[glitch003]

If you read the entire article it's clear why he's reprogramming them. You have to fully read the first two paragraphs.

But essentially, he reprograms the smart plugs to respond to a simple HTTP GET request to turn the lights on, and then turn the lights off after 11 seconds, and the 11 second countdown can be reset by hitting that HTTP endpoint again.

He has a "sensor" board that has a light sensor, and when he turns his regular light switch on, that sensor board detects the light in the room, and hits all the smart plugs endpoints to turn them on. As long as that sensor board detects light, it will keep hitting the "lights on" endpoints of the smart plugs.

When he turns his regular light switch off, the sensor board stops hitting the "lights on" endpoints, and the lights automatically turn off after 11 seconds.

[peteforde]

I did, for the record, read the whole article. Perhaps you were more willing to assume that his stated goal was the same as his initial hack solution. Seems you were likely correct.

Question: once you turn the lights on, how would you turn them off given that there's still light in the room?