The GitHub Podcast LIVE from GitHub Universe: Privacy-First Smart Homes with Frenck from Home Assistant
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Nov 18, 2025 Frank “Frenck” Nijhof, project lead for Home Assistant and a GitHub Star, discusses the rise of privacy-first smart homes. He highlights how Home Assistant runs automations locally, avoiding cloud reliance. Frenck reveals unique automations from the community, like using sensors for couch weight and home breweries. He explains the mission of the Open Home Foundation to promote sustainability and prevent vendor lock-in. Additionally, he shares insights on the new Assist voice assistant and how non-coders can contribute to this welcoming open source project.
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Local-First Home Automation
- Home Assistant runs entirely locally to avoid vendor lock-in and protect privacy.
- Running automations without the cloud keeps control and data in your home.
Start Quickly With Pi Or Green
- Flash Home Assistant onto a Raspberry Pi SD card and follow the onboarding to get started.
- Alternatively, buy the Home Assistant Green to plug in and start automating immediately.
Unusual But Practical Automations
- Users attach weight sensors to couches to pause movies when someone stands up and resume when they sit.
- Entire breweries and even a brick factory run processes using Home Assistant integrations.