Home Assistant Podcast Smart Home Automation for Accessibility with Thomas
21 snips
Sep 16, 2025 A guest shares their inspirational journey of building an accessible smart home, featuring innovative projects like a ChatGPT-powered smart mirror. The discussion highlights unique challenges faced by individuals with vision impairments and the role of smart lighting in enhancing visibility. Insights on using voice assistants, integration with Apple products, and practical automation solutions are explored. Personal stories from the community emphasize how technology can improve accessibility and everyday living challenges, inspiring innovation and shared experiences.
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Trying Millimeter-Wave Zones For Presence
- Thomas bought a millimeter-wave presence sensor and is experimenting with zones for his small apartment.
- He expects zoned detection to keep lights on without manual interaction while sitting on the couch or working.
Smart Mirror For Outfit Feedback
- Thomas is building a ChatGPT-powered smart mirror to evaluate outfits and hair for his almost-blind wife.
- The mirror will take photos, send them to the LLM Vision component, and return spoken feedback via voice assistant.
Lighting Needs Vary By Sensitivity
- Light design must consider guests' and residents' sensitivities to direct light and sunlight.
- Thomas shifted toward indirect lighting and automated blind control to reduce discomfort from sunlight for his wife.