How annoying it is to wake up in the midnight to turn down AC realizing that it has gone too chilly. How many times have you forgotten to switch off some light before leaving your home? Have you been staying home on weekend morning to wash your clothes? Well there was a time when we had no choice but now that we have what they call Home automation systems why compromise on lifestyle. Home Automation systems might be a new term for many but it is a lifestyle concept that is here to stay. These systems are being successfully used in the western countries but for India this is slightly new-fangled.

For those who are not aware, a home automation system automates household surroundings, triggering events and routines involving light fixtures, security components and the heating/cooling system based on the time of day, temperature or any other condition that you select. For instance, when a sensor detects a vehicle in your driveway, your home automation system could turn on your lights. These systems consist of three main components; sensor devices, automation software and the underlying technology. While the sensors are used to interact with various devices and appliances, the software serves as the central control system that offers user friendly interfaces to monitor and manage the integrated gadgets and appliances. The software can also be installed on the PDA, mobiles and other handheld devices to support the remote access feature.

As far as the technologies are concerned, there are many depending upon the transmission mediums like electrical wiring, telephone line, infrared, radio frequency etc. The most popular and convenient technology out these days is the Z-wave technology that works on radio frequency. Home automation systems based on Z-wave technology are the most easy to install and free from the hassles of wiring. All one needs to do is instead of directly plugging the device into the main socket you plug it in a Z-wave module which then goes into the main socket. After this all the relevant appliances and devices are integrated with the software on home pc with the help of Z-wave modules using interfaces offered by the software. You can then access integrated devices remotely from anywhere through the internet or the voice command.

There are different types of automation systems depending upon the technology, features, responsiveness and the access. A commonly used home automation system suitable for most households usually consists features like controlling lighting, appliances, gadgets, doors and windows, scheduling routine tasks based on time, temperature etc, monitoring energy consumption, security feature such as remote web camera access, triggering alarm etc. So while you take care of the things that matter more repetitive and mundane tasks can take care of themselves. You might not think this as a necessity but this sure is an added convenience. So, all those living under the impression of having a well furnished modern house, here is something more to today’s modern homes that you might be missing.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 8th, 2009 at 6:58 am and is filed under Home Automation. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.