Hue MCP Server

# Atmospheric Light Variation > Create immersive, realistic lighting scenes with automatic individual light variations ## Overview The Hue MCP Server includes an intelligent atmospheric variation system that automatically applies subtle differences to each light in a room when creating mood-based scenes. This creates more natural and immersive lighting environments compared to uniform room control. ## How It Works ### Automatic Detection The system automatically detects when to apply variations based on keywords in your natural language commands: **Atmospheric Keywords** that trigger variation: - Weather: `stormy`, `storm`, `thunderstorm`, `lightning` - Time of day: `sunset`, `sunrise`, `dawn`, `dusk`, `twilight`, `evening`, `night` - Fire effects: `fire`, `fireplace`, `campfire`, `candle`, `candlelight` - Nature: `ocean`, `forest`, `nature`, `atmospheric` - Moods: `moody`, `romantic`, `cozy`, `dreamy` - Special effects: `aurora`, `galaxy`, `cosmic` ### Manual Control You can explicitly control variation using the `useVariation` parameter: ```json { "roomId": "84", "naturalLanguage": "warm blue lights", "useVariation": true } ``` ## Variation Algorithm Each light receives randomized variations within these ranges: ### Color Variations - **Hue**: ±15° variation - Creates subtle color temperature differences - Example: Base 240° → Light 1: 235°, Light 2: 248°, Light 3: 242° ### Intensity Variations - **Saturation**: ±10% variation - Adds depth and richness differences - Example: Base 20% → Light 1: 18%, Light 2: 25%, Light 3: 21% - **Brightness**: ±20% variation - Creates natural intensity differences - Example: Base 30% → Light 1: 25%, Light 2: 38%, Light 3: 22% ### Temperature Variations - **Color Temperature**: ±50 mireds variation - Varies warmth across lights - Example: Base 366 → Light 1: 340, Light 2: 390, Light 3: 365 ### Timing Variations - **Transition Time**: +0-1000ms variation - Creates organic, non-synchronized transitions - Prevents artificial "all at once" changes ## Examples ### Thunderstorm Scene ``` Command: "Set living room to thunderstormy afternoon" Result: - Light 1: Deep blue (240°), 16% saturation, 38% brightness - Light 2: Purple-blue (250°), 11% saturation, 11% brightness - Light 3: Blue (234°), 25% saturation, 34% brightness - Light 4: Blue-purple (248°), 13% saturation, 47% brightness ``` ### Sunset Scene ``` Command: "Create a sunset mood in the bedroom" Result: - Light 1: Orange (35°), 85% saturation, 65% brightness - Light 2: Red-orange (25°), 92% saturation, 55% brightness - Light 3: Yellow-orange (40°), 78% saturation, 70% brightness - Light 4: Deep orange (30°), 88% saturation, 60% brightness ``` ## Performance Considerations ### Efficiency - **Parallel Execution**: All lights are updated simultaneously using `Promise.all()` - **No Extra API Calls**: Uses the same number of API calls as uniform control - **Optimistic Caching**: Cache updates happen without verification calls - **Smart Fallback**: Reverts to uniform control if individual control fails ### When NOT to Use Variation - Simple on/off commands - Specific color requests (e.g., "set to red") - Reading or work lighting - When consistency is required ## API Response When variation is applied, the response includes detailed information: ```json { "success": true, "roomId": "84", "roomName": "Living room", "lightingMode": "varied_atmospheric", "variationUsed": true, "appliedStates": [ { "lightId": "16", "variation": { "hue": 239.7, "saturation": 16.2, "brightness": 38.5 } } // ... more lights ], "efficiency": "Applied 4 individual variations for atmospheric realism" } ``` ## Best Practices 1. **Let it Auto-Detect**: The system is smart about when to apply variations 2. **Trust the Randomization**: The algorithm creates pleasing, natural variations 3. **Use for Ambiance**: Best for mood lighting, not task lighting 4. **Combine with Scenes**: Create custom scenes that leverage variation ## Troubleshooting **Variation not applying?** - Check if your command includes atmospheric keywords - Verify the room has multiple lights - Ensure lights support color/brightness control **Too much variation?** - The ranges are carefully tuned, but you can disable with `useVariation: false` - Use specific color commands for uniform lighting **Performance issues?** - Variation uses parallel execution and should be as fast as uniform control - Check network connectivity if delays occur