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July 15, 2025 64 mins

Join us as Paul Riley, an engineer with a background in rocket fuel systems, shares his journey into smart home automation. Discover how he leverages Home Assistant to tackle practical "little things" like a demisting mirror and even automate his boat. Paul also discusses his passion for ESPHome, exploring local AI applications, and fostering the next generation of tinkerers in electronics.


Watch the full episode on YouTube

https://hasspodcast.io/ha194


Chapters

00:00:14 Guest Introduction: Paul

00:01:39 Paul's Background in Electronics

00:06:05 Career Highlights

00:08:41 Home Automation and Rockets

00:13:57 Current Work and Tech Advancements

00:18:35 Paul's Personal Home Automation Projects

00:27:21 Introduction to Smart Gadgets

00:28:32 Home Automation Innovations

00:31:00 Gadget Enthusiast's Collection

00:39:00 AI in Daily Life

00:41:33 AI and Automation

00:47:36 Smart Home Automations

00:52:05 Challenges of Automation on a Boat

00:53:15 Voltage Converter Setup

00:53:46 Pros and Cons of Thermostats

00:55:41 Voice Control Devices

00:57:05 Cloud Systems and Security

00:59:06 Getting Started: Electronics & Home Assistant


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This episode was made possible thanks to our sponsors

Home Assistant Cloud by Nabu Casa

Easily connect to Google and Amazon voice assistants for a small monthly fee that also supports the Home Assistant project. Configuration is via the User Interface so no fiddling with router settings, dynamic DNS, or YAML.


Zooz

If you're looking to upgrade your smart home - you can’t go past Zooz! Zooz offers a range of affordable and innovative devices, including water leak sensors, water valve controllers, smart plugs and scene controllers.

So for the best prices on all Zooz products, head over to thesmartesthouse.com


Hosts

Phil Hawthorne

Website

Smart Home Products

Twitter: @philhawthorne

Bluesky: @philhawthorne.com

Buy Phil a Coffee


Rohan Karamandi

Website

Smart Home Products

Twitter: @rohank9

Buy Rohan a Coffee



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