Centauri's Thoughts

I've been reading a lot recently concerning all kinds of wireless protocols and devices which can and would use them. From the Bluetooth network for small groups of rather simple devices made to chat together on "piconets" to the stadard full Ethernet protocol of 802.11a,b and g to the new 100 Mbit 802.11n


Each has strengths and weaknesses, depending upon its application and use. What I really see coming out of all this is everything in the house even remotely electrical or electronic, being able to communicate. I see the following advantages to such things: centrally controlled devices that can be programmed for turning off or on. Devices that can report back if they have a problem, devices that can tell other devices to tun on or off. In a way, I some of this as a kind of household wide X-10 type of technology that does not require the wires. Potentially, you could have motion sensors that turn lights on and off as you pass down a hall or move from room to room. (Sometimes this does not work at all as smoothly as intended, and at times can cause a comedy of errors, which I'll get into later on my X-10 experience).


Intel is working on a single chip which has the potential to talk a few of these protcols, to ensure it gets a connection. Also, there are now a variety of SBCs (Single Board Computers) that are barely bigger than a DDR memory stick. Imagine being able to remotely program dinner to cook, or the house pick itself up before you get home. (Parts of this are already starting to happen, although Rosy isnt running the Jetsons Vacuum Cleaner, because Rosy *IS* the Vacuum cleaner! AKA Roomba)


While its true that we can pre-program the microwave and even program it for many levels of cooking and periods of sitting, you cant exactly put food in it before work and leave it there all day. There are more and more sofisticated house temp controls that will set the house for different setting for mon-fri and entirely different settings for the weekends. What I have NOT seen yet, is a simple temp and ruleset for "someone *IS* home, and someone *IS NOT* home", and that setting determined by the rest of the house, by IR sensors or movement in the house, but that wont be long in coming.


The problem with automation, is the very strength inherent in it. To "do" something automatically. As an example, I had gotten some X-10 devices to play with, and one of these devices is a motion sensor run on 2 AA batteries so it can be put just about anywhere and talk to a nearby RF receiver (a TREMENDOUS advance over 100% hard wiring). The idea was this: put a motion sensor in a room that we did not frequent that much, so that motion would kick a light on as we passed into that area, and shut off a minute later. Since we spent MOST of the time on the computers in the back room, and had a TV back there, and only came to the front to get something from the kitchen, this *usually* worked pretty well. The problem, however, was when we wanted to watch DVD's or tapes out front where all the main equipment was. We'd walk in, the lights would come on, we'd get set for watching TV, and the lights would go out after we'd been sitting still for a little while. To make things more interesting, if we had been sitting for a while, and someone stretched or walked into the kitchen, the lights would pop on. Clearly, what was needed here was an override to the normal function in automation. So far, X-10 doesnt work this way, (not directly) but X-10 can be configured to turn a Macro on and off and that macro can have rules about what to turn on and off. So building of the rulesets can happen, its just not all there yet.