Project History¶
The story behind this project.
The Rise of Smartap¶
The Product¶
The Smartap smart shower system was a premium IoT device sold primarily in the UK market, retailing for approximately £695 through retailers like VictoriaPlumb. It represented an ambitious attempt to bring smart home technology to the bathroom.
Key Features:
- Remote control via iOS and Android apps
- Integration with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa
- IFTTT automation support
- Multiple valve control for different fixtures
- Temperature and pressure monitoring
- Usage analytics and scheduling
- Remote shower pre-heating
The Promise:
Start your shower warming up from bed, never step into a cold shower again, track water usage, and integrate your shower into your smart home ecosystem.
The Technology¶
Built on the Texas Instruments CC3200 WiFi microcontroller, the device featured:
- ARM Cortex-M4 processor
- Integrated 2.4GHz WiFi
- On-chip TLS/SSL support
- Flash storage for certificates and configuration
The architecture was heavily cloud-dependent, with the device communicating with Smartap's servers at evalve.smartap-tech.com for all smart functionality.
The Fall¶
Company Closure¶
In approximately 2023, Smartap ceased trading. The reasons aren't publicly documented, but the outcome was clear: the cloud infrastructure went offline.
The Impact¶
When the cloud services disappeared:
- Mobile apps stopped working
- Voice control integration broke
- IFTTT automation failed
- Scheduling and remote control vanished
- Usage analytics became inaccessible
What Still Worked:
Basic shower operation continued - the physical buttons on the control panel still activated valves. But all "smart" features were lost.
The Problem¶
For owners who had these devices installed:
- Significant investment made (£695+ plus installation)
- Bathrooms potentially designed around the device
- Tiling and plumbing committed to the unit
- No path to restore functionality
- No firmware updates or recovery options
- Manufacturer no longer exists for support
The Research Begins¶
Initial Motivation¶
One of the project founders had a Smartap device installed during a complete bathroom renovation. The entire bathroom was designed, tiled, and plumbed around this unit. When the cloud went offline, it represented both a significant financial loss and a technical challenge.
Rather than accept an expensive device reduced to basic functionality, the decision was made to investigate: Could it be revived?
Early Investigations (2024)¶
Initial research focused on understanding the device:
- Network Analysis
- Device had a local web server for WiFi configuration
- Attempted to connect to smartap-tech.com
- Used TLS with certificate validation
-
All smart features required cloud connectivity
-
Software Vulnerabilities
- Identified the device was vulnerable to CVE-2021-21966 (a known memory disclosure vulnerability)
- Attempted to extract useful information
-
Limited success with software-only approach
-
Hardware Investigation
- Community members shared JTAG header photos
- Identified unpopulated JTAG pins on CC3200 module
- Recognized potential for hardware debugging
The Breakthrough (November 2025)¶
After nearly a year of on-and-off research, a major breakthrough occurred:
Certificate Replacement Success
By combining: - JTAG access via Raspberry Pi - Memory analysis with Ghidra - TI CC3200 SDK source code study - GDB scripting for filesystem manipulation
It became possible to replace the device's CA certificate, allowing it to trust a custom certificate authority. This meant the device could establish TLS connections to a custom server, effectively breaking free from the defunct cloud infrastructure.
The Revival Project¶
Project Launch¶
With the certificate breakthrough achieved, this project was formally established to:
- Document the research - Share findings with the community
- Develop server software - Create replacement infrastructure
- Build configuration tools - Make it accessible to non-technical users
- Support the community - Help others restore their devices
Philosophy¶
The project embodies several principles:
Right to Repair - Devices should outlive their manufacturers - Users should control devices they own - Cloud dependency shouldn't mean obsolescence
Open Source - All research shared publicly - Software released under open licenses - Community contributions welcome
Accessibility - Tools for all skill levels - Comprehensive documentation - Support for newcomers
Privacy and Security - Local-only operation (no cloud) - Strong encryption maintained - User controls their data
Timeline¶
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| ~2023 | Smartap ceases trading, cloud goes offline |
| Early 2024 | Research begins, initial investigations |
| Mid 2024 | Hardware access achieved, JTAG successful |
| Mid 2024 | Memory dumps obtained, analysis begins |
| Nov 2025 | Certificate replacement breakthrough |
| Nov 2025 | Project documentation published |
Community Growth¶
Home Assistant Community¶
The Home Assistant community thread has been instrumental in:
- Sharing hardware photos and pin mappings
- Discussing investigation approaches
- Documenting device variants
- Supporting each other through challenges
GitHub Community¶
As the project grows, the GitHub repository serves as:
- Central code repository
- Issue tracking and feature requests
- Protocol documentation
- Community contributions
The Future¶
Short Term Goals¶
- Complete protocol documentation
- Implement core remote control features
- Expand device testing (multiple models/variants)
- Improve installation process
Long Term Vision¶
- Full Feature Restoration - All original features working
- Enhanced Features - New capabilities beyond original
- Home Automation - Deep integration with HA, Node-RED, etc.
- Easy Installation - Streamlined setup process
- Active Community - Thriving contributor base
Beyond Smartap¶
This project demonstrates that:
- IoT devices can be independent of manufacturers
- Community can restore abandoned products
- Open source benefits everyone
- Technical barriers can be overcome
The lessons learned here apply to countless other abandoned IoT devices. This project serves as a model for device revival and a statement about ownership, control, and sustainability in the IoT era.
Acknowledgments¶
This project wouldn't exist without:
- Community members who shared JTAG pins and findings
- bigclivedotcom for hardware teardown videos
- TI for publishing CC3200 documentation
- Open source tool developers (OpenOCD, Ghidra, etc.)
- Everyone who refused to accept planned obsolescence
Get Involved¶
The story continues with your help:
- Own a Smartap? Help test and document!
- Skilled developer? Contribute code!
- Good writer? Improve documentation!
- Experienced with IoT? Share knowledge!
See the Contributing Guide to get involved.