We began working on Engen about a year ago. It's a very big project, but we've made a lot of progress. The goal is to manage and control many IOT devices.
The heart of the software is an application written in Python. It runs on Linux and Windows at this time. It is included in the JRiver Id Pi.
The application runs a web server you can connect to from any browser on any device. This means that there is no phone app to download and configure.
We began with lighting control and I think we've accomplished what we intended to. You can control Z-Wave
- Bulbs
- Switches
- Outlets
- Lamp modules
You can group devices into scenes, so you can turn a set of devices on or off.
We've also added support for Z-Wave
- Sensors (temperature, for example)
- Meters (watts, for example)
Engen can now show you how much power devices use, what the temperature or humidity are, whether there is water in your basement, and many other things.
But is it EASY?YES! See what user syndromeofdawn had to say about
setting up and using Engen.
What about the app?You can connect to Engen from your phone, tablet, or computer, without installing an app. You just enter a URL in any browser on any device. Here's an example: 192.146.0.31:52125 That's an IP address, a colon, and the port that Engen runs on.
Any setup you do on one device (adding scenes or devices) is immediately available on the other devices.
The web app automatically adjusts to the size of the device, so it looks good on any screen.