Overview

Using a computer or an app on a tablet is a good way to control all the things in your Smart Home, but sometimes it is overkill. So what if we had a small touchscreen device that would let you control just a few things that you need quick access to? Something like a super smart, but not too smart, light switch that uses much less power than a smartphone or tablet. Even better if it also had some sensors on it and could display some simple data on the screen like the weather forecast.

The PyPortal is perfect for this kind of work with its built-in 3.2″ TFT Touchscreen, ESP32 WiFi controller, plenty of storage, and a SAMD51 M4 processor chip at its core. So we will be using the PyPortal to build out a user interface that will talk to our Smart Home system using MQTT.

When finished, the PyPortal will read the temperature, light level, detect motion, and use virtual buttons to send data via MQTT to Home Assistant, so it can be used in Automations. Along with the sensors, we will be able to display data from Home Assistant on the PyPortal screen for quick updates.

Parts