electrical switch controlled remotely via mobile bluetooth arduino

Question

Without arduino what other ways? If I use arduino should I use ardunioBT and write a mobile software for communicating with arduinoBT. Or using Amarino with a arduino board is better (as amarino has a software portion already). Also there are many arduino board version, which one is good to start with. Thanks for your help

• nvade: Is it mandatory to control an electrical switch only? I mean couldn't it be the case where one can utilize a relay (an electro-mechanical switch) for the same? Because if latter is a valid case then the complexity would reduce to almost zero. In that case, you will be required to have a bluetooth device, a relay, a transistor (BJT-npn) and a 5V dc power source (of course there will be a specific circuit which I can provide you once you revert on this).
• ruben: i mean relay is fine... please let me know in details
• user22066: i am CSE student and thinking of making an electrical switch which is controlled by bluetooth. I have read the above comments , but i am not able to get anything. Can anyone help me how to get started with it...
• angelatlarge: @crymtime: Good on you for reading! But, I think you might want to post a new question with detailed requirements, what you have tried, and a specific question (where exactly you get stuck).

Answer 1

Are you simply asking if it is possible to switch an electrical circuit using Bluetooth? Or do you specifically have to use an Arduino for some reason?

If so the answer is yes. I'm not sure from your question if you must use an Arduino or you're asking how to do it without one.

Without the Arduino, you can use an RN-41 from Roving Networks. The RN41 has some general purpose I/O pins. After the RN41 is paired with the host Bluetooth controller, you can send commands to it to control outputs. One of these outputs can drive a relay. The question of how to control a relay from a logic level output has been answered here many times, so you can search for that solution. There are other Bluetooth devices that have built in I/O, but that one is easily available and cheap.

With the Arduino, you have more flexibility, since any pair of Bluetooth devices supporting SPP (Serial Port Protocol) will allow you to set up a wireless serial connection between devices. Now you can send control messages wirelessly from your PC, etc to the Arduino which is then responsible for controlling the relay.

• ruben: I am trying to on/off 3-5 relays from mobile via bluetooth. using arduino for that seems like a wastage? So I am looking for cheaper and alternative solutions.. I will look into RN41