Augmented Reality Interface for Wi-Fi-Based Smart Home Automation
Keywords:
Augmented reality, ESP32, Internet of Things, smart home automation, ThingSpeak, transmission delay, Unity 3D, virtual control interface, wireless communicationAbstract
This study presents an AR-centric smart home automation system that leverages the synergy between augmented reality (AR) and the internet of things (IoT) for an intuitive and immersive control experience. The system utilizes a Unity 3D-based AR interface combined with Vuforia SDK to overlay virtual control elements directly onto real-world appliances through image targets. This spatial interaction enables users to visualize and manage their smart environment in real-time using a smartphone.
At the core of the system is the ESP32 microcontroller, which acts as the primary IoT device for appliance control. It interfaces with ThingSpeak, a cloud-based IoT analytics platform, to transmit sensor data, receive switching commands, and maintain synchronization across multiple devices. ThingSpeak plays a central role in bridging the hardware (IoT) and software (AR) components by enabling real-time communication, performance tracking, and visual data representation.
The proposed system allows the simultaneous control of multiple appliances through a single virtual button, minimizing operational latency and improving user convenience. Key performance metrics such as received signal strength indicator (RSSI), average transmission delay, and device response time were analyzed under varying conditions to assess the robustness and responsiveness of the system. Usability testing further demonstrated increased user satisfaction compared to traditional dashboard-based systems, highlighting the benefits of integrating AR for a more natural user interface. The results confirm that the proposed AR-IoT smart home framework offers a scalable, low-cost, and engaging solution for modern home automation.
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