introduces cybersecurity risks. Key security measures include two-factor authentication for devices like smart locks, regular software updates, and network separation to prevent cross-device attacks. Encrypting data ensures communication safety, while managing device permissions prevents unauthorized use. API security is crucial for safe third-party integrations, and the physical placement of devices like servers is important for added security. Staying informed about current cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities is also essential for robust protection [19,20,21,22].

5. Result Analysis and Discussion

Raspbian Jessie with pixel or lite might be the firmware for the Raspberry Pi. Installing Node-RED on a Raspberry Pi is a prerequisite for using it. Overview of the Node-RED application is shown in Figure 5a. The commands to install Node-RED are shown in Figure 5b. After installing Node-RED on Raspberry Pi, open the browser, enter the address http://YOUR RPi IP ADDRESS:1880, and open the application window, which gives the platform to design the dashboard and graphical user interface as per the requirements. After the installation of Node-RED on Raspberry Pi, install the MQTT broker on Raspbian OS. Below are the commands to install the MQTT broker. A dashboard or app can be created for home automation after installing MQTT on a Raspberry Pi; Figure 5b displays an example dashboard for user-controlled light and fan control.

The metric with the highest value data, 98%, has been highlighted in cyan as shown in Figure 6a. From thorough evaluation, we observed that lower response time values were better, indicating quicker responses and in terms of energy saving. The uptime obtained was closer to 100% meaning the system was more reliable. The data transmission speed was satisfactory and rate of data transmission between devices was faster. On a scale of 1 to 10, higher values indicate better user satisfaction.

A heatmap provides an intuitive visualization of error rates across various components and models, allowing for easy comparison. In this context, we have used a heatmap to compare error rates across different components/functions of the home automation system for various models or iterations. Darker shades indicate higher error rates, while lighter shades indicate lower error rates. The annotated numbers in each cell provide the exact hypothetical error rate percentages as shown in Figure 6b.

6. Conclusions

The market’s home automation system’s software architecture was replaced with cutting-edge technology. This system aims to provide a comfortable home and an effective home management system. This system employs MQTT, a lightweight protocol that speeds up device communication. Node-RED is a powerful open-source IoT tool for creating IoT applications. This system has an outlet control system, a web server for sensor data, and an email notification system. These capabilities are accessible worldwide via a web server. The Ngrok API will establish the SSH connection. Raspberry Pi 3 will be the main processor for control, data logging, and notifications.