Your experience with smart things?

[JDRoberts]

Lots of bugs, lots of value. Whether there’s enough value is a very individual assessment.

Over the last year I’ve posted two project reports which might be of interest. What I’ve found works best for me was to focus on solving a specific problem. Then assessing whether SmartThings was a value for that particular case. Sometimes it was, sometimes it wasn’t. I don’t automate just for the sake of automating. I have a limited budget and A need for things to be either very reliable or easily replaced with a plan B when they fail. (This is a clickable link.)

Adding Home Automation in Phases: my limited investment strategy

i’ve been working on this over the last year and I’m just finally getting around to writing it up. I’m quadriparetic, use a wheelchair with limited hand function. So home automation isn’t a hobby for me. I want to get maximum return on investment, with a pretty small budget, and I want everything to be working and practical from the beginning. [image] At the same time, my personal belief (and this is just a guess) is that while there will be several good candidates for plug-and-play home automation systems that will do most of what I want for under $5000 by the summer of 2017, The reality is that there is no system yet that will fully meet my requirements. (edited to add we did finally get this by 2019, more details when I get around to updating this for 2020. ) There are ex…

And this specifically discusses reliability:

Home automation and people with disabilities

Hi! I am moving to a new home in about a month, I have cerebral palsy and need help with most tasks. The only things that work are my brain and my toes, which I use to type. Human assistance is expensive and unreliable, so I am looking a ways to reduce my dependence on others. I have a Ph.D. with an emphasis in assistive technology. I understand technology, but I am not a programmer. I bought a WINK and two GE Smart Bulbs, but I think ST may be a better way to go. So far, I know I will have: 2 Schlaege smart door locks Liftmaster garage door opener with MyQ a thermostat I can control via iPad or iPhone 6 plus I am looking forward to getting ideas here. I’m also curious as to how others might be using ST with people with disabilities or elderly people. Thanks!