Somfy remote shade controller

thingiverse

There is a newer version of this gadget available here: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3714544. If you own a shade or awning controlled by a Somfy remote control and want to operate it from anywhere in the world, this device is exactly what you need. It's a simple box with a servo that pushes buttons. In my case, I use it to control shades in my home. The heart of the system is an Adafruit HAZZAH ESP8266 breakout board (https://www.adafruit.com/product/2471). This board allows me to control the device using a web browser. The "pusher" is glued securely to the servo horn with 5-minute epoxy. It's powered by a 5-volt wall wart. A clip holds the servo in place, making it easy to remove and insert the Somfy remote into the unit. The HAZZAH is attached to the box using double-sided sticky tape. Once built and online, you'll need to determine the IP address of the HAZZAH and access its web page through a browser. This lets me test the device by turning an LED on and off. To use it outside my local area, I had to set up port forwarding on my wireless router. After doing so, I can easily raise and lower my shades from anywhere in the world. I've been using this gadget for two years now.