All Topics  
Home automation

 
Home Automation

 
   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link
 

 

Home automation
 
 
  Topics Home automation Topic Home

Home automation (also called smart homes or domotics) is a field within building automation
Building automation

A Building Automation System is an example of a Distributed control system.Building automation describes the functionality provided by the control system....
, specializing in the specific automation
Automation

Automation or industrial automation or numerical control is the use of control systems such as computers to control industry machinery and industrial processes, reducing the need for human intervention....
 requirements of private home
Home

A home is a place of residence or refuge. It is usually a place in which an individual or a family can rest and be able to store personal property....
s and in the application of automation techniques for the comfort and security of its residents. Although many techniques used in building automation (such as light and climate control, control of doors and window shutters, security and surveillance systems, etc.) are also used in home automation, additional functions in home automation can include the control of multi-media home entertainment systems
Home cinema

Home cinema, also called home theater, are entertainment systems that seek to reproduce movie theater quality video and audio in a private home....
, automatic plant watering
Houseplant

A houseplant is a plant that is grown indoors in places such as House and offices. Houseplants are commonly grown for decorative purposes and health reasons such as indoor air purification....
 and pet feeding, automatic scenes for dinners and parties, and a more user-friendly control interface
User interface

The user interface is the aggregate of means by which people—the User s—Interaction with the system—a particular machine, device, computer program or other complex tools....
.

When home automation is installed during construction of a new home, usually control wires are added before the interior walls are installed.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Home automation'
Start a new discussion about 'Home automation'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


Home automation (also called smart homes or domotics) is a field within building automation
Building automation

A Building Automation System is an example of a Distributed control system.Building automation describes the functionality provided by the control system....
, specializing in the specific automation
Automation

Automation or industrial automation or numerical control is the use of control systems such as computers to control industry machinery and industrial processes, reducing the need for human intervention....
 requirements of private home
Home

A home is a place of residence or refuge. It is usually a place in which an individual or a family can rest and be able to store personal property....
s and in the application of automation techniques for the comfort and security of its residents. Although many techniques used in building automation (such as light and climate control, control of doors and window shutters, security and surveillance systems, etc.) are also used in home automation, additional functions in home automation can include the control of multi-media home entertainment systems
Home cinema

Home cinema, also called home theater, are entertainment systems that seek to reproduce movie theater quality video and audio in a private home....
, automatic plant watering
Houseplant

A houseplant is a plant that is grown indoors in places such as House and offices. Houseplants are commonly grown for decorative purposes and health reasons such as indoor air purification....
 and pet feeding, automatic scenes for dinners and parties, and a more user-friendly control interface
User interface

The user interface is the aggregate of means by which people—the User s—Interaction with the system—a particular machine, device, computer program or other complex tools....
.

When home automation is installed during construction of a new home, usually control wires are added before the interior walls are installed. These control wires run to a controller, which will then control the environment.

Standards and bridges


Specific domotic standards include INSTEON
INSTEON

INSTEON technology is a dual-band mesh topology employing ac-power lines and a radio-frequency protocol to communicate with and automate home electronic devices and appliances, which normally work independently....
, X10
X10 (industry standard)

X10 is an international and open industry standard for communication among electronic devices used for home automation, also known as domotics....
, PLC BUS, KNX (standard)
KNX (standard)

KNX is a standardizationised , OSI model-based computer network communications protocol for intelligent buildings. KNX is the successor to, and convergence of, three previous standards: the European Home Systems Protocol , BatiBUS, and the European Installation Bus ....
, System Box, LonWorks
LonWorks

LonWorks is a networking platform specifically created to address the unique performance, reliability, installation, and maintenance needs of control applications....
, C-Bus
C-Bus (protocol)

C-Bus is a home and building automation Communications protocol that is used in Australia, New Zealand, Asia, the Middle East, Russia, USA, South Africa, the UK and other parts of Europe including Greece and Romania....
, SCS BUS with OpenWebNet
OpenWebNet

OpenWebNet is a Communications protocol developed by Bticino since 2000.OpenWebNet Protocol allow a ?high level? interaction between a remote unit and SCS Bus of MyHome domotic system....
, Universal powerline bus (UPB)
Universal powerline bus

Universal powerline bus is an industry emerging standard for communication among devices used for home automation. It uses electric power transmission wiring for signaling and control....
, UPnP, ZigBee
ZigBee

ZigBee is a specification for a suite of high level communication protocols using small, low-power digital radios based on the IEEE 802.15.4-2006 standardization for wireless personal area networks , such as wireless headphones connecting with cell phones via short-range radio....
 and Z-Wave
Z-Wave

Z-Wave is a wireless communications standard designed for home automation, specifically to remote control applications in residential and light commercial environments....
 that will allow for control of most applications. Some standards use communication and control wiring, some embed signals in the powerline
Electric power transmission

Electric power transmission is the bulk transfer of electrical power , a process in the delivery of electricity to consumers. A power transmission grid typically connects power plants to multiple Electrical substation near a populated area....
, some use radio frequency (RF)
Radio frequency

Radio frequency is a frequency or rate of oscillation within the range of about 3 Hz to 300 GHz. This range corresponds to frequency of alternating current electrical signals used to produce and detect radio waves....
 signals, and some use a combination of several methods. Control wiring is hardest to retrofit into an existing house. Some appliances include USB that is used to control it and connect it to a domotics network. Bridges translate information from one standard to another (eg. from X10
X10 (industry standard)

X10 is an international and open industry standard for communication among electronic devices used for home automation, also known as domotics....
 to European Installation Bus).

TechnologyTransmission mediumTransmission speedMaximum distance to the device
Ethernet
Ethernet

Ethernet is a family of Data frame-based computer networking technologies for local area networks . The name comes from the physical concept of the Luminiferous aether....
 Unshielded twisted pair / Optical Fiber
Optical fiber

An optical fiber is a glass or plastic fiber that carries light along its length. Fiber optics is the overlap of applied science and engineering concerned with the design and application of optical fibers....
 10 Mbit/s – 1 Gbit/s 100 m – 15Km
HomePlug Electrical wiring
Electrical wiring

Electrical wiring in general refers to insulated conductor used to carry electricity, and associated devices. This article describes general aspects of electrical wiring as used to provide power in buildings and structures, commonly referred to as building wiring....
 14 Mbit/s - 200Mbps 200 meters
HomePNA
HomePNA

The HomePNA Alliance is an incorporated non-profit industry association of companies that develops and standardizes technology for home networking over the existing coaxial cables and phone wires within the home....
 Telephone line
Telephone line

A telephone line or telephone circuit is a single-user telecommunication circuit on a telephone telecommunication system. Typically this refers to the physical wire or other signaling medium connecting the user's telephone apparatus to the telecommunications network, and usually also implies a single telephone number for billing purpo...
 10 Mbit/s 300 m
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi is a trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance, founded in 1999 as Wireless Internet Compatibility Alliance , comprising more than 300 companies, whose products are certified by the Wi-Fi Alliance, based on the IEEE 802.11 standards ....
 / IEEE 802.11
IEEE 802.11

IEEE 802.11 is a set of standards carrying out Wireless LAN computer communication in the 2.4, 3.6 and 5 GHz frequency bands. They are implemented by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers LAN/MAN Standards Committee ....
 Radio frequency
Radio frequency

Radio frequency is a frequency or rate of oscillation within the range of about 3 Hz to 300 GHz. This range corresponds to frequency of alternating current electrical signals used to produce and detect radio waves....
 11 Mbit/s – 248 Mbit/s 30 m – 100m


TechnologyTransmission mediumTransmission speedMaximum distance to the device
FireWire
FireWire

The IEEE 1394 interface is a serial communications interface standard for high-speed communications and isochronous real-time data transfer, frequently used by personal computers, as well as in digital audio, digital video, automotive, and aeronautics applications....
 / IEEE 1394		 Unshielded twisted pair / Optical fiber
Optical fiber

An optical fiber is a glass or plastic fiber that carries light along its length. Fiber optics is the overlap of applied science and engineering concerned with the design and application of optical fibers....
 400 Mbit/s – 3.2 Gbit/s 4.5 m – 70m
USB Twisted pair
Twisted pair

Twisted pair cabling is a form of wiring in which two conductors are twisted together for the purposes of canceling out electromagnetic interference from external sources; for instance, electromagnetic radiation from unshielded twisted pair cables, and crosstalk between neighboring pairs....
 12 Mbit/s – 480 Mbit/s 5 m
Bluetooth
Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a wireless protocol for exchanging data over short distances from fixed and mobile devices, creating personal area networks . It was originally conceived as a wireless alternative to RS232 data cables....
 Radio frequency
Radio frequency

Radio frequency is a frequency or rate of oscillation within the range of about 3 Hz to 300 GHz. This range corresponds to frequency of alternating current electrical signals used to produce and detect radio waves....
 1 Mbit/s – 10 Mbit/s 10 m – 100m
IRDA
IRDA

IRDA may refer to:* Infrared Data Association, in information and communications technology , a standard for communication between devices over short distances using infrared signals...
 Infrared
Infrared

Infrared radiation is electromagnetic radiation whose wavelength is longer than that of visible light , but shorter than that of terahertz radiation and microwaves ....
 9600 bit/s – 4 Mbit/s 2 m


TechnologyTransmission mediumTransmission speedMaximum distance to the device
LonWorks
LonWorks

LonWorks is a networking platform specifically created to address the unique performance, reliability, installation, and maintenance needs of control applications....
 Twisted pair
Twisted pair

Twisted pair cabling is a form of wiring in which two conductors are twisted together for the purposes of canceling out electromagnetic interference from external sources; for instance, electromagnetic radiation from unshielded twisted pair cables, and crosstalk between neighboring pairs....
 / Electrical wiring
Electrical wiring

Electrical wiring in general refers to insulated conductor used to carry electricity, and associated devices. This article describes general aspects of electrical wiring as used to provide power in buildings and structures, commonly referred to as building wiring....
 / Radio frequency
Radio frequency

Radio frequency is a frequency or rate of oscillation within the range of about 3 Hz to 300 GHz. This range corresponds to frequency of alternating current electrical signals used to produce and detect radio waves....
 / Coaxial
Coaxial

In geometry, coaxial means that two or more forms share a common Coordinate axis; it is the three-dimensional linear analog of "concentric".Coaxial cable, as a common example, has a wire Conductor in the center a circumferential outer conductor and an insulating medium called the dielectric separating these two conductors....
 1.70 kbit/s – 1.28 Mbit/s 1500 m – 2700m
INSTEON
INSTEON

INSTEON technology is a dual-band mesh topology employing ac-power lines and a radio-frequency protocol to communicate with and automate home electronic devices and appliances, which normally work independently....
 Electrical wiring + Wireless 1.2 kbit/s1,000m+ (Electrical wiring), 50m+ (Wireless)
X10
X10 (industry standard)

X10 is an international and open industry standard for communication among electronic devices used for home automation, also known as domotics....
 Electrical wiring
Electrical wiring

Electrical wiring in general refers to insulated conductor used to carry electricity, and associated devices. This article describes general aspects of electrical wiring as used to provide power in buildings and structures, commonly referred to as building wiring....
 50 bit/s – 60 bit/s
European Installation Bus / KNX
KNX (standard)

KNX is a standardizationised , OSI model-based computer network communications protocol for intelligent buildings. KNX is the successor to, and convergence of, three previous standards: the European Home Systems Protocol , BatiBUS, and the European Installation Bus ....
 Twisted pair
Twisted pair

Twisted pair cabling is a form of wiring in which two conductors are twisted together for the purposes of canceling out electromagnetic interference from external sources; for instance, electromagnetic radiation from unshielded twisted pair cables, and crosstalk between neighboring pairs....
 / Electrical wiring
Electrical wiring

Electrical wiring in general refers to insulated conductor used to carry electricity, and associated devices. This article describes general aspects of electrical wiring as used to provide power in buildings and structures, commonly referred to as building wiring....
 / Radio frequency
Radio frequency

Radio frequency is a frequency or rate of oscillation within the range of about 3 Hz to 300 GHz. This range corresponds to frequency of alternating current electrical signals used to produce and detect radio waves....
 / Infrared
Infrared

Infrared radiation is electromagnetic radiation whose wavelength is longer than that of visible light , but shorter than that of terahertz radiation and microwaves ....
 / Ethernet
Ethernet

Ethernet is a family of Data frame-based computer networking technologies for local area networks . The name comes from the physical concept of the Luminiferous aether....
 1200 bit/s – 9600 bit/s 300 m – 1000m
EHS
European Home Systems Protocol

European Home Systems Protocol was aimed at home appliances control and communication using PLC. Developed by EHSA, European Home Systems Association....
 Twisted pair
Twisted pair

Twisted pair cabling is a form of wiring in which two conductors are twisted together for the purposes of canceling out electromagnetic interference from external sources; for instance, electromagnetic radiation from unshielded twisted pair cables, and crosstalk between neighboring pairs....
 / Electrical wiring
Electrical wiring

Electrical wiring in general refers to insulated conductor used to carry electricity, and associated devices. This article describes general aspects of electrical wiring as used to provide power in buildings and structures, commonly referred to as building wiring....
 2.4 kbit/s – 48 kbit/s
Batibus Twisted pair
Twisted pair

Twisted pair cabling is a form of wiring in which two conductors are twisted together for the purposes of canceling out electromagnetic interference from external sources; for instance, electromagnetic radiation from unshielded twisted pair cables, and crosstalk between neighboring pairs....
 4800 bit/s 200 m – 1500m
Zigbee
ZigBee

ZigBee is a specification for a suite of high level communication protocols using small, low-power digital radios based on the IEEE 802.15.4-2006 standardization for wireless personal area networks , such as wireless headphones connecting with cell phones via short-range radio....
 Radio frequency
Radio frequency

Radio frequency is a frequency or rate of oscillation within the range of about 3 Hz to 300 GHz. This range corresponds to frequency of alternating current electrical signals used to produce and detect radio waves....
 20 kbit/s – 250 kbit/s 10 m – 75m


Effects

In extreme installations, rooms can sense not only the presence of a person but know who that person is and perhaps set appropriate lighting, temperature and music/TV taking into account day of week, time of day, and other factors.

Other automated tasks may include setting the air conditioning
Air conditioning

An air conditioner is an appliance, system, or Mechanism designed to extract heat from an area via a refrigeration cycle. In construction, a complete system of heating, Ventilation , and air conditioning is referred to as "HVAC." Its purpose, in a building or an automobile, is to provide comfort during either hot or cold...
 to an energy saving setting when the house is unoccupied, and restoring the normal setting when an occupant is about to return. More sophisticated systems can maintain an inventory
Inventory

Inventory is a list for Good and materials, or those goods and materials themselves, held available in stock by a business. It is also used for a list of the contents of a household and for a list for will purposes of the possessions of someone who has died....
 of products, recording their usage through an RFID tag, and prepare a shopping list or even automatically order replacements.

Some practical implementations of home automation are for example when an alarm detects a fire or smoke condition, then all lights in the house will blink to alert occupants. If the house is equipped with a home theater
Home cinema

Home cinema, also called home theater, are entertainment systems that seek to reproduce movie theater quality video and audio in a private home....
, a home automation system can shut down all audio and video components to alert the user to a possible fire or a burglar.

System

The elements of a domotics system are:
  • hardware controllers
    Programmable logic controller

    A programmable logic controller or programmable controller is a digital computer used for automation of electromechanical processes, such as control of machinery on factory assembly lines, control of amusement rides, or control of lighting fixtures....
     or software controllers example software controller
  • sensors
  • actuators


Architecture


From the point of view of where the intelligence of the domotic system resides, there are three different architectures:

Centralized Architecture: a centralized controller receives information of multiple sensors and, once processed, generates the opportune orders for the actuators.

Distributed Architecture: all the intelligence of the system is distributed by all the modules that are sensors or actuators. Usually it is typical of the systems of wiring in bus.

Mixed Architecture: systems with decentralized architecture as far as which they have several small devices able to acquire and to process the information of multiple sensors and to transmit them to the rest of devices distributed by the house.

Interconnection

By wire:
  1. INSTEON
    INSTEON

    INSTEON technology is a dual-band mesh topology employing ac-power lines and a radio-frequency protocol to communicate with and automate home electronic devices and appliances, which normally work independently....
  2. X10
    X10

    X10 may refer to:* North American X-10, an unmanned technology demonstrator for advanced missile technologies* X10 * X10 , a game by Warthog Games Limited...
  3. xDSL
  4. optical fiber
    Optical fiber

    An optical fiber is a glass or plastic fiber that carries light along its length. Fiber optics is the overlap of applied science and engineering concerned with the design and application of optical fibers....
  5. cable (coaxial
    Coaxial

    In geometry, coaxial means that two or more forms share a common Coordinate axis; it is the three-dimensional linear analog of "concentric".Coaxial cable, as a common example, has a wire Conductor in the center a circumferential outer conductor and an insulating medium called the dielectric separating these two conductors....
     and twisted pair
    Twisted pair

    Twisted pair cabling is a form of wiring in which two conductors are twisted together for the purposes of canceling out electromagnetic interference from external sources; for instance, electromagnetic radiation from unshielded twisted pair cables, and crosstalk between neighboring pairs....
    )
  6. powerline
    Power line communication

    Power line communication or power line carrier , also known as Power line Digital Subscriber Line , mains communication, power line telecom , or power line networking , is a system for carrying data on a conductor also used for electric power transmission....
Wireless:
  1. radio frequency
    Radio frequency

    Radio frequency is a frequency or rate of oscillation within the range of about 3 Hz to 300 GHz. This range corresponds to frequency of alternating current electrical signals used to produce and detect radio waves....
    , including:
    INSTEON
    INSTEON

    INSTEON technology is a dual-band mesh topology employing ac-power lines and a radio-frequency protocol to communicate with and automate home electronic devices and appliances, which normally work independently....
    Wi-Fi
    Wi-Fi

    Wi-Fi is a trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance, founded in 1999 as Wireless Internet Compatibility Alliance , comprising more than 300 companies, whose products are certified by the Wi-Fi Alliance, based on the IEEE 802.11 standards ....
    GPRS and UMTS
    Bluetooth
    Bluetooth

    Bluetooth is a wireless protocol for exchanging data over short distances from fixed and mobile devices, creating personal area networks . It was originally conceived as a wireless alternative to RS232 data cables....
    DECT
    ZigBee
    ZigBee

    ZigBee is a specification for a suite of high level communication protocols using small, low-power digital radios based on the IEEE 802.15.4-2006 standardization for wireless personal area networks , such as wireless headphones connecting with cell phones via short-range radio....
    Z-Wave
    Z-Wave

    Z-Wave is a wireless communications standard designed for home automation, specifically to remote control applications in residential and light commercial environments....
    ONE-NET
    ONE-NET

    ONE-NET is an open-source standard for wireless networking. ONE-NET was designed for low-cost, low-power control networks for applications such as home automation, security & monitoring, device control, and sensor networks....
    EnOcean
    EnOcean

    EnOcean GmbH is a spin-off company of Siemens AG founded in 2001, that is venture funded. It is a Germany company headquartered in Oberhaching, near Munich, which currently employs 35 staff....
    infrared
    Infrared

    Infrared radiation is electromagnetic radiation whose wavelength is longer than that of visible light , but shorter than that of terahertz radiation and microwaves ....
    Consumer IR
    Consumer IR

    Consumer IR, or CIR, refers to a wide variety of devices employing the infrared electromagnetic spectrum for wireless communications. Most commonly found in television remote controls, infrared ports are equally ubiquitous in consumer electronics, such as Personal digital assistant, laptops, and computers....
Both Wireless and Wire
INSTEON
INSTEON

INSTEON technology is a dual-band mesh topology employing ac-power lines and a radio-frequency protocol to communicate with and automate home electronic devices and appliances, which normally work independently....

Classifications of Domestic Net Technologies

  • Device interconnection:
    • FireWire
      FireWire

      The IEEE 1394 interface is a serial communications interface standard for high-speed communications and isochronous real-time data transfer, frequently used by personal computers, as well as in digital audio, digital video, automotive, and aeronautics applications....
    • Bluetooth
      Bluetooth

      Bluetooth is a wireless protocol for exchanging data over short distances from fixed and mobile devices, creating personal area networks . It was originally conceived as a wireless alternative to RS232 data cables....
    • USB
    • IrDA
      IRDA

      IRDA may refer to:* Infrared Data Association, in information and communications technology , a standard for communication between devices over short distances using infrared signals...
  • Control and automation nets:
    • Konnex
    • Lonworks
      LonWorks

      LonWorks is a networking platform specifically created to address the unique performance, reliability, installation, and maintenance needs of control applications....
    • X10
      X10 (industry standard)

      X10 is an international and open industry standard for communication among electronic devices used for home automation, also known as domotics....
    • ONE-NET
      ONE-NET

      ONE-NET is an open-source standard for wireless networking. ONE-NET was designed for low-cost, low-power control networks for applications such as home automation, security & monitoring, device control, and sensor networks....
    • EIB
      EIB

      EIB is an acronym that may stand for:*European Investment Bank, the European Union's financing institution*the Export-Import Bank of the United States...
    • EHS
      European Home Systems Protocol

      European Home Systems Protocol was aimed at home appliances control and communication using PLC. Developed by EHSA, European Home Systems Association....
    • BatiBUS
    • ZigBee
      ZigBee

      ZigBee is a specification for a suite of high level communication protocols using small, low-power digital radios based on the IEEE 802.15.4-2006 standardization for wireless personal area networks , such as wireless headphones connecting with cell phones via short-range radio....
    • EnOcean
      EnOcean

      EnOcean GmbH is a spin-off company of Siemens AG founded in 2001, that is venture funded. It is a Germany company headquartered in Oberhaching, near Munich, which currently employs 35 staff....
    • SCS BUS - OpenWebNet
      OpenWebNet

      OpenWebNet is a Communications protocol developed by Bticino since 2000.OpenWebNet Protocol allow a ?high level? interaction between a remote unit and SCS Bus of MyHome domotic system....
  • Data nets:
    • Ethernet
      Ethernet

      Ethernet is a family of Data frame-based computer networking technologies for local area networks . The name comes from the physical concept of the Luminiferous aether....
    • Homeplug
    • HomePNA
      HomePNA

      The HomePNA Alliance is an incorporated non-profit industry association of companies that develops and standardizes technology for home networking over the existing coaxial cables and phone wires within the home....
    • Wifi
      WIFI

      WIFI is a radio station broadcasting a Variety radio format. Licensed to Florence, New Jersey, USA. The station is currently owned by Forsythe Broadcasting....


Tasks


HVAC

Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC)
HVAC

HVAC is an initialism or acronym that stands for "heating, Ventilation , and air conditioning". HVAC is sometimes referred to as climate control and is particularly important in the design of medium to large industrial and office buildings such as skyscrapers and in marine environments such as aquariums, where humidity and tem...
 solutions include temperature and humidity
Humidity

Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air. In daily language the term "humidity" is normally taken to mean relative humidity. Relative humidity is defined as the ratio of the partial pressure of water vapor in a Air parcel of air to the saturated vapor pressure of water vapor at a prescribed temperature....
 control (climotics).

This category also typically includes control of exhaust and ceiling fans.

Lighting

Lighting control system
Lighting control system

Lighting control system consists of a device, typically an embedded processor or industrial computer, that controls electric lights for a building or residence....
s involves aspects related to controlling electric lights.
  • Extinguished general of all the lights of the house
  • Automation of switched off / ignition in every point of light
  • Regulation of the illumination according to the level of ambient luminosity.


Natural lighting

Natural lighting control involves controlling window shades, LCD shades, draperies and awnings. Recent advances include use of RF
Radio frequency

Radio frequency is a frequency or rate of oscillation within the range of about 3 Hz to 300 GHz. This range corresponds to frequency of alternating current electrical signals used to produce and detect radio waves....
 technology to avoid wiring to switches and integration with third party home automation systems for centralized control.

Audio

This category includes audio switching and distribution
Audio distribution

The description of the cable type is not a reference to a manufacturer or distributor. It is just a generally known type of cable which is used world wide for network use....
. Audio switching determines the selection of an audio source. Audio distribution allows an audio source to be heard in one or more rooms. This feature is often referred to as 'multi-zone' audio.

Video

This includes video switching and distribution, allowing a video source to be viewed on multiple TVs. This feature is often referred to as 'multi-zone' video.

Integration of the intercom
Intercom

An intercom , talkback or doorphone is an electronic communications system intended for limited or private dialogue, direction, collaboration or announcements....
 to the telephone
Telephone

The telephone is a telecommunications device that is used to transmitter and receive electronically or digitally encoded sound between two or more people conversing....
, or of the video door entry system to the television set.

Security

Control and integration of security systems.

This category also includes control and distribution of security cameras (see surveillance
Surveillance

Surveillance is the monitoring of behavior. Systems surveillance is the process of monitoring the behavior of people, objects or processes within systems for conformity to expected or desired Norm in trusted systems for security or social control....
).

  • Detection of possible intrusion
    Intrusion

    In geology, an intrusion is a body of igneous rock that has crystallized from molten magma below the surface of the Earth. Bodies of magma that solidify underground before they reach the surface of the earth are called plutons, named for Pluto , the Roman mythology of the underworld....
    • sensor
      Sensor

      A sensor is a device that measures a physical quantity and converts it into a signal which can be read by an observer or by an instrument. For example, a mercury thermometer converts the measured temperature into expansion and contraction of a liquid which can be read on a calibrated glass tube....
      s of detection of movement
    • sensors of magnetic contact of door
      Door

      A door is a moveable barrier used to cover an opening. Doors are used widely and are found in walls or partitions of a building or space, furniture such as cupboards, cage s, vehicles, and containers....
      /window
      Window

      File:OldShipWindows.jpgA window is an opening in a wall that allows the passage of light and, if not closed or sealed, air and sound. Windows are usually glazed or covered in some other transparency or translucent material....
    • sensors of glass breaking
  • Simulation
    Simulation

    Simulation is the imitation of some real thing, state of affairs, or process. The act of simulating something generally entails representing certain key characteristics or behaviors of a selected physical or abstract system....
     of presence.
  • Detection of fire, gas leaks, water leaks (see fire alarm and gas alarm
    Gas alarm

    A gas alarm is a fitted device which lets you know when there is a gas leak in the house, meaning you should get out straight away just in case....
    )
  • Medical alert
    Alert

    To be alert is to be in a state of alertness.Alert may also refer to:* A warning, such as a red alert* Alerts, machine-to-person communications such as reminders and notifications...
    . Teleassistance.
  • Precise and safe closing of blinds.
    Window blind

    A window blind is a specific type of window covering which is made with slats of fabric, wood or metal held in place with strings or fabric strips called tapes, if horizontal or metal or plastic tracks with carriers if vertical....


Intercoms

An intercom
Intercom

An intercom , talkback or doorphone is an electronic communications system intended for limited or private dialogue, direction, collaboration or announcements....
 system allows communication via a microphone
Microphone

A microphone, sometimes referred to as a mike or?more recently?mic, is an acoustic-to-electric transducer or sensor that converts sound into an electrical signal....
 and loud speaker
Loud Speaker

Loud Speaker is a play by American playwright John Howard Lawson. It was first produced by the New Playwrights' Theatre at the 52nd Street Theatre in New York City, opening on March 2 1927 in literature#New drama....
 between multiple rooms.

  • Ubiquity in the external control as much internal, remote control from the Internet
    Internet

    The Internet is a global network of interconnected computers, enabling users to share information along multiple channels. Typically, a computer that connects to the Internet can access information from a vast array of available server and other computers by moving information from them to the computer's local memory....
    , PC
    Personal computer

    A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose original sales price, size, and capabilities make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end user, with no intervening computer operator....
    , wireless
    Wireless

    Wireless communication is the transfer of information over a distance without the use of electrical conductors or "wires". The distances involved may be short or long ....
     controls (p.ej. PDA
    Personal digital assistant

    A personal digital assistant is a handheld computer, also known as a palmtop computer. Newer PDAs also have both color screens and audio capabilities, enabling them to be used as mobile phones, , web browsers, or portable media players....
     with WiFi
    WIFI

    WIFI is a radio station broadcasting a Variety radio format. Licensed to Florence, New Jersey, USA. The station is currently owned by Forsythe Broadcasting....
    ), electrical equipment.
  • Transmission of alarm
    Alarm

    An alarm gives an audible or visual warning about a problem or condition.Alarms include:* burglar alarms, designed to warn of burglaries; this is often a silent alarm: the police or guards are warned without indication to the burglar, which increases the chances of catching him or her....
    s.
  • Intercommunications.


Robotics

  • Control of home robots, using if necessary domotic electric beacon
    Electric beacon

    Electric beacons are a kind of beacon used with direction finding equipment to find ones relative Bearing to a known Location .The term electric beacon includes radio, infrared and sonar beacons....
    .
  • Home robot communication (i.e. using WiFi
    WIFI

    WIFI is a radio station broadcasting a Variety radio format. Licensed to Florence, New Jersey, USA. The station is currently owned by Forsythe Broadcasting....
    ) with the domotic network and other home robots.


Other systems

Using special hardware, almost any device can be monitored and controlled automatically or remotely.

Including:

  • Coffee pot
  • Garage door
    Garage door

    A garage door is a large door on a Garage that can either be opened manually or by a garage door opener. Although of many designs, most garage doors are sectional, upward-acting, and self-storing....
    (s)
  • Pet feeding and watering
  • Plant watering
    Irrigation sprinkler

    Irrigation sprinklers are used on farms, golf courses, residential yards, and other places to water agriculture, lawns, gardens or other plants in the event of drought....
  • Pool pump(s) and heater, Hot tub and Spa
  • Sump Pump (need info and links)


Organizations


  • CENELEC
  • MIT AgeLab
  • SIMO TCI
    SIMO TCI

    SIMO TCI is an International Data Processing, Multimedia and Communications Show held every autumn in Madrid, Spain. It name stands for Sal?n Internacional de Mobiliario de Oficina / Tecnolog?as de la Comunicaci?n e Informaci?n , due to its origin....
  • DLNA
  • Insteon
    INSTEON

    INSTEON technology is a dual-band mesh topology employing ac-power lines and a radio-frequency protocol to communicate with and automate home electronic devices and appliances, which normally work independently....


See also

  • Home automation for the elderly and disabled
    Home automation for the elderly and disabled

    This form of home automation focuses on making it possible for the elderly and disabled to remain at home and remain safe and comfortable. Home automation is becoming a viable option for the elderly and disabled who would prefer to stay in the comfort of their home rather than move to a healthcare facility....
  • Digital home
    Digital home

    Digital home refers to a residence that is fully automated. A Digital Home has a network of CE , mobile, and Personal computer devices that cooperate transparently and simplify usability in the home....
  • Home of the future
    Home of the future

    The home of the future, similarly to the office of the future, is a concept that has been popular to explore since the early 20th century, or perhaps earlier....
  • Emergency light
    Emergency light

    An emergency light is a battery-backed electric light that comes on automatically when a building experiences a power outage or in the event of fire....
  • EnOcean
    EnOcean

    EnOcean GmbH is a spin-off company of Siemens AG founded in 2001, that is venture funded. It is a Germany company headquartered in Oberhaching, near Munich, which currently employs 35 staff....
  • Floor plan
    Floor plan

    A floor plan, or floorplan, in architecture and building engineering is a diagram, usually to Scale , of the relationships between rooms, spaces and other physical features at one level of a structure....
     and house navigation system
  • Gate operator
    Gate operator

    A gate operator is a mechanical device used to open and close a gate, such as one at the end of a driveway....
  • Information appliance
    Information appliance

    An information appliance is an appliance specializing in information, a personal device designed to perform a specific activity, such as playing music, photography, or editing text, in a simple and user-friendly way....
  • HVAC
    HVAC

    HVAC is an initialism or acronym that stands for "heating, Ventilation , and air conditioning". HVAC is sometimes referred to as climate control and is particularly important in the design of medium to large industrial and office buildings such as skyscrapers and in marine environments such as aquariums, where humidity and tem...
  • Power line communication
    Power line communication

    Power line communication or power line carrier , also known as Power line Digital Subscriber Line , mains communication, power line telecom , or power line networking , is a system for carrying data on a conductor also used for electric power transmission....
  • Speech recognition
    Speech recognition

    Speech recognition converts spoken words to machine-readable input . The term "voice recognition" is sometimes incorrectly used to refer to speech recognition, when actually referring to speaker recognition, which attempts to identify the person speaking, as opposed to what is being said....
     and Text To Speech (TTS)
  • Touchscreen/Touch panel
    Touchscreen

    A touchscreen is a display which can detect the presence and location of a touch within the display area. The term generally refers to touch or contact to the display of the device by a finger or hand....
  • Building automation
    Building automation

    A Building Automation System is an example of a Distributed control system.Building automation describes the functionality provided by the control system....


External links


  • — Provides advice for DIY home automation projects, including weather sensing, furnace control, voice recognition, and surveillance