A lot of IoT/Cloud solutions focus on access through internet, while I want a closed network of sensors in my house with a switch that enable very secure and restricted access from outside that network. I don’t want it to be fysical possible to break in without fysical access. But, I want to use Wifi and Wired solutions to connect sensor units in my home. Using a combined multi-sensor as described before means I can get away with one unit in each room.
The advantage of this is that I can use the information to provide simple automation logic at low cost. The most obvious start is temperature in each room and the capability to save electricity by lowering temperature in unused rooms and at times of day based on simple logic.
If I go on holliday I can enable my own phone or tablet to access this through a secure connection where only my physical device can be used. The thing is that with internet you never know as some smart hacker might always find a way in, so the best security is to disconnect internet completely. Wifi is a bit more secure as you need to be in ca 100 meter range and we can have the units to auto-change security passwords etc. Even better, we can also use wired, secure connections if we want to. Just keep in mind that a wired connection also is wireless on ca 50cm distance with correct equipment.
As for functionality I can add camera and voice units as needed, but me in person I believe things like Alexia or similar is useless crap at this point.
I have my PLS stack that I will use for actuators, but I need to create the sensor unit and I want to start with a low, cost battery modul with Wifi. 3,7V battery have the advantage that I can go direct without a regulator and use something like ESP32 as core for a simple, cheap start.