Home & IoT · Do this yourself

Check kids’ homework and unlock a treat drawer.

✅ Featured by DEV Community.

No X data

Based on @ThePracticalDev on X (opens in new tab)

Who it’s for

Homeowners, makers and tinkerers who want their home or gadgets to do more.

Adapt it to your industry

  • Small shop: a screen that shows today’s tasks or stock alerts
  • Rental host: smart plugs or locks that follow a schedule
  • Workshop or studio: a timer or controller for a machine

Step by step

  1. List the devices you already have (phone, smart plugs, smart speaker, a Raspberry Pi) and what you want them to do.
  2. Open ChatGPT, Claude or Grok and paste the prompt below with your list.
  3. Ask for the simplest option first: an existing app or Home Assistant setting before custom code.
  4. Follow the steps one at a time and paste any error back into the chat.
  5. Test it for a few days and note when it fails.
  6. Ask the AI to write a one-page “how this works” note so you can fix it later.

Ready-to-copy prompt

Start with AI

Opens the AI with this guide and the prompt filled in.

Open in ChatGPT (opens in new tab)Open in Claude (opens in new tab)Open in Grok (opens in new tab)
Cost
$0–20/month (free tiers or one AI plan)Our estimate
Time
2–6 weeksOur estimate

How to make money from it

Pricing idea: If others want it too, sell a setup service at a fixed price per home, or a ready-made kit.

Finding your first 10 customers

  • Post photos and a short video of your setup in hobby forums and Reddit.
  • Offer to set it up for 3 neighbors or friends.
  • Ask local shops or rental hosts if they have the same problem.

Ideas, not promises. Results vary.

Details: source, numbers and tags

What they did

The agent visually verifies homework, tracks task state across turns and controls a lock.

How it went

Featured by DEV Community.

Worth knowing

A fun project, not a substitute for checking the work.

Difficulty
AdvancedOur rating
Time to build
Not reportedOur estimate
Monthly cost
Not reported
Revenue
Not reportedWe only show revenue the source states
Engagement
7 X likes0 replies · 0 reposts · fetched Oct 15, 2026
X buzz
No X data

Posted · Added Oct 16, 2026

Original builder recipe

  • Gemini
  • Google ADK
  • A smart lock
  1. List the devices and data sources.
  2. Have the agent write the integration code.
  3. Test on one device first.
  4. Automate and monitor.

Tags

Agent Gemini
Industry Education Home

Read the original

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