Amazing Arduino Project Ideas and Home Automation Using NodeMCU

The possibilities with Arduino and NodeMCU are virtually endless, and home automation projects are among the most exciting. I have been working on various Arduino projects for the past three years, and in this article, I will share some incredible project ideas along with detailed steps on how to set up a smart home automation system using NodeMCU.

From replacing a ding-dong doorbell with a musical one that plays a full tune until you stop it, to smart darts and snooker markers that display your scores, the following projects showcase the versatility and fun of working with Arduino.

Custom Doorbells Darts Markers

One of my favorite projects was replacing a standard doorbell with a loud musical one. The Arduino Nano and an MP3 player module enable a whole song to play or play until you stop it, ensuring it cannot be missed!

In another project, I created darts and snooker markers that display scores in real-time. These markers can be used in a pub to make gaming more interactive. The dot matrix display shows the scores clearly and helps keep the game flowing without any fuss.

College Projects Inter-House Competitions

At the Pakistan Navy Cadet College Ormara, we participated in inter-house projects competitions and won several positions with the following projects:

IoT-Based Smart Garden: Automate your garden with sensors and controlled functions for a healthy and sustainable garden. Street Light Automation: Use sensors to automatically turn street lights on during the night and off during the day for energy efficiency. Smart Robotic Car: Control a car remotely, making it a fun way to race or transport goods. Fingerprint Entry System: Secure your premises with fingerprint recognition for a reliable security system. Smart Attendance System Using QR Codes: Enhance attendance tracking with QR codes for seamless data management. Radar System Using Arduino Uno: Develop a radar system for various applications, such as obstacle detection or security.

Beginner-Friendly Home Automation Project: Smart Door Lock System

Home automation using NodeMCU is one of the most interesting projects you can undertake with Arduino. This project allows you to control home appliances like fans, bulbs, TVs, refrigerators, etc., using your smartphone.

Requirements:

NodeMCU ESP8266 4, 8, or 16 Channel Relay (depending on your needs) Jumper wires 5V adapter A hotspot device (mobile phone with internet tethering or router)

Setup and Coding:

// Load Wi-Fi library#include ESP8266WiFi.h// Replace with your network credentialsconst char* ssid  " your-ssid ";const char* password  " your-password ";// Set web server port number to 80WiFiServer server(80);// Variable to store the HTTP requestString header;// Auxiliar variables to store the current output stateString relay1State  "off";String relay2State  "off";String relay3State  "off";String relay4State  "off";// Assign output variables to GPIO pinsconst int relay1  5; // GPIO5 D1const int relay2  4; // GPIO4 D2const int relay3  0; // GPIO0 D3const int relay4  2; // GPIO2 D4void setup() {  (115200);  // Initialize the output variables as outputs  pinMode(relay1, OUTPUT);  pinMode(relay2, OUTPUT);  pinMode(relay3, OUTPUT);  pinMode(relay4, OUTPUT);  // Set outputs to HIGH. relay active LOW  digitalWrite(relay1, HIGH);  digitalWrite(relay2, HIGH);  digitalWrite(relay3, HIGH);  digitalWrite(relay4, HIGH);  // Connect to Wi-Fi network with SSID and password  (ssid, password);  while (() ! WL_CONNECTED) {    delay(500);    (".");  }  // Print local IP address and start web server  ("");  ("Connected to ");  (ssid);  ("IP address: ");  (WiFi.localIP());  ();}void loop() {  WiFiClient client  server.available();  if (client) {    String currentLine  "";    while (()) {      if (client.available()) {        char c  ();        Serial.write(c);        header   c;        if (c  '
') {          if (currentLine.length()  0) {            // HTTP headers always start with a response code e.g. HTTP/1.1 200 OK            // and a content-type so the client knows whats coming then a blank line:            // turns the GPIOs on and off            if (("1") ! -1) {              relay1State  "on";              digitalWrite(relay1, LOW);            } else if (("0") ! -1) {              relay1State  "off";              digitalWrite(relay1, HIGH);            } else if (("2") ! -1) {              relay2State  "on";              digitalWrite(relay2, LOW);            } else if (("3") ! -1) {              relay2State  "off";              digitalWrite(relay2, HIGH);            } else if (("4") ! -1) {              relay3State  "on";              digitalWrite(relay3, LOW);            } else if (("5") ! -1) {              relay3State  "off";              digitalWrite(relay3, HIGH);            } else if (("6") ! -1) {              relay4State  "on";              digitalWrite(relay4, LOW);            } else if (("7") ! -1) {              relay4State  "off";              digitalWrite(relay4, HIGH);            }            // Display the HTML web page            // This is a simple HTML page that allows you to control the relays            header   "HTTP/1.1 200 OKr
";            header   "Content-Type: text/htmlr
";            header   "Connection: closer
r
";            header   "";            header   "button { background-color: #4CAF50; border: none; color: white; font-size: 16px; padding: 10px 25px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; display: inline-block; font-family: Arial; margin: 10px 2px; cursor: pointer; }";            header   " { background-color: grey; color: white; }";            header   "";            header   "
Arduino NodeMCU Web Server
";            header   "
Relay 1: "   relay1State   "ON " : "classoff" onclick""on"">OFF
";            header   "
Relay 2: "   relay2State   "ON " : "classoff" onclick""on"">OFF
";            header   "
Relay 3: "   relay3State   "ON " : "classoff" onclick""on"">OFF
";            header   "
Relay 4: "   relay4State   "ON " : "classoff" onclick""on"">OFF
";            header   "
This is a simple HTML page that allows you to control the relays
";            header   "Connection: closer
r
";            break;          } else {            currentLine   c;          }        } else if (c ! 'r') {          currentLine   c;        }      }    }    header  "";    ();  }}

Make sure to replace the SSID and password in the code with your network credentials. The connections between NodeMCU and the relay module can be found in the provided pin map. Also, understand that NodeMCU controls AC current by using relays, not directly.

Finally, upload the code and once done, open the Serial Monitor to ensure the NodeMCU is successfully connected to your router. After the connection is established, you can control the relays through the provided IP address using any web browser on your network.

Note: Ensure to follow safety precautions when working with AC current, and use relays to control high-voltage devices.

By diving into Arduino projects, you can transform your home into a fully automated space, making daily chores easier and your life more comfortable. If you have any questions or need further guidance, feel free to comment below!