Ultimate Zelda Fan Uses Ocarina To Control Automated Home
The Legend of Zelda is a hot topic these days, what with the latest title, Breath of the Wild, debuting alongside the Nintendo Switch this month. To showcase his love for the series, Allen Pan of the YouTube channel Sufficiently Advanced took to automating his home and making it all controllable via an ocarina, the small wind instrument at the center of the iconic N64 Zelda, Ocarina of Time.
Pan's latest video shows off his home automation setup, and to call it impressive isn't doing it justice. Things like unlocking the front door, turning up the heat, turning on the lights, and even watering some plants can all be controlled by playing different tunes on the ocarina. The internet-connected system is powered by a Raspberry Pi, and WiFi-powered microphones around the house mean the melodies can be heard from any room.
But it's the level of dedication to Zelda that makes it. The real tunes from Ocarina of Time are used as commands, each paired with similar themed actions. For example, playing "Song of the Sun" will turn on the lights, while "Bolero of Fire" will adjust the temperature of the thermostat, and "Song of Storms" can turn on a humidifier.
Sure, it's a lot more complicated than shouting out a verbal command to Siri or Alexa, but Zelda players know that Link has never been one to flee from a challenge.