How many tech-savvy gizmos does it take to screw in a
light bulb?
Gone are the days of running vacuum cleaners the size of
Cadillacs and leaving lights to burn wantonly. We are becoming
a society ever more aware of how we live and use resources.
From lighting to fans, from vacuums to “smart” entertainment
systems, energy efficient and environmentally friendly home
appliances are becoming more the rule rather than the exception.
Is this any different from home technology introduced in
years past? A new twist to the environmental technology phenomenon
is what has been termed "context aware": domestic
technology that is cognizant of human behavior while maintaining
the rules of green living in home environment.
‘Smart home’ technology is safe, efficient domestic
technology that interacts more proactively with the home
environment. New technologies seek to integrate the concept
of human activity in the foundation of design. From gadgetry
to life-saving technology, inexpensive and accessible devises
are no longer a sci-fi dream.
'Human Aware' Technology
Domestic technology could be broken down into two distinct
areas: stand-alone appliances and integrated conservation
systems. At the Georgia Institute of Technology, the Aware
Home Research Initiative (AHRI) is a research effort that
deals specifically with domestic technology. They have
four distinct initiatives that could easily apply to current
trends in domestic technology around the world:
· ‘Aware home’ environment design
·
‘Human aware’ sensory and perception technology
·
Software for the interactive experience
·
Social implications to explore political, social, economic
and legal benefits and concerns
Each initiative addresses the interactive state of technology
and human activity. One creation from AHRI, the Gesture
Pendant,
is a device comprised of a wireless camera and a sensor that
its user can wear literally like a pendant. Personalized
gestures programmed into the device control various home
systems remotely with the wave of a hand. At the same time,
the device can detect if its user is experiencing changes
in physical being. For instance, if its user is a diabetic
the Gesture Pendant will monitor blood glucose
levels and alert in case of a drop in blood sugar. This device,
a single example among many, illustrates the kind of interdisciplinary
and multi-tasking technology that is currently available
for the home.
Connecting with your Machines
For those moments when you think you left the coffeemaker on or the front door
unlocked, new devices in smart technology can now give you a helping
hand. Sensing devices can work to detect unattended lights and running water.
With
the help of software and wiring, cell phones and PDAs can interact with
home systems. So when you think you left the door unlocked and you’re
already at work, a flick of a remote will ensure peace of mind.
The Smart Home Design Store carries over 5000 automated
domestic technology products such as low flow showerheads,
leak detectors and remote lighting and temperature monitoring.
The development of X10 technology marked the beginning of
low maintenance inexpensive home automation. X10 technology
works to control lighting, adjust the thermostat or control
any other appliance from wireless remote by plugging in a
transmitter
at one outlet and a receiver at another. You can turn on
lights before arriving home, or ensure that lights are off
after you’ve already left the house. In addition, human
aware sensors can monitor activity in rooms so that forgotten
lights get turned off automatically. In the area of water
conservation, devices such as Orbits Digital hoseand Faucet
timers allows you to water the grass and garden
in absence of the gardener.
Look Ma, No Hands!
I Robot introduced consumer home cleaning devices Roomba (on
the market) and Scooba (soon to be on the market).
While neither product explicitly promote a particular type
of green
living, they do address an important consumer market: the
above 65 demographic and the physically impaired. Both are
self-propelled automated floor cleaners. Roomba vacuums;
Scooba scrubs. While handy - and certainly fun -
these devices are essentially helpful and inexpensive tools
for the older
population
to maintain self-reliance. Robomow from Friendly
Robotics and Auto Mower from Husqvarna both work
off of environmentally friendly (no gasoline emissions and
next to zero noise pollution)
batteries and sensors to mow one’s lawn with absolutely
no physical exertion and no hands.
Mitsubishi's Wakamaru Robot, designed to work as a caregiver
and house sitter, is perhaps a more 'bells and whistles'
kind of domestic technology. It stands 3.3 feet high (the
size of a small person) and weighs 60 pounds. The robot acts
as a caretaker and house sitter. Wakamaru has a 10,000-word
memory dictionary for personalized speech response. In addition,
Wakamaru has voice and face recognition capabilities and
has the ability to call or email its user when necessary.
This little guy surveys the home with the help of a built
in camera mobile phone that allows its users to see images
of their home remotely. Wakamaru works 24 hours a day and
is responsible for recharging its own battery.
These are a few examples of technology that promotes conservation
and self-reliance in the new ‘smart home’ environment.
Unique designs that address human activity through environment
aware sensors mark the latest trends in environmental design
technology. For more information check out the following
websites:
http://www.smarthome.com/ http://www.nationalhardwareshow.com/app/homepage.cfm?moduleID=2381&LinkID=17001&appname=100184
http://www.irobot.com/home.cfm
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