Home Automation - Less is More

By Daphne Kanellopoulos

When you think of Zen, you probably imagine candles and incense, not home automation. In the past, you couldn't use different technologies from different companies together ( i.e. the remote for the garage door wouldn't work with a home stereo). A company called Zensys has developed a home automation technology that bridges that gap between different technologies that were. The name, Zensys, originates from a Zen theme of simplicity. Zensys strives to reflect that philosophy and trys to make home automation simpler and more affordable than ever.

"Less wires for more user value," says Mike Einstein, director of marketing for the Z-Wave Alliance. "Zensys's Z-wave technology which was designed specifically for home control. Home automation used to entail hiring somebody to program the system for hundreds of dollars. Now, you can do it all yourself.

More than 100 companies have begun producing products that will all work together with Z-Wave technology. Z-Wave creates one set standard in all the devices in a household that can be controlled remotely. Areas that can be automated include: drapes and blinds, all lighting, garage doors, security, and pool and spa. Mr. Einstein says anything controlled by electricity, you can control with Z-Wave. He adds that you can check the temperature of a second home remotely.

Zensys is a mesh network, which means that every device that you put in the system makes the system stronger. Mr. Einstein says Z-Wave offers multiple ways for information to travel, in case one is blocked. "Let's say I've got a controller in my hand, and I'm trying to turn the light on upstairs. And I go to turn it on, and it sends off the signal and let's say there's some sort of wall, it doesn't get there, then it takes a path through other rooms until it gets there. It will try every which way to get to the device. First, it will try directly from my hand to the device. If that doesn't work, it will start going through the other nodes in the system."

Z-Wave Technology addresses the needs of the home control network, product development, and manufacturing processes. The number of interesting home control applications is vast, ranging from simple remote control of light to sophisticated comfort and surveillance systems which use many different resources in the home. The applications can be divided into a number of categories: comfort enhancement, energy management, access control, and others.

Trends

Z-wave is a reliable device that provides mass market appeal, ease, and low use of power. According to Raoul Wijgergangs, VP of business development and marketing for Zensys, home automation used to cost $100,000. Through technologies like Z-wave, home automation can be provided to the masses at more affordable prices. "Home automation was unachievable seven years ago," says Mr. Wijgergangs. "It became available at price-point, hopes that the majority of homes become automated within five years."

In the past, only homes worth a million dollar or more had home automation. In the past two years, the number of homes with home automation double. Mr. Einstein says, "Home automation today is in its infancy." It has a huge way to grow. According to Mr. Einstein, over 10% of new homes are equipped with home automation. In five years, it may be 30%-35% of the new homes. They build a million and a half new homes a year. Doesn't know how long it will take for people to retrofit all their homes. "I think the new construction market will be the leading driver of this business."

Safety and Security

Z-Wave can offer people greater security and safety. Mr. Einstein says Z-Wave assists seniors by allowing them to stay in their homes longer. There is no immediate need for a senior to enter a nursing home if home control can be given to a son or daughter. Sensors can alert someone if an elderly person falls, or if someone forgot to take their pills. Z-wave is designed for real life living. If an aging parent doesn't get up in the morning, someone can be notified. It can also be used to monitor children. When a child punches their code into the garage door, it can send a message to their parents letting them know the child is safe. If someone walks up to the door, you'll be able to have it pop up on the tv screen and you know who it is and you can let them in from sitting in a chair. The idea of not entering into a dark house anymore, which typically makes people feel unsafe. One example of a convenient feature is a key with a Z-Wave chip, which will turn lights off, arm security and adjust temperature. "You hear a strange noise in the middle of the night, you can push one button and turn all your lights on," says Mr. Einstein. "It will just scare away a potential intruder. When you come home, you can make sure the house is well-lit by pushing a button in your car." You can "create a lived-in look." Lights go on and off according to a built-in sunrise/sunset clock. Einstein says home automation has assisted with security by being able to have different electrical appliances go on and off when you're not home.

Comfort Enhancement

A futuristic example would be that, when entering the living room, the drapes go down, the lights dim to a comfortable level, the stereo turns on and your favorite music is played - all initiated by a push on a button or even a sensor detecting your entrance into the room.

Energy Management

Energy management enables you to save money and improve the environment by turning off the light and turning down the heat in rooms which are not occupied, turning off all the lights when the house is empty, switching off the heater/radiator temporarily while the window is open, and so on.

Access Control

Access control enables you to ensure that all windows/doors are closed and appliances such as irons or coffee makers are switched off before you leave the house. Additionally sensors can detect an intruder entering the home and initiate a series of events such as turning on the light, activating a web cam and sending a message to your mobile phone. The Z-Wave technology supports the full range of AC-powered, battery-powered, fixed position nodes, moving nodes and, potentially, bridging nodes to other technologies, with a range of Z-Wave protocol stacks. In the Z-Wave technology, nodes are divided in three fundamental node types (Controllers, Routing Slaves and Slaves), based on their communication behavior. All node types work seamlessly together and can be mixed in any combination. Z-Wave supports moving battery powered devices such as hand-held remotes and moving sensors within each node type. For controller node types the Portable Controller protocol stack has support for dynamic changes in position. For Routing Slave node types, the Routing Slave protocol stack has support for re-discovery of moving nodes within the overall network topology. The controller node type contains self-organization management functionalities, which simplify the installation and operation of the network.

Z-Wave is being sold in some retail operations including Fry's Electronics, SmartHome.com as well as professional distribution channels.