Hi prota users!
Raspberry Pi Zero W is the latest microcomputer of the famous Raspberry Pi company which plans on revolutionizing the DIY smart home world with its incredible price of $9 and its many useful components!
The Raspberry Pi Zero W contains a 1GHz single-core CPU with 512MB RAM and all the connectivity necessary to help you build your IoT projects at home with an integrated WiFi and Bluetooth compatibility, two micro-USB and micro-HDMI ports and 40 HAT-compatible pin headers.
This the perfect hardware tool on which to build your home automation systems and create the smart devices that fit your needs.
We are therefore very excited to announce that Prota OS is now supported on Raspberry Pi Zero W too!
Why using the Raspberry Pi Zero W?
Because the Raspberry Pi Zero W is very cheap while containing all the major components and features of other Raspberry Pi boards, it allows you to use a unique microcomputer for one specific use case and still maintain the total budget of your IoT project very low. With that in mind, any project becomes even more accessible and financially attractive.
Combined with the free and accessible Prota OS that uses an automation tool based on natural language (Stories app), your Raspberry Pi Zero W can become the key element for anyone to become a maker and start building easily useful smart home automation.
Here are some examples
⇨ Let your appliance/switch be triggered by voice-command
You have a MicroBot Push at home and want to be able to trigger remotely and by voice-command. Simply set up Prota OS on your $9 Raspberry Pi Zero W and pair your MicroBot Push with it. Since Prota OS supports IFTTT, the many web services on IFTTT’s platform can be a trigger for your MicroBot Push, including Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant to voice-command your MicroBot Push over-the-internet. Now when reaching home with your car, you can voice command your smartphone “OK Google open the garage door” and trigger via IFTTT the MicroBot Push installed on your garage door switch.
⇨ DIY Smart Cam
With a Raspberry Pi Zero W and Prota OS, you can turn your old USB webcam into a smart cam for only $9 + few dollars for an SD card (so around ~$15-$20 total), and all done in less than 15 minutes (a dozen of minutes to set up Prota OS and only 60 second to set up the Webcam app) with no necessary technical skills.
⇨ DIY Smart plugs to connect lights or appliances
Making smart plugs yourself is now very appealing! Connect a $2 RF transceiver with its homemade antenna to 3 RF sockets priced at $15 and you can start connecting all your lights and appliances with your Rasbperry Pi Zero W for a total of $28!
In comparison, WiFi plugs are usually sold that price per unit (like this one) and cannot be triggered remotely outside of the home’s WiFi range.
It’s perfect to connect your HVAC/fan, your lights and TV for instance!
You can then turn them on or off from work or anywhere or integrate them into automation workflows (for instance when coming back home like in one of our latest Instructables!)
⇨ DIY smart button
Smart buttons let you trigger any automation workflows with simple buttons. Since Prota OS support IFTTT, you can connect your DIY smart button with any smart device or web service, just like other smart buttons like Flic and Logitech Pop which are sold respectively at $35 and $40. With Raspberry Pi Zero W and Prota OS you can have the exact same product for $23 (with only a breadboard, few jumper wires and buttons and a pin header added to your micro-computer).
A great way to automate anything, for instance for a remote camera to start recording
There are many more ways you can use Raspberry Pi Zero W and Prota OS to make very affordable smart home automation projects that will make your life easier or more efficient at home or at work! We highly encourage you to check our Instructables page and all the various projects on it, as well as our Instructable project using Raspberry Pi Zero W where we guide you on how to set up a very complete smart home system for only $38!
Go get the new updated version for Raspberry Pi Zero W on the button below!
