| Home Networking Tutorial - The Benefits of Networking | |
Home Automation
Today's typical "home computer network" connects multiple personal computers (PCs) together, but the home network of tomorrow will accomodate more than just PCs. From toasters to toilets, the possibilities for networking computerized household appliances are limited only by our imagination and our pocketbook.
|
A home actually contains several different kinds of networks. The telephone network connects phones to one of potentially many outside lines. The powerline network carries electrical current to wall outlets for use by televisions, stereos, and light fixtures. Some homes also contain more specialized networks for security systems, intercoms, and the like.
In a nutshell, home automation taps into the various household networks, providing useful services through central monitoring and control of devices. Home automation typically also opens up communication paths between the home and external locations. These are just a few examples of services enabled by home automation technology:
- the home stereo system plays a person's favorite music at their current location and responds to their voice commands
- lighting and heating/air conditioning automatically adjust depending on time of day and whether anyone is currently at home
- kitchen appliances such as the oven and coffee maker activate in advance of a person waking up in the morning or returning home
- a home PC automatically sends email to the office, or the telephone system calls a cell phone number, if a home emergency (such as a water leak or power failure) occurs
Home automation promises greater convenience, time savings, and personal security and comfort.
Information Applicances - Smarter Than We Think
In home automation, one's toaster, television, and coffee pot are no longer simply household appliances, they become information appliances capable of processing data and making decisions. Even today's standard home appliances contain some sophisticated electronics, a fact that surprises many people. Perhaps the only missing ingredient in unlocking the true power of these devices is networking:
"The average middle-class American household already has around 40 microprocessors, in cell phones, microwave ovens, self-focusing cameras, and the like. Furthermore, many of these microprocessors are astonishingly powerful. For example, the latest game consoles have more processing power than the supercomputers of a decade ago.However, this power is hidden from the users, who see only a simple interface designed to provide just the basic functionality the device is designed for. ... What is still lacking is the pervasive communication system that will link them together."
"The Visible Problems of the Invisible Computer" (1999)
Despite the lack of standard networking, early examples of practical automation are beginning to appear in homes in large numbers. Wealthy individuals like Bill Gates have enjoyed full-featured home automation for years, but the cost of the individual gadgets, at least, are gradually dropping into the reach of mainstream consumers.
Graphic from Microsoft Office Clip Art library
Next page > Information Gadgets > Page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
