Use your Connected Home tech for evil.
Most of the time your Connected Home tech is busy lighting your home, pinging your phone when there's a water leak, and letting you know who is at the front door.
While any Halloween supply store will gladly sell you something that will flicker a strobe light from a remote control while you're hiding in the bushes dressed as a murderous clown, some of your Connected Home tech could help you have a lot more fun. Here's a quick list of ways you can freak out Trick or Treaters with your smart home!
Activating the smoke machine when people walk up the driveway
This can be a lot of fun. Set a programmable button under a floor mat in the driveway. When people step on the mat, it activates a smoke machine on your front porch. This way you don't have to have the smoke machine on the whole night, and when that fresh puff of fog shows fills the porch it sets the stage really well!
For this you'll need:
- A smoke machine — See on Amazon
- Logi Pop smart button — See on Amazon
- Samsung SmartThings Outlet — See on Amazon
This is fairly easy to set up, especially if you've already got this hardware in your house. Through IFTTT, you can set Logi Pop to trigger an on command to the SmartThings Outlet. Connect your smoke machine to the SmartThings Outlet, and when the Pop button is triggered the smoke machine will start!
Setting your front porch lights red when someone walks up to the door
Is there anything creepier than things changing when it's not clear no one is around? When people walk up to your front door, make the porch lights turn a bright red to greet them!
For this you'll need:
- Philips Hue bulbs — See on Amazon
- Ring Doorbell — See on Amazon
You can use IFTTT to create a command that lets your Ring doorbell talk to Philips Hue bulbs. IFTTT lets you use the motion sensing function of Ring Doorbell to execute commands. Set up IFTTT so when Ring Doorbell detects motion, your Hue bulbs turn red. Instant automatic scariness.
Triggering a scream when someone presses the door bell
Some people can't be scared by smoke and lights. That's what loud noises are for! This setup lets out a loud scream once someone presses your doorbell, guaranteed to make people jump for their treats.
For this you'll need:
- Sonos speakers — See on Amazon
- Ring Doorbell — See on Amazon
- Samsung SmartThings Hub — See on Amazon
This is a little tricky to get right, but so worth it. Set up your Sonos speakers on your front porch, but hide them so they don't stand out. Bonus points if you hide a Play 1 speaker inside a carved pumpkin, but not totally necessary for this. Set up your SmartThings Hub to fire up a scary sounds playlist on your Sonos speakers, and configure an IFTTT trigger to make SmartThings start the playlist when someone presses your Ring Doorbell. It's one hell of a surprise, even for people who think they aren't scared of anything.
Turn all the lights off when you open your door
Loud noises and flashing lights not enough? Show off your acting chops by demonstrating how haunted your house is. When you walk through the front door to get people their candy, make sure all the lights go out and scream as the door slams shut!
For this you'll need:
- A convincing scream — Not Available on Amazon
- Samsung SmartThings Multipurpose Sensor — See on Amazon
- Philips Hue bulbs — See on Amazon
Sit outside your house and tell everyone you're afraid there's something happening in there, but you'll reach in real quick and grab your visitors some candy. Place the SmartThings Multipurpose Sensor on your front door so when it opens, IFTTT can tell your Hue bulbs to all turn off. All the lights will go out when the door opens, leaving you ready to scream and slam the door to save everyone waiting for candy!
Got any other connected home tricks you're excited to pull on visitors this Halloween? Share them with us in the comments!
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