Page 168 - Cityview_Jan_Feb_2014

home automation
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Home security
originally developed for commercial

and business environments, smart, au-

tomated security systems have had their
technological advances adapted for

home use, where they are becoming in-
creasingly affordable. The primary fea-

tures of smart home security: the ability

to use granular stimulus-response rules
and the ability to allow owner interac-

tion from anywhere in the world that he
or she can access the Internet.

To give an example of what is meant
by “granular,” consider the familiar

driveway alarm. When tripped, the

alarm emits a loud noise that tells little
about the nature of what tripped it.

Moreover, the homeowner is very lim-
ited in deciding what should trip it. Set

the threshold too low, and false alarms way at this time, so ignore those foot- one-time visitors a key. If someone is at

from squirrels will become so common steps), duration of disturbance (someone your front door while you are at work,
that all they do is annoy the neighbors. passed by but didn’t linger), and so on. you can see who it is and decide imme-

Set the threshold too high, and you have better yet, the responses can be granular diately whether or not to grant access.
defeated the alarm’s purpose.
as well, from sending the owner a text or besides external threats, smart homes

In contrast, a smart alarm’s possible photo to calling 911. A sensor can also ac- are also better equipped for in-home

configurations are almost limitless. It can tivate the home’s video-recording system emergencies. for example, smoke and
be programmed to respond only when (see below).
carbon monoxide detectors—like any

specific parameters are met: size of in- Another feature of all this granular- other sensors—can be integrated into
truder (meaning that squirrel or a family ity is that it means you do not have to the system, with actuators and control-

pet won’t set it off ), time of disturbance be at home to receive every person who lers programmed to respond. Just like
(the mailman always comes up the drive-
needs access, nor do you need to give
commercial systems, these responses

can also be localized to the area where

the problem has been detected, rather
than causing a whole-house response.

Audiovisual Integration

The first facet of a smart home’s
audiovisual integration is on the lighter

side: you can use your system to distribute
movies, music, or TV from your enter-

tainment center anywhere in the house.

Rather than lug media or components
room to room, you can even enjoy your

favorite video game wherever you choose.

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