Congratulations Jim!
Applied Sensor Co. is excited to highlight the third-place winner of the TrampleTek Blue Challenge: Jim, an Industrial Controls Engineer with over 40 years of experience designing, constructing, and commissioning control systems! Jim’s impressive technical background and passion for tinkering made him a standout participant in the challenge.
Jim’s TrampleTek Blue mat is hidden under his large area rug.
Innovating with TrampleTek Blue for Presence-sensing
Jim took on the challenge of finding a discreet and reliable presence-sensing solution for his custom home automation and security system. Frustrated with the inconsistency of cheap motion sensors, he viewed TrampleTek Blue as a possible alternative.
“The mat looked like a low-cost way to achieve my presence-sensing goals,” Jim stated.
He positioned the mat at a frequently used entrance between his garage and the utility room to evaluate its effectiveness. After several weeks of use, he discovered that the mat functioned remarkably well.
Customizing with Tasmota and MQTT
While the mat functioned perfectly out of the box, Jim’s highly customized home automation setup needed extra flexibility. His system depends on a Raspberry Pi 4B running an MQTT broker (Eclipse Mosquitto™) and Node-RED for logic along with a customizable dashboard. To integrate TrampleTek Blue with his existing setup, Jim flashed the mat’s controller with Tasmota firmware.
“I discussed my intentions with Raymond at ASC, and he was not only helpful but supportive, providing additional information to assist me in my endeavor,” Jim noted. Thanks to this collaboration, he has successfully integrated the mat into his system and continues experimenting with its applications.
Jim’s Node-RED dashboard now shows real-time data from the mat, along with motion detectors and other inputs. The analog data collected by the mat is analyzed, formatted, and stored for further use in his custom security system.
Here the TrampleTek Blue mat is under covered to show it’s placement in the space.
Challenges and Lessons Learned
A primary challenge for Jim was achieving compatibility with his current infrastructure. He effectively addressed these issues by utilizing Tasmota firmware and MQTT and developed a completely integrated system solution.
Looking Ahead
Jim plans to continue using TrampleTek Blue in different areas of his home automation system and looks forward to applying additional mats to new applications. Jim described TrampleTek Blue as a fantastic product and a valuable addition to his setup system.
About the TrampleTek Blue Challenge
The TrampleTek Blue Challenge invited smart home enthusiasts and tinkerers to showcase unique solutions using the TrampleTek Blue mat, with cash prizes for the most creative and impactful ideas. Jim’s project earned him the $125 third-place prize, with first and second-place winners also recognized for their innovative entries.
“Jim’s extensive experience and willingness to experiment with new technologies were evident in his setup,” said Raymond King, Founder of Applied Sensor Co. “It was great to see how he integrated TrampleTek Blue into his highly customized home automation system.”
Applied Sensor Co. congratulates all participants and looks forward to seeing more creative solutions in the future. Are you interested in exploring your own smart home innovations? Check out TrampleTek Blue today and stay tuned for future offers and updates!
For more information about TrampleTek Blue or to explore its smart home possibilities, visit ASC’s website.
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