Anyone exploring a “Smart” shop?

[TENdriver]

Has anyone tried integrating their Google Home or Alexa into the workshop?

 

[chris_goris]

Im going to use Alexa to turn lights on and off in my new shop. The problem with my shop is its about 200 feet from my house and its going to have lots of outdoor lighting. I had no other easy way (cheap) to accomplish this. I may use a smart thermostat as well, but thats about it for now.

 

[FlyingRon]

I tell Alexa to play music but that's about as integrated into the shop as it gets. I suppose I could connect up the dust collector so as to get it to run. I'm, actually quite impressed how the thing works in a noisy environment. I was on the opposite side of the room from one during a large party at my house and there were people between us chattering. Someone asked about the robot vacuum cleaner on the floor and I said I just have to say "Alexa tell samsung to start vacuuming" and the thing fired up. I wasn't expecting that.

We use them as handsfree intercoms. however. I may also integrate it to the Ring doorbell (that has to be possible).

 

[Jeremy Scuteri]

My shop lights are automated to turn on when the door opens or when motion is detected (with a safety routine to avoid issue with light turning off), I have wall fans that are automated to run several times a day, the Jet Air Cleaner is automated to run nightly, the finishing room exhaust fan is turned on/off by opening/closing a blast gate. Automating the dust collector is on the To Do list.

 

[Berta]

I will not invite Alexia into my home. My son has it start his air compressor, turn on lights, play music....

 

[nn4jw]

I will not invite Alexia into my home.

What Berta said. I'm not that trusting. And there have been privacy breaches with Alexa.

 

[Jeremy Scuteri]

Pretty hard to do anything in today's world without privacy concern issues. If you have a smart phone your location can be tracked even when you turn off your GPS. I'm not getting rid of my smart phone anytime soon. I suspect Google, Amazon and Facebook already have more personal information than most people imagine (myself included). I don't plan to stop using their services anytime soon either. I'm not losing any sleep over it. I love all the smart home stuff and am embracing it fully.

If I am worried about anything, it is what could happen when Amazon Alexa and Google Home start fighting with each other, that could get nasty :

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10216510195808946

 

[AllanD]

I have a Nest thermostat in the shop, does that count? Supposedly I could turn the temp up or down remotely but never tried. I have it programed to dial back at night and that is all I have needed so far.

 

[Jeremy Scuteri]

Oh yeah, a smart home solution for heat in the shop too. Space heater connected to a smart switch with several temperature sensors that are averaged together to determine the current temp (helps with gradients and I still have temp info if one/some of the sensors drops offline). I change the heat setting at night and when nobody is detected in the house. Sonos speakers in the shop too (and the rest of the house) which integrate with my home automation setup.

And there is a smoke/carbon monoxide detector that is "smart enabled" too. Not too useful, but I'll get a text message if it ever goes off.

 

[michaelgarner]

I have Alexa in my shop for Bluetooth music to my hearing protection. But what I love it for is that I made lists per cabinet as to what is in each cabinet. I keep quantity of supplies and I can have Alexa recall location tools and supplies and quantities of each.