Development of a Voice-Controlled Smart Home Prototype Using NodeMCU and Internet of Things (IoT) Technology

The growing demand for smart home automation calls for affordable, efficient, and user-friendly systems that reduce energy consumption and enhance remote accessibility. This study presents the development and evaluation of a voice-controlled smart home prototype utilizing NodeMCU and IoT technologies. The system integrates Google Assistant, IFTTT, and Adafruit IO to process voice commands, support real-time monitoring, and enable cloud-based control of household devices. A prototyping method was applied, focusing on controlling an LED lamp and a 12V DC fan. Black-box testing was conducted using six voice profiles and a total of 60 command scenarios under both stable and unstable network conditions. Results indicated a 93.3% accuracy with stable internet and 86.7% under weak signals. The system achieved average response times of 1.8 seconds (stable) and 3.4 seconds (unstable), operating without critical failures. However, performance was influenced by internet quality and third-party dependencies. Unlike previous studies that relied solely on single-platform control, this research highlights a low-cost, multi-service integration approach for smart home automation, addressing the gap between affordability and real-time cloud-based functionality. The prototype demonstrates the feasibility of accessible voice-activated automation and lays the foundation for future offline-capable smart systems.