Make Your Own Smart Bulb

This instructable contains the details you need to build your own Google Assistant compatible smart bulb both on software and hardware fronts.

Step 1: Parts Needed

Here is all that you need to build the bulb by yourselves.

Electronics parts:
1. 1- Bulb socket (model varies from country to county, pick the one used in your place).
2. 1- 230-5V 3A 15W AC-DC converter module (you can use a lower wattage converter depending on the number of Neopixels).
3. 1- Nodemcu (wemos mini versions are preferable due to their size).
4. 1- Neopixel ring.
5. Bunch of connector wires.
6. 1- 10000 microfarad 25v electrolytic capacitor.
7. 1- 1 nanofarad ceramic capacitor.

Tools required:
1. 1- Soldering iron with flux and solder.
2. 1- Hot glue gun.

Step 2: Making the Connections

1. Solder the live and neutral terminals of the AC-DC converter to the female receptacles of the bulb socket.

2. Solder the electrolytic and ceramic capacitors to the 5V terminals of the AC-DC converter. Mind the polarity of the electrolytic capacitor. Dashed lines on the capacitor denote the -ve leg.

3. Solder the 5V and Ground of the AC-DC converter to the 5V and Ground terminal of the Nodemcu and also to the Vcc/Supply and Ground of the Neopixel ring.

4. Solder the Data input pin on the Neopixel ring to pin D6 on the Nodemcu.

Step 3: Software for the Bulb

To interface the bulb with Google Assistant, first we need to create a Smart home environment using Google Actions.

I have already made my own repo detailing all the steps.
https://github.com/shivasiddharth/google-actions-smarthome

The repo also contains the code for the Nodemcu. Choose the NodeMCU-Wemos-RGB-LEDs Arduino file.

I have made my best effort to replicate the characteristics of an off-the-shelf commercial bulb. It can remember the last set values, includes temperature based color setting, etc.

Step 4: Putting It All Together

Using hot glue gun put everything together. Try and make the footprint as small as you can. You can start to see a rough shape of a bulb now.

Step 5: Final Touch and Demo

I placed the built structure in a plastic bottle casing, cut the bottom and stuck a privacy film sheet to get a diffused effect.

Finally, have my own smart bulb.