In previous chapters were discussed type of sensors and several examples where home automation can be used.
The Smart Home market is based on “home automation” and covers four distinct areas:
Since these areas overlap and can be combined, one can say that options in home automation area are limited only by user’s imagination. Specific use cases are described below.
RFID and location services
Radio-frequency identification is the wireless use of electromagnetic fields to transfer data, for the purposes of automatically identifying and tracking objects via tags (labels), the tags contain electronically stored information.
User can have several profiles based on RFID: home profile, office profile, car profile etc. Via application in smartphone RFID is detected and correct profile is set. The RFID tags can be simply attached to almost anything as a sticker, and RFID function is featured in modern smartphones as well.
Other ways of knowing location are already used nowadays: GPS and location transfer via mobile network and location based on Bluetooth.
Once the system finds out someone has arrived, it can perform pre-defined set of actions.
Controller
Automation controllers is central to the automation concept and causes entire home to operate automatically when an intelligent controller becomes the brains of the smart home. Automation controllers control lighting, climate controls, entertainment components, irrigation, and any other systems/sensors.
After the system is programmed, it operates on its own to decide what the home should do under various circumstances. User can also manually control system with user-friendly keypads and touch screens, and even through a smartphone or the Internet. The controller can incorporate heuristic or fuzzy logic to correctly access all inputs and even learn one’s habits to correctly determine actions that are based on sensor inputs.
Wireless home automation networks (WHAN) comprise wireless embedded sensors and actuators that enable monitoring and control applications for home user comfort and efficient home management. A WHAN typically comprises several types of severely constrained embedded devices, which may be battery powered and are equipped with low-power radio frequency (RF) transceivers. The use of RF communication allows flexible addition or removal of devices to or from the network and reduces installation costs since wired solutions require conduits or cable trays.
Sophisticated controllers can even be connected to the cloud and harvest it’s computing power enable user to control everything by voice and provide him with human like voice responses, similar to systems provided by Apple’s Siri, or Microsoft’s Cortana (which is available via API - application program interface even today).
Security
Security systems include control panels, keypads, sensors, sirens, locks, lights, access control and more. Locks can be controlled remotely via application in smartphone, either by Bluetooth, RFID or internet. Security system can be extended by selected multimodal features, like face or voice recognition. So user can be identified and based on his role gets access right (like family can have access everywhere, gardener only to outdoor gate and into storage with tools, etc.).
Smoke detectors can be also installed as part of security system, to cooperate with automation system and protect homes again fire. Perimeter sensors alert user when a person crosses home property line. Movement sensors can be installed on walls, on ceilings, in light switches or outdoors and inform about every motion. Glass break sensors alert user security system when a window is broken. Flood sensors know if the washer or water heater breaks, and can even automatically shut off the water supply before a potential disaster. Driveway alerts let you know when visitors arrive.
Video and cameras - home can be monitored with surveillance cameras, cameras that see in the dark, large and small cameras, bullet, dome and hooded cameras or hidden cameras. User can view his home from any computer over the Internet, from a smartphone or though his personal digital archive. The archive can be stored for preset time since time lapse and digital video recorded keep a log of what goes on around user’s home. Monitors let user watch different areas of the house, like the pool area or nursery.
Environmental controls
Environmental controls include everything connected to heat and humidity and water. Window shades, HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), central heating, even perhaps a smart fridge may be controlled depending on the information collected by several types of sensors that monitor parameters such as temperature, humidity, light, and presence. Unnecessary waste of energy can thus be avoided. In addition, smart utility meters can be used to detect usage peaks and alert the household devices that may be causing them.
Irrigation systems can be thought of as subset of outside environmental controls that can be programmed to operate on a preset schedule by event (or even a set time before dawn). It can be controlled also by an underground humidity sensor, so in case the soil is not dry the system won’t do anything. If connected to internet, customized application can read weather forecast and based on it adjust irrigation plan (i.e. in case of forecasted rain the system won’t do anything).
Using solar collectors can significantly help with saving energy. Solar collectors collect heat by absorbing sunlight or convert it directly to electricity. The main use of this technology is in residential buildings which are used for heating water. This generally means a situation with a large family, or a situation in which the hot water demand is excessive due to frequent laundry washing. Commercial applications include laundromats, car washes, military laundry facilities and eating establishments. The technology can also be used for space heating. Electricity generating solar collectors (heat generating collectors are mainly used because they currently have higher efficiency than electricity generating ones) can be connected to batteries to store energy, which can be later efficiently distributed based on house needs. This energy can be used during hours when the electric energy is more expensive (in case of different price in day and night), so water heating, washing machine etc. is using energy from battery. All electronic devices can be configured to use either energy form batteries or from company distributing electric energy. All can be configured or controlled by user via application at computer or smartphone.
The energy stored in batteries can be used in smart grid scenarios, when surplus generated electricity and electricity from a battery is used to feed (sell) electricity to public grid. Such applications are very useful for distribution companies, as they provide cost effective way of dealing with spikes in demand for electricity and in sufficient numbers provide a good way of preventing blackouts.
Sample usage scenarios
Lighting and appliance control – turn lights on or off, dim or brighten lights according user’s needs. This can be managed from outside or inside home using powerline or RF/wireless remote control. It is possible to control both lights – indoor and outdoor according family schedule or special events (i.e. turn lights on in the evening when it’s get dark and off again a few hour later). Based on RFID user can be identified approaching home and lights can be automatically turned on and the way to garage and home is not dark. When it gets light in the morning, some home appliances can be turned on, like coffee maker or hair curlers. Also once a TV is powered on, the lights can dim automatically, the drapes or sun blinds could shut and home entertainment components would turn on. Wind sensor can send command to open sun blinds or shutters to prevent damage in case of strong wind or based on weather forecast (strong wind, rain). System can be set to automatically close drapes/sun blinds on a schedule, by remote control or automatically when the sun shines directly in, when temperature is too high or their combination. It’s possible to control windows by wall switch, remote control or an automation system to automatically close them when it starts to rain. It’s perfect for skylights that are hard to reach. Robotic vacuum could be powered on once nobody is in a house, but only if somebody was inside since last cleaning session.