An alarm clock startles, and a phone alert means looking at a screen — neither works well for a medication reminder. This guide uses Shelly Duo Bulb to change color at dosing time, turning the room's own lighting into a calm, unmissable cue, with an optional BLU Button press to confirm.
Overview
An elderly person can easily miss the time for their medication — an alarm clock startles them, and a phone alert requires looking at a screen. The solution: the lamp (Shelly Duo Bulb) changes color on a schedule at dosing times — a noticeable but calm reminder that's simply part of the room's normal setting.
Prerequisites
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Shelly Duo Bulb E27 Gen3 (RGBW)
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Shelly Smart Control app
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Optional: Shelly BLU Button 1 — to confirm the dose; the Duo Bulb Gen3 acts as its Bluetooth gateway, so no extra device is needed
Steps
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Set the dosing times — e.g. 08:00 and 20:00.
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Scene "Reminder" — When: time = 08:00 → Do: change the bulb's color (e.g. orange/red), distinct from the usual lighting.
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Scene "Auto-revert" — When: 30 minutes later (08:30) → Do: return the bulb to normal white. This ensures the bulb doesn't stay "stuck" in the reminder color even if no one reacts.
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(Optional) Scene "Confirmation" — When: single press of BLU Button 1 → Do: return the bulb to normal color immediately — this also serves as confirmation that the medication was taken.
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Repeat steps 2–4 for each dosing time.
Troubleshooting
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The bulb doesn't change color at dosing time → check that the lamp's wall switch is left on and that the bulb's time zone is set correctly.
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Pressing the button doesn't restore normal light → check that Bluetooth is enabled on the bulb and the button is within about 10 m.
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The reminder color stays on → check that an "Auto-revert" scene exists and is enabled for every dosing time.
Tips
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Choose a color that's clearly distinct from the room's usual lighting.
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Don't rely on light alone for critical dosing — combine with a real reminder system.
Devices Used
Shelly Duo Bulb E27 Gen3, Shelly BLU Button 1 (optional)
Documentation & References
Why It's Worth It
A simple, quiet reminder with no alarms and no need to check a phone — and if you already have the bulb from a previous install, adding this only takes one new scene.
Conclusion
The room's lamp now marks every dosing time with a calm change of color that clears itself after half an hour. With the optional button, one press also confirms that the dose was taken.
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vertical: elderly
concept: medication-reminder-light
complexity: basic
devices: [Shelly Duo Bulb E27 Gen3]
optional_devices: [Shelly BLU Button 1]
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