A brand new home automation era is emerging based on low cost control systems, new display and sound technology, and new content streams delivered over a broadband network.
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| Architects' impression of the Balmoral home |
Right now, in partnership with my wife Antoinette, I am building a brand new house close to Balmoral Beach on Sydney's Northern Beaches. My wife is managing the entire building process but is a total technology Luddite – which is ironic as I am the total opposite. While she can pull four story buildings out of the ground under the most complex of situations, she still has problems understanding some of the complexities that seem to ooze out of tech devices.
I raise this issue because at the end of the day it is vital that my wife is able to use the control system to manage not only the entertainment systems but the security system, the heating system and the lighting system which is going into the house. I on the other hand need to manage back-end services such as storage, my wireless network for various devices and my general home office network.
And in today's eco world the best form of conservation is the on/off switch, which if implemented properly into the control system allows total control of power and heating usage both internally in the home, and externally when I am at work, or via a mobile phone. Another key issue is to avoid redundancy as this will allow me to expand the system as new technology comes along.
By using IP based technology rather than proprietary automation technology I am able to integrate cost effectively a new generation of technology into the base system which talks to other technology linked to the master automation system.
