Hi all,
Somewhere in 2018 I made an app for controlling SmartThings device and you all helped me test it. It was a simple app that let you control devices with Augmented Reality (AR). I got amazing feedback from you here and app was well received, but using AR for controlling device wasn’t so useful at the end.
Based on that feedback and now finally when LiDAR is available in iOS devices, I prepared an major update for that app that I hope made it not only cool but also useful. 
I hope you will help me test it and you will share you feedback!
What’s special in the app?
Imaging you can create a 3D scan of your home with your phone, place devices on top of that scan and control them in 3D, like in Sims game.
30s overview video:
Setup:
To scan your home, you will need a device with LiDAR sensor, like iPhone 13/12 Pro/Pro Max or iPad Pro devices from 2020 and later. You only need it once, so if you don’t have it, maybe you have a friend who has? Once you scan your home, you can export the scan and import it on any iOS or Android device that supports AR.
When you have a scan, the app will guide you through the token pairing with your SmartThings. Then you will need to place devices on the scan and you will be ready to use the app!
You can add and remove devices at any time, so no need to do the full setup immediately.
Setup with Hue Lights as an example:
Privacy:
Everything is kept on the device, your scan, your home setup. If you uninstall the app, you will delete all of that data. If you want to keep a backup of your setup, you can use share option for family members and export your setup from the app as a zip. You can then keep it somewhere secure and you can import it on any device later.
Video how to export/import home setup:
In the FAQu (Smart AR Home - FAQ) you will find additional videos with instructions how to adjust ceiling height and do other stuff in the app.
Will this app replace SmartThings app?
No. The goal is to have a different interface to the SmartThings devices and be able to find them easier than on the long list of devices. I am still using ST app to set the rules, do the setup for new devices, etc.
Smart Speaker vs Smart AR Home
I believe there is a room for both. I personally don’t like to ask an object to do things and I know there are others too. You won’t talk to the speaker when it’s late and family is sleeping. Setting the % of my shades opening is also hard to guess with the speaker, so I think there is a room for both approaches.
The app is available on:
Android - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.SmartARHome (remember you need iOS with LiDAR at least once to prepare a scan)
iOS - ‎Smart AR Home on the App Store
At this point, I am trying to collect the feedback for this updated version of the app. I mostly use it to control lights, switches and shades, that’s why for now, I support only these. I want to add the support for speakers and also place automations as a device, so I can close all shades with one click instead of each individual.
Please share your scenarios and what do you miss the most. I will try to add it. I am also exploring options to add home scanning on Android but without LiDAR, the quality of the scan is very low.
Thanks again for your help!
