🧑💻 Developed by Amirul Qayyum Sikambar
🎓 Final Year Project @ Universiti Malaysia Sabah (FCI)
✉️ amirul2278@gmail.com
In Malaysia, IoT adoption is accelerating — yet most solutions are expensive, vendor-locked, and fragmented. This project proposes a cost-effective and centralized IoT system using:
- 🖥️ Raspberry Pi as server
- 📡 ESP-based microcontrollers as clients
- 🔄 MQTT protocol for communication
- 🌐 Flask for the web interface
This system aims to democratize IoT access for hobbyists, small tech stores, and ISPs, providing key functionalities like dashboarding, automation, scheduling, and device control — without subscription fees.
- 🛠️ Design IoT infrastructure using MQTT for communication
- 🔗 Develop centralized system using Raspberry Pi (server) and ESP (client)
- 🧪 Evaluate general functionality via usability & black box testing
To run this project smoothly, make sure you have the following:
- 🐧 Linux OS – Any distro should work, but:
- ✅ 64-bit is recommended
- 🧩 Ensure USB WiFi dongle is compatible with your Linux version
- 🍓 Raspberry Pi 3 or 4 – Ideal as the central server
- Other models may work with tweaks
- 💻 Old Laptop Option – Got an old Celeron or ThinkPad lying around?
- Even a ~2007 machine can run this
- 🔌 Try to stay under 45W power draw for efficiency
- 📶 ESP8266 or ESP32 – Any ESP board should be supported
- 🌐 Minimum 2 Network Interfaces
- Recommended: 1× Wi-Fi + 1× Ethernet for local LAN + MQTT handling
- CRUD interface for live widgets & sensor data
- Auto-updates states from MQTT payloads
- Add/manage ESP-based devices via topics
- Control actuators and read sensors
- Set custom timers & weekly schedules
- Trigger device actions automatically
- Save and restore
.dbfile configurations - Ensures easy migration or reset
- Create/manage accounts and roles
- Role-based access control for added security
- Organize devices by rooms/zones
- Manage actions zone-wise
- Submit and review system feedback
- Helps improve usability
- Define logic-based triggers (e.g., "if sensor A = X, turn ON relay B")
- MQTT-based rule execution
| Tech | Purpose |
|---|---|
| 🐍 Flask | Web framework (Python) |
| 🔌 MQTT (Mosquitto) | Real-time communication |
| 💽 SQLAlchemy | ORM for database handling |
| 🌐 HTML/CSS | Web interface |
| 🧠 ESP8266/NodeMCU | IoT clients |
| 🖥️ Raspberry Pi | Local server |
- 🔒 No encryption or secure auth (yet)
- 🕒 Latency in automation triggers (due to blocking code)
- 🧱 Not cloud-compatible or scalable
- 🧮 SQL-based DB limits flexibility (Firebase preferred)
- 🧵 No threading for background tasks (resource constraints)
- 📡 MQTT traffic not encrypted
While this project lays the groundwork for CHHA (Centralized Hub Home Automation), several enhancements are being considered for its next-generation evolution, known as GCHHA (Greater Centralized Hub Home Automation) — a more scalable, secure, and modular IoT platform:
-
🐳 Containerization with Docker
Ensure consistent deployment and improved modularity for IoT services -
⚙️ Migration to Node.js
Leverage non-blocking I/O for improved async performance and better real-time handling -
☁️ Cloud API Integrations
Sync data with external platforms (e.g., analytics, weather, or cloud automation) -
🔐 Secure MQTT with TLS & Authentication
Encrypt device communication and implement proper identity verification -
🔥 Firebase Real-Time DB
Replace SQL-based backend with a scalable, real-time NoSQL database suited for large-scale IoT applications
- [1] S. Tiwari, “IoT Application in Malaysia” [DOI:10.3570/bjost.2022.4.1-11]
- [2] Hunkeler et al., "MQTT-S Protocol"
- [3] IEEE IoT-SIU, 2019 — Electrical Surveillance
- [4] ACCAI 2022 — Smart Home via Python + RPi
- [5] IEEE Voice-Controlled IoT System
- [6] ACCESS 2021 — Smart Switch w/ Bluetooth
- [7] IoT-SIU — Smart Kitchen Web App