Apple iPad will be an Amazing Whole Home Remote for Home Automation
Ever since rumors of an Apple tablet started many months ago, I have dreamed of a day when we could use one as a remote control to run everything in our house.
New Apple iPad
Since then we have laid an excellent foundation to allow a mobile, touchscreen device to act as a remote. We already use Apple products in our home including Airport Expresses and Apple TV’s to stream music and video wirelessly around the home. We use iPhones and iPod Touch’s to control them and software (Indigo) from Perceptive Automation, to control the home automation system. We also have an IR system, that allows our various Macs to control AV gear over infrared (iRed). Indigo allows you to create custom web-pages, where you can control your home via any web device. We have also used a Harmony 1000 RF Read more
Home Automation Can Help Prevent a Disaster at Home
This one happened to me just this past week.
Ever since I have completed the changeover in my home to smart switches and devices, I have really started to enjoy the use of sensors around the home. I have already set up several sensors that offer all kinds of information that my computer takes in, and then makes decisions as to which actions to perform. For example, I have a garage door sensor, that detects if the door has been left open. At set times a script will run and the home will notify me if I need to close it. I also have door sensors to detect when our doors have been opened. We also installed sensors on some important windows (kids room etc.). Motion sensors are also used both inside and outside of the home to notify us when people are at the front door, or if there is motion anywhere around my home. This next level of intelligence really allows you to do some fun, and amazing things. Once you have the data at your fingertips, what you do with it is limitless.
First Video Podcast- Quick Introduction to Insteon Home Automation using iPhone
We had the idea to create a short video to show you a few of the things that you can do with Insteon Home Automation technology. This video includes using a Nokia touchscreen tablet and an iPhone as an interface to control everything in the home. We hope this short video gives you some ideas of what can be done.
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We apologize in advance for the low video quality. We are definitely not video editors! Thanks and enjoy!
Can Home Automation Help Parents with Kids?
Has this ever happened to you? I bet there are more than a few of you out there that can sympathize.
The other night, my wife and I were out late at a Christmas party. We have a two year old, and anyone with young children knows that sometimes that car ride home is the best thing to get your child to sleep. When you get home you struggle to get the child out of the car seat, inside the house and into bed without waking them.
This got me thinking.
We have a keypad at our front door, with the usual “Home” and “Away” buttons. Home turns the house into home mode, turns on certain lights and runs other scripts. Away puts the house into Away Mode, turning everything in the home off, activating motion sensors and cameras, and running a few scripts.
TriggerLinc by Smarthome
I started thinking, what if the house knew when I got home, and if it was after a certain time, say9PM when we got home, it would assume we had a sleeping child with us, and would react differently. Say, dimly light a path to the child’s room, and turn those lights on just enough to allow you to get them to bed without waking them up.
So I set out to make this happen.
Duprey Home Automation
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