what I would like: redundancy

[pspl]

HI

I'm looking to build/adapt my home automation set-up and I need some pointers to good info.

Current status: a lot of impulse relays (double contact) with one contact switching the line and the other one switching 12VDC. The 12VDC can be used as input/ouput in a home automation as a status of the relay. (Almost) All impulse relays are coupled directly to push buttons. For now I have 12 dimmer channels (can be controlled through both dmx or 0-10V) In a fail safe mode (which is the current mode of operation;) I have sliding potentiometers coupled through impulse relays that can switch off or on the dimmers on a fixed level. I have an old PC running Labview and two 96-digital IO cards, some electronics to convert 5V -12 V and 12V to 5V. This all works. I can change the behaviour of the house by changing a .txt file. This file contains strings like: (IF(AND(NOT(Light_Bathroom);Time(Fan)>300sec)DO(OFF(Fan)) this would turn the Fan off after 300 sec but only if the light of the bathroom is not on. I made an interpreter for this in Labview.

What I want in the future is to lose the PC (with Labview and the DIO cards). For the electronics part I'm collaborating with a friend to create a cheap(er) digital I/O interface (probably based on an Atmega, hopefully KNXnet output). I also need to replace the Labview part and for that I need some pointers. I want the script to be as easy as putting a formula into Excel. The syntax I use now works fine but if I'm rebuilding the thing I might as well join others.

Does anyone know of a good and very easy script language for home automation purposes?

I 'm very much in favour of redundancy: If all else fails the buttons are still directly coupled to the impulse relays. This limits the extra things a button can be used for (eg when pushing long) but this set-up has a very high WAF.

Does anyone know of other similar systems that are build on top of impulse relays?

Thanks

pieter