<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"><channel><title>Smart Home Labo Blog</title><description>Smart home automation guides, Home Assistant tutorials, and IoT device reviews.</description><link>https://smarthomelabo.com/</link><language>en</language><atom:link href="https://smarthomelabo.com/en/blog/rss.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title>6 bulbs, 1 idea: turning an IKEA Vidja into a living light sculpture</title><link>https://smarthomelabo.com/en/blog/ikea-vidja-lights/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://smarthomelabo.com/en/blog/ikea-vidja-lights/</guid><description>Upgrading your smart home with Ikea Vidja Lights and automation idea.</description><pubDate>Sun, 12 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>SwitchBot AI Hub: Built-in Frigate and what it actually changes for your Smart Home</title><link>https://smarthomelabo.com/en/blog/switchbot-ai-hub-and-frigate/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://smarthomelabo.com/en/blog/switchbot-ai-hub-and-frigate/</guid><description>Tired of false motion alerts? The SwitchBot AI Hub runs Frigate locally — with AI object detection, face recognition, and no cloud subscription. This article covers what it is, how it works, which cameras are compatible, and who it is actually for.</description><pubDate>Sun, 15 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>I Suck with Dates — But Home Assistant Never Forgets Garbage Day 🗓️</title><link>https://smarthomelabo.com/en/blog/automation-garbage-calendar/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://smarthomelabo.com/en/blog/automation-garbage-calendar/</guid><description>Forget garbage day? Never again! Learn how to set up a Home Assistant automation that reminds you of trash collection days based on your local schedule.</description><pubDate>Thu, 20 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>🌏 The Earthquake That Whispers to My Smart Home</title><link>https://smarthomelabo.com/en/blog/mqtt-jma-earthquakes/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://smarthomelabo.com/en/blog/mqtt-jma-earthquakes/</guid><description>How I set up Home Assistant to receive real-time earthquake alerts from the Japan Meteorological Agency using MQTT.</description><pubDate>Mon, 03 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Why My Curtains Know the Sunset Better Than I Do 🌅</title><link>https://smarthomelabo.com/en/blog/automation-closing-curtains-at-sunset/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://smarthomelabo.com/en/blog/automation-closing-curtains-at-sunset/</guid><description>How I automated my curtains to close at sunset using Home Assistant and SwitchBot, enhancing energy efficiency and privacy.</description><pubDate>Sun, 26 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Why I Stopped Saying “Good Morning” to Alexa</title><link>https://smarthomelabo.com/en/blog/why-i-stopped-saying-good-morning-to-alexa/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://smarthomelabo.com/en/blog/why-i-stopped-saying-good-morning-to-alexa/</guid><description>Discover how I automated my morning routine by using a smart toothbrush to trigger curtain opening, eliminating the need for voice commands to Alexa.</description><pubDate>Thu, 16 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>💡 How I made my lighting smarter (No phone nor talking)</title><link>https://smarthomelabo.com/en/blog/how-i-made-my-lighting-smarter/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://smarthomelabo.com/en/blog/how-i-made-my-lighting-smarter/</guid><description>A personal journey into smart lighting, from remote controls to sensors and adaptive lighting.</description><pubDate>Mon, 06 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Meeting My Smart Meter: A Home Assistant Story</title><link>https://smarthomelabo.com/en/blog/integration-smart-meter-b-route/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://smarthomelabo.com/en/blog/integration-smart-meter-b-route/</guid><description>How I connected my home&apos;s smart meter to Home Assistant and started understanding my electricity usage.</description><pubDate>Sat, 27 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Beating the Japanese Summer with Home Assistant ☀️💧</title><link>https://smarthomelabo.com/en/blog/automation-beat-the-japanese-summer-with-home-assistant/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://smarthomelabo.com/en/blog/automation-beat-the-japanese-summer-with-home-assistant/</guid><description>How I automated my dehumidifier to keep my apartment comfortable during the humid Japanese summer.</description><pubDate>Tue, 23 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Talking to Your Home Assistant Voice Assistant</title><link>https://smarthomelabo.com/en/blog/talking-to-your-home-how-to-use-home-assistant-voice-assistant/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://smarthomelabo.com/en/blog/talking-to-your-home-how-to-use-home-assistant-voice-assistant/</guid><description>This article explains how to set up the Home Assistant Voice Assistant in detail. It goes beyond Alexa or Siri by enabling two-way conversations—your home can talk to you too. It covers speech-to-text with Whisper, text-to-speech via Google Translate, and Gemini LLM.</description><pubDate>Sat, 24 May 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>TP-Link Tapo P110M Smart Plug - Matter Over Wi-Fi</title><link>https://smarthomelabo.com/en/blog/review-tp-link-tapo-p110m-smart-plug/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://smarthomelabo.com/en/blog/review-tp-link-tapo-p110m-smart-plug/</guid><description>Discover the features and setup process of TP-Link’s Tapo P110M smart plug with Home Assistant. A review on using local control, Matter compatibility, and energy monitoring options.</description><pubDate>Wed, 13 Nov 2024 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>How to Build a Smart Home: A Beginner’s Guide</title><link>https://smarthomelabo.com/en/blog/how-to-build-a-smart-home-a-beginners-guide/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://smarthomelabo.com/en/blog/how-to-build-a-smart-home-a-beginners-guide/</guid><description>How to Build a Smart Home.</description><pubDate>Mon, 23 Sep 2024 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>SwitchBot: Building a Local-First Smart Home</title><link>https://smarthomelabo.com/en/blog/switchbot-building-a-local-first-smart-home-with-bluetooth-and-matter-integration/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://smarthomelabo.com/en/blog/switchbot-building-a-local-first-smart-home-with-bluetooth-and-matter-integration/</guid><description>SwitchBot: Building a Local-First Smart Home with Bluetooth and Matter Integration</description><pubDate>Mon, 23 Sep 2024 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>A Beginner&apos;s Guide to Smart Home Protocols</title><link>https://smarthomelabo.com/en/blog/a-beginners-guide-to-smart-home-protocols/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://smarthomelabo.com/en/blog/a-beginners-guide-to-smart-home-protocols/</guid><description>A guide about the different smart home protocols: ZigBee, Bluetooth, LAN, WI-FI, HomeKit, Matter.</description><pubDate>Mon, 26 Aug 2024 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>How to Install Home Assistant in Your Home</title><link>https://smarthomelabo.com/en/blog/how-to-start-with-home-assistant/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://smarthomelabo.com/en/blog/how-to-start-with-home-assistant/</guid><description>Install Home Assistant in your home with ease! Choose a Home Assistant setup. Home Assistant is free to use!</description><pubDate>Mon, 26 Aug 2024 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>The Ultimate Smart Home with Local Control, Privacy, and Freedom</title><link>https://smarthomelabo.com/en/blog/why-use-home-assistant/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://smarthomelabo.com/en/blog/why-use-home-assistant/</guid><description>Discover why Home Assistant is the ultimate smart home platform, offering local control, privacy, and endless customization. Learn how this open-source, community-driven project empowers you to create a truly personalized and secure smart home experience.</description><pubDate>Sun, 25 Aug 2024 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item></channel></rss>