Design, Prototyping, and Experimental Evaluation of a Rain-Responsive Smart Clothesline System
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24191/jcrinn.v11i2.588Keywords:
IoT, Rain Sensing, Smart Drying, Smart HomeAbstract
Current domestic laundry practices remain heavily dependent on manual intervention, leaving household assets vulnerable to damage from unpredictable weather patterns and sudden rainfall. The prototype of a smart clothesline can be designed to enhance the household laundry drying processes. The system, which automatically responds to environmental conditions by retracting the clothesline during rain and extending it in clear weather, reducing reliance on user intervention is presented in this paper. The main contribution of this work is its educational novelty, provided through exhaustive, step-by-step coding documentation. The prototype development uses an Arduino microcontroller programmed via the Arduino IDE, integrated with a rain sensor for precipitation detection and a servo motor for clothesline movement control under various detected weather conditions. Distinct from previous literature, this work provides step-by-step coding documentation to ensure computational reproducibility that bridges the gap between theoretical modelling and practical implementation of a future real smart laundry system. Quantitative performance evaluations of the prototype demonstrated a high degree of responsiveness to environmental moisture, with a mean total latency of 1148 ms. In terms of sensitivity testing, the system successfully triggered at a calibrated analog threshold of 500. The results confirm the feasibility of the future implementation of an automated system for domestic use. Future improvements will focus on integrating IoT connectivity for remote monitoring and control, enhancing energy efficiency, and refining the mechanical design for greater durability in outdoor environments.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Wan Fariza Wan Abdul Rahman, Anis Nabiha Ahmad, Nurul Aina Ahmad, Nur Farah Sofea Muhammad Azhan (Author)
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