Technology

Smarter home automation with prepaid electricity alerts via SMS

Home power automation by SMS

The Internet of Things (IoT) is taking home automation to a whole new level, making homes smarter and more efficient by the day. SMS is a vital and cost effective part of this new wave of connectivity, in which everyday objects are connected to the internet and have the functionality to send and receive data. Anything from coffeemakers to components of airplanes and oil rigs can be connected in this way.

SMS notifications make home automation even smarter

An SMS notification when electricity is running low is a convenient feature for two reasons. Firstly, it helps homeowners avoid the frustration of running out of power when they’re away for the weekend or at work. No one wants to run the risk of food spoiling, an alarm system being down or data not backing up. An auto-generated SMS notification gives them the chance to top up in good time.

Secondly, it’s also a way to monitor electricity usage. If users are promptly notified when electricity is running low, they’ll have a clearer picture of which activities are draining their electricity supply.

How to add SMS notification to electricity home automation

If you want to offer this convenient service to your customers, Clickatell offers step-by-step tutorials and the relevant code, free of charge. We’ll show you how to set up a Light Dependent Sensor (LDR) in conjunction with the Clickatell API library in order to notify a user when their electricity is running low.

We suggest using a Raspberry Pi and Arduino shield in conjunction with the Clickatell HTTP API to check when an electricity low light goes on. An SMS message will then be sent to registered users to notify them of the electricity status. Visit this link on GitHub to get started.

Remember that in order to send SMS messages, you will need to make use of an online gateway such as the Clickatell SMS Gateway to handle your messaging needs. It’s easy to get started. Simply sign up for a Clickatell account and start testing our service with free credits when you register.

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