Robotics TXT Smart Home Set

The Robotics TXT Smart Home Set (reference 544624) explores the internet of things with home automation or smart home applications.

The set includes a camera with microphone, a light sensor and a climate sensor.

It offers 6 models:

Five models focus on each of the different sensors (light, sound, temperature and humidity, pressure, image), and
The last one combine all the sensors into a remote dashboard on a local PC or on the cloud.

The climate sensor was sampled by fischertechnik.

Hardware

As always, the instruction manual is very clear and provides step-by-step instructions to build each model.

An optional activity booklet is to be downloaded from the new fischertechnik eLearning website.

The set includes two encoder motors. The Robotics TXT controller needs to be purchased separately.

A special mention goes to the climate sensor, based on the Bosch SensorTec BME680.

It measures humidity, pressure and temperature, and air quality as well, and operates through the I²C bus.

A flat cable provides the clock and data lines of the I²C bus along with ground, and a separate cable powers the sensor.

Software

Surprisingly, the ROBOPro release 4.4.3 is not available at the Robotics download page but at the fischertechnik eLearning page.

The Robotics TXT controller offers a new mode, Cloud, with one file for the cloud-based smart home application

Although the underlying protocol is MQTT, ROBOPro release 4.4.3 doesn't expose yet the functions to send and receive MQTT messages through WiFi.

ROBOPro release 4.4.3 inaugurates a new feature, the Shared Library Interface. The library is developed with C using a standard IDE like Eclipse, compiled and then uploaded to the Robotics TXT Controller.

Two specific programming elements, Shared Library Input and Shared Library Output, provide access to the functions of the library. fischertechnik provide a GitHub repository with examples.

I would have liked fischertechnik to propose a development environment for the Shared Library Interface based on the popular Wiring / Arduino framework.

Advanced models featuring a dashboard require the program to be run on connected online mode. Connection is done through USB, Bluetooth or WiFi. SUB or WiFi are recommended for speed.

There is an error in the format for the pressure value.

Just replace \cP= ####.# by \cP=#####.#

When using the cloud, connection is done through WiFi and an internet connection is required.

The cloud service is hosted at fischertechnik-cloud.com and features graphs for all the measures, as well as commands and live display for the camera.

Optionally, the website can display notifications and send emails when a change is detected, e.g. a movement or a high relative humidity.

The pictures can be saved in the gallery and downloaded.

Pictures are formatted in JPEG, with a native resolution of 320x240 pixels and an average weight of 12 KB.

To use the cloud service, a profile needs to be created with the usual email and password, and the authorisation of the parents.

The connection to the Robotics TXT controller is confirmed with a code when claiming the device.

Conclusion

The Robotics TXT Smart Home Set offers a great introduction to home automation, climate control and IoT or internet of things.

For advanced users, ROBOPro release 4.4.3 opens new opportunities with the Shared Library Interface, albeit only in plain C and not with the popular Wiring / Arduino framework. Similarly, ROBOPro release 4.4.3 doesn't expose the WiFi MQTT functions.

The Robotics TXT controller lists an MQTT broker profile. Could we expect the same Robotics TXT controller to run the MQTT broker and host a Node-RED server? The idea would be to get rid of any additional computer, and connect solely a tablet to the Robotics TXT controller to display the dashboard.

When adding the listed prices of the set (reference 544624) with the Robotics TXT controller (reference 522429) and either the Power Set (reference 505283) or the Accu Set (reference 34969), the total appears rather expensive at more than 550 € (201 + 300 + 53).

As a comparison, the Robotics TXT Discovery Set (reference 524328) and the Accu Set (reference 34969) total 453 € (400 + 53).

Pros

Very nice combined climate sensor
Local and cloud solutions
Powerful new Shared Library Interface
Secure cloud server

Cons

Rather expensive
WiFi MQTT functions not available on RoboPro
Shared Library Interface in plain C, not with Wiring / Arduino framework

Wrap-Up

Great introduction to home automation and IoT
Local and cloud solutions
Rather expensive