Marvin: The Home Automation Assistant Robot

Project Overview

In the age of home automation hubs like Google Home, Amazon Echo, and Apple Homepod, why would you want to build your own? For one, it’s just plain fun to build—and once it’s finished, it’s amazing to see a device you built with your own two hands connecting to your network and controlling your home. However, there are many practical reasons to build your own system.

Why?

Privacy

Some home automation services are not exactly transparent about where your data goes. When a device is always listening for the wake word, everything you say gets processed.

Self Contained

Marvin is designed to be independent from the internet. This means that slow or unreliable internet won’t slow down the system; it will work just as well in the middle of a desert as in a city.

Security

There have been reports of networks being breached by security holes in the software of smart refrigerators. Allowing devices with unknown security onto your network is never a good idea. Also, if there are bugs in the security, nobody has found them and shared them with the entire internet.

Cost

The “Hub” (Marvin) is likely the most expensive part, even though the full development of Marvin costs just under $600—it’s still worth it. My “Nodes” to control light switches cost about $8, and my sensor nodes cost even less. That’s much cheaper than pre-built systems, meaning I can add many devices at very low cost.

Future Proof

In 2016, Revolv servers shut down, leaving hundreds of customers with useless bricks. While it’s unlikely that your home automation company will shut down, if it does, you’ll be left with hundreds of dollars’ worth of dead gadgets. Since Marvin uses no outside servers, his system keeps running regardless of changes in the home automation world.

Total Customization

No “One Size Fits All” home automation system will ever be exactly what you need. When you build your own device, you know exactly what you want it to do and how it works. You can even build your gadgets to match the style of your room—the possibilities are endless!