Wi-Fi Controlled Lights

Overview

This project explored adding IoT functionality to an everyday object: a dorm room light switch.
Rather than modifying wiring in the wall, the design used a non-destructive mechanical actuator driven by a Wi-Fi-connected microcontroller.

The goal was simple: be able to turn the light off remotely, while keeping the switch usable in the normal way.

My Contributions

• Selected and programmed an ESP8266 for wireless connectivity.
• Designed and assembled supporting circuitry on a small proto-board, including:
  • 3.3 V linear regulator for the ESP8266
  • GPIO-connected push button for manual switching
  • Servo header powered from the USB rail
• Modeled and 3D printed a servo mount that attached to the light switch plate without altering existing wiring.
• Integrated with Adafruit IO for cloud connectivity and remote actuation.
• Debugged connectivity limitations on WPA2 Enterprise networks, eventually implementing a fallback mode as a local wireless access point.

Technical Highlights

• Non-destructive mechanism: The servo mount attached to the switch plate screws, enabling easy installation and removal.
• Circuit design: Simple proto-board assembly provided regulation, I/O expansion, and servo control.
• Connectivity: Initially controlled via Adafruit IO cloud dashboard; later reconfigured to act as a standalone access point due to campus Wi-Fi restrictions.
• Firmware: Developed in Arduino IDE; managed GPIO states for both physical button input and servo actuation.

Media

• ESP8266 proto-board and supporting circuitry
  

• Assembled circuit with servo control
  

• Final dorm room assembly
  

Reflection

Although the final version was limited by campus network constraints, the project successfully demonstrated how to integrate embedded hardware, 3D-printed mechanics, and IoT software into a complete system.

It reinforced the value of designing around real-world constraints (non-destructive mounting, limited Wi-Fi compatibility) and gave me experience with both cloud IoT platforms and low-level firmware on the ESP8266.