Ava Pro · Home Assistant's Android Companion
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Share a project I've been working on: Ava, an Android voice assistant app that turns old tablets, phones, car head units, smart mirrors, and Android-powered appliances into powerful smart home control panels. Compatible with the full range of Android ecosystems.
Background
This project is based on brownard/Ava with extensive modifications and extensions. The original was a great ESPHome voice satellite implementation, but with basic features. I researched existing solutions: Fully Kiosk is powerful but paid. WallPanel is no longer maintained. The Android smart home panel space has been stagnant for years. So I decided to combine the best of these projects, using Ava as the foundation to build something truly useful.
Core Philosophy
No Extra Integrations
No MQTT, no HACS. Devices are discovered natively by Home Assistant, just like ESPHome nodes.
Built for Low-End Hardware
Supports Android 7–16, including 32-bit devices. Cheap tablets and old phones work reliably.
Expanding to Android 4.4–6
Earlier Android versions are currently under active development. The goal is full BLE proxy compatibility without compromises.
Bluetooth Proxy - Exclusive Feature
This is a feature no other Android panel app has.
Your Android device becomes a complete Bluetooth gateway, extending Home Assistant's Bluetooth coverage. No ESP32 needed - just use your spare Android device!
Features:
BLE Proxy Forwards all Bluetooth Low Energy data to Home Assistant.
Whole-Home Coverage Deploy multiple Ava devices, each extends Bluetooth range.
Presence Detection Auto-detect phones, smartwatches, bands; trigger home/away automations.
All BLE Devices Compatible Temperature sensors, plant monitors, smart locks, all supported.
Why This Matters: ESP32 Bluetooth proxies need firmware flashing and configuration. Ava works out of the box - your Android device is already a powerful Bluetooth transceiver. Perfect for apartments or multi-story homes where one Bluetooth source isn't enough. Turn that dusty old tablet in the bedroom into a Bluetooth relay point.
Presence Detection Use Cases: Phone enters Bluetooth range → Auto lights on, AC on, play welcome message. Phone leaves for a while → Auto lights off, security mode on. Detect specific family member devices → Personalized scene triggers. Adjustable RSSI threshold and away delay for precise sensitivity control.
This feature alone is worth trying if you've struggled with Bluetooth coverage in Home Assistant.
Note: Bluetooth proxy source code is not open source, only available in release builds. All other feature code is available on GitHub.
Voice Messages & Calls - Local Home Intercom
Turn multiple Ava devices into a simple voice network inside your home. Send a quick voice message to another room, keep messages on a small message board, or start a live call between Ava devices on the same local network.
Features: Voice Messages - Record and send short messages to selected Ava devices. Message Board - Keep received messages on screen and replay them later. Live Calls - Call another Ava device directly for room-to-room conversation. Local Network First - Designed for LAN use, without a cloud account or external relay.
Why This Matters: A wall tablet should not only listen to Home Assistant. It should also help people at home talk to each other. Ava can become a kitchen-to-living-room intercom, a bedside message board, or a quick way to call the study without picking up a phone.
Home Use Cases: Kitchen says dinner is ready → living room Ava plays the message. Parent leaves a delayed reminder for a child's room → message stays available for replay. Bedroom calls the hallway panel → quick conversation without phones or extra apps.
What is Ava?
Ava is a voice assistant app based on the ESPHome protocol. It turns your Android device into a voice satellite for Home Assistant.
What can you do with it? Control smart home devices with voice (lights, AC, music, etc.). Display beautiful screensavers and clocks. Show real-time weather information. Display full-screen notifications (doorbell, alerts, etc.). Play music with album cover display. Take photos and stream video.
Put your old phone or tablet at home, and it becomes a smart control panel!
System Requirements: Android 7.0 or higher. Home Assistant connection required.
This makes Ava suitable for turning any phone or tablet into a native-looking Home Assistant panel, consistent with the rest of your HA ecosystem.
Ava does not impose a custom UI identity. Instead, it deliberately follows Home Assistant’s visual language and iconography. This ensures that any device running Ava feels like an extension of Home Assistant itself, not a third-party layer on top.
Quick Start
Step 1: Install
- Download the Ava APK file from GitHub Releases Built-in auto-update feature.
- Tap to install.
- Allow all permission requests (microphone, overlay, etc.).
Step 2: Connect to Home Assistant
In Home Assistant:
- Go to Settings → Devices & Services → Integrations.
- Search and add ESPHome integration.
- Ava will be discovered automatically, tap Configure.
Step 3: Talk!
Say the wake word (default is "Hey Jarvis"), then say your command: "Turn on the living room light". "What time is it". "Play music". "What's the weather tomorrow".
Permissions
Required:
Microphone To hear you speak.
Overlay To show screensaver, notifications, weather, etc.
Foreground Service To keep service running.
Optional:
Camera For photos and video.
Bluetooth To detect if you're home.
Location Required for Bluetooth scanning.
System Settings Screen brightness control.
Root (Recommended): Better background protection, boot scripts, screen control, reboot. Works without Root, but more stable with it.
Credits
- Original Project: brownard/Ava
- ESPHome: https://esphome.io/
- Home Assistant: https://www.home-assistant.io/
Last Updated: 2026-06-11