the Networked HOME - Technology Information

Home Office Computing, Dec, 2000 by Bonny L. Georgia

Home automation can bring home office workers a new level of convenience

HOME AUTOMATION HAS BEEN AROUND IN one form or another for more than 20 years (remember the Clapper?), but until recently, only the wealthy and gadget-obsessed have been willing to give it a try. However, automating your home is easier than you might think. You don't even need a home network (or a small fortune) to get started.

In the simplest terms, home automation means commanding existing household devices using a remote control, touch pad, button, or other interface, which may or may not involve a PC. Nearly anything you can plug into an electrical outlet or wire into your home network can be controlled with home automation--from light switches, ceiling fans, and thermostats to garage door openers, security systems, and stereo equipment.

Home automation is "about lending practical applications and little conveniences 1:o the home," says Kurt Scherf, an analyst for Parks Associates, a consumer and industry research firm in Dallas. The simplest home automation setups can turn lights and other devices on and off from a handheld control. More complex systems let you program specific routines for devices and allow appliances to respond to each other. For example, you might program your lights to turn off one by one at 10 p.m. every evening, or install a sensor at the end of the driveway that rings your doorbell when a car pulls up.

Even more than convenience, the big advantage for home office owners is security. Home automation tools can make your house look occupied when it's not, conduct remote surveillance of your property and employees (see the sidebar "Somebody's Watching Me"), or alert you to the arrival of delivery trucks or clients. Remote-controlled doors with magnetic locks are another safety-conscious application of this technology.

DO-IT-YOURSELF OPTIONS

A typical home automation setup consists of three main parts. The first is a controller that signals individual appliances, lights, and other devices to respond to your commands. These signals are then carried by the second component, the automation network. Most entry-level automation schemes use existing house wiring or wireless radio frequency (RF) signals for the network; some advanced systems require specialized wiring. The final component is a communications protocol--the "language" that lets devices talk to one another and respond to your commands.

For do-it-yourselfers, the simplest introduction to home control is managing lights and appliances with an X10 setup, according to Scherf. X10 refers both to a generic communications technology and a company that makes home automation devices (www.x10.com). X10-compatible devices are widely available in electronics stores, generally inexpensive, and user-installable; they're quintessentially handy ways to handle the basics, such as giving your home a lived-in look while you're away.

X10 communicates via your home's electrical wiring, letting you control up to 256 devices connected to AC outlets or hardwired throughout your home without a PC. An easy way to begin is with the FireCracker Starter Kit available from www.x10.com--you get a simple lamp module, a wireless transceiver, a PC interface card, software, and a control panel for $6. Smarthome.com and Radio Shack also offer inexpensive X10 starter kits.

Fancier, more expensive two-way communications modules can tell the controller when devices have responded to your requests. Though it's not necessary, you can also replace existing outlets or light switches with X10-compatible versions that include advanced programming options.

There are several options for controlling your X10 setup, from spiffy tabletop touch pads to infrared sensors and motion detectors. You can even shout commands at your house Star Trek-style using Home Automated Living LLC's HAL2000 speech recognition tool ($399; www.automatedliving.com).

PC-based software controllers require an interface unit (usually a module that connects to your serial port or an internal interface card) that lets your computer talk to specific gadgets. Some PC setups require leaving your computer on flail time; if this doesn't appeal to you, look for a configuration that stores settings in the interface unit so you can control lights and appliances even with the PC off.

HIRING THE WIRING

Most high-end home automation setups which tie lighting, climate, and security functions to your home network, need a sophisticated structured wiring system to carry the commands, plus smart light switches, outlets, sensors, and a central controller tool. The perfect time to install a system with this level of integration is when building or remodeling a home or home office.

Some professionally installed structured wiring solutions--such as Home Director (www.homedirector.com) and OnQ (www.onqtech.com)--include everything you need to control your lighting, climate control, security, and other items as part of the package. Still others like Lucent Technologies' HomeStar Wiring System (www.lucent.com/networks/homestar) provide wiring only, but can support automation add-ons from companies like LonWorks by Echelon Corp (www.echelon.com) and Panja (www.panja.com). The automation units may be installed by your builder, a specialized provider, or a licensed contractor.