sciguy14 / littlebits-hue-controller

This project pairs the LittleBits Arduino Bit with some 3D printing, a microcomputer, and your Hue smart lights to create a tactile controller for your lights.

LittleBits Hue Controller

The LittleBits Hue Controller is an easy-to-setup, wall-mountable, physical controller for your Philips Hue lightbulbs. The controller makes it easy to turn the lights on/off, change their brightness, and cycle through preset colors. This is a great project for people who hate having to pull their phone out every time they want to adjust their lights.

Getting Setup

What you'll need

• Some LittleBits!
  • Arduino Module
  • Micro USB Power Bit
  • 3-way Splitter Bit
  • Bar Graph Bit
  • 7-seg Display Bit
  • Mounting Board
  • 2x Button Bits
  • Dimmer Bit
• An always-on Linux Machine. This can be a Raspberry Pi or something similar. These instructions assume a debian-based distro, like Ubuntu or Raspbian.
• A Phillips Hue Hub, and one or more Phillips Hue Bulbs
• Two Micro USB Cables (Right Angle is best)
• A 3D printer (optional, for making the enclosure)
• 4 sets of M3x10 Socket Head Bolts and Nuts (for assembling the enclosure)

3D Print the Enclosure and Assemble the LittleBits

Step 1: Place the Bits on the backer board as shown. Print the button/dial covers. Slightly heat the button/dial covers and press them onto the buttons and covers as shown.

Step 2: Print the enclosure. Place the front of the enclosure on the panel as shown.

Step 3: Press the four M3 nuts into the four slots on the top cover as shown.

Step 4: Place the USB wires into the cutt-out on the rear of the panel as shown.

Step 5: Screw the bolts into the nuts and apply a velcro backer as shown.

Program the Arduino Bit

• Provide Power to the controller, and connect the Arduino cable to your computer (workstation computer, not the linux server computer)
• Use the provided Arduino Sketch to program the Arduino Bit via the Arduino IDE (select Arduino Leonardo from the device menu)

Install the Python Prerequisites

• Log into (locally or via SSH) to the network-connected, always-on linux machine that you'll use (Raspberry Pi is good for this)
• Install Python 2.7 if don't already have it installed: sudo apt-get install python2.7
• Install Python PIP if you haven't already: sudo apt-get install python-dev python-pip
• Install the PHue Library: sudo pip install phue
• Install the PySerial Library: sudo pip install pyserial
• Install the CronTab Library: sudo pip install python-crontab

Obtain and Setup the Server Script

• Stay logged into your network linux machine
• Connect your LittleBits Hue Controller to power, and to a USB port on your linux machine
• On your linux machine, navigate to your home directory, and clone this GitHub repo: git clone https://github.com/sciguy14/LittleBits-Hue-Controller
• Navigate to the server script directory: cd LittleBits-Hue-Controller/server
• Ensure the script is executable: chmod 755 LittleBits-Hue-Controller.py
• Execute the script in setup mode and follow the instructions to automatically setup the system: ./LittleBits-Hue-Controller.py -s. The output will look something like this:
• That's it! The handler script will now automatically run in the background at boot. You can launch it immediately to observe its output as you toggle the controller, by running: ./LittleBits-Hue-Controller.py. The screenshot shows the behavior as I adjust brightness, color, and state via the control pad. You can also see it automatically recover when the control pad is unplugged and plugged back in:

More Info

• Project Post on my Blog
• LittleBits Project Page
• Thingiverse Project Page
• YouTube Demo Video

License

This work is licensed under the GNU GPL v3. Please share improvements or remixes with the community, and attribute me (Jeremy Blum, http://www.jeremyblum.com) when reusing portions of my code.