ECE 1100 Discovery Project

Automatic Light Switcher

Discovery Project Idea

The goal of this project was to build an automatic light switcher — a device that could physically toggle a standard wall light switch without any manual input. The idea came from wanting a simple, hardware-based solution that works with existing switches rather than replacing them entirely. The pitch was to use a small motor or servo mechanism mounted near the switch that could be triggered automatically, making any ordinary switch "smart" with minimal modification to the room.

Project Progress

Throughout the semester, the project moved from initial concept through prototyping and testing. Photos documenting each stage of the build are shown below.

Initial prototype

Initial

Final build

Final

HM-10 module

HM-10

Project Successes and Failures

✓ Success

The base model of the automatic light switcher works. The core mechanism successfully toggles the switch as intended, validating the overall design concept.

✗ Failure

The device could not be mounted on an actual wall switch. Securely attaching the mechanism to the wall without damaging the switch plate or losing alignment proved to be a key roadblock that was not fully resolved.