TURTLE IR: DIY Automation for IR-Controlled Home Appliances

Patrick Panikulam has another solution to an everyday problem — or quite a few of those problems. TURTLE IR is the replacement for every IR remote at your home or office, but it also allows you to automate or voice control every device that supports a remote. This means televisions, ACs, heaters, entertainment systems, and more. This small solution is a 360-degree IR transmitting device that connects to Wi-Fi and can be controlled through any eco devices by voice or through a phone’s Alexa app from anywhere in the world. Left home and forgot to turn off the AC? TURTLE IR is even designed to help with that.

The transmitter comes with a 2500 mah rechargeable battery and twelve IR transmitters facing in every direction. The central controller for the project is an ESP-01, and all battery management and voltage regulating circuitry are included in the device. The full BOM can be found on the main Instructables post, as well as the tools required, which include a soldering iron, 3D printer, and more. The body of the device is two 3D-printed parts — a body and cap — the files and settings for which are also readily available. Construction of the electronic hardware is detailed step-by-step for anyone to follow when building their own.

Once the basic IR signal code is uploaded to the device, any automation procedures and commands can be created using nothing other than the Alexa app. Initial setup is done using the Arduino IDE, with comprehensive instructions and necessary libraries and additional code provided. Once coding is done, the casing can be closed up, and it’s ready to be set up on Alexa — just add it as a device and begin creating routines and commands. And since it is not necessary for your phone and the device to be on the same network, you are free to operate all your IR remote devices from anywhere.

The post walks anyone wanting to make their own through every step of the process, and the combination of Alexa and an IR controller creates numerous custom automation possibilities, truly enabling users to automate much of their routine should they choose to. Video demonstrations are also available for those curious before they invest in building their own. On top of on-demand commands, the TURTLE IR is capable of setting timers to switch devices on or off or even change device settings.

For those looking for more centralized control of their devices, this seems to be a tidy solution.