What can be automated?
- Snelvuur
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What can be automated?
Simple question what can be automated these days, a lot of people have there own things though. What can be done? And this is then besides the normal "temperature readings" / "lights" / "infrared".
Not everybody is aware that you can clean the house with a roomba. Or that you can use a dreambox to read out t.v. information (or stream video/audio from it) Same for using an old phone with a simonly with sms account to automate things and send sms.
What are you guys having thats different then the normal "home automation" ? (as an example, pieter waters the plants automaticly outside) if i'am correct.
50.000 euro for a smart home?
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5q6Qhcp ... ro%2Enl%2F [/youtube](dutch too)
// Erik (binkey.nl)
Not everybody is aware that you can clean the house with a roomba. Or that you can use a dreambox to read out t.v. information (or stream video/audio from it) Same for using an old phone with a simonly with sms account to automate things and send sms.
What are you guys having thats different then the normal "home automation" ? (as an example, pieter waters the plants automaticly outside) if i'am correct.
50.000 euro for a smart home?
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5q6Qhcp ... ro%2Enl%2F [/youtube](dutch too)
// Erik (binkey.nl)
- Snelvuur
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What can be automated?
Well this is the first posts ever where i didn't get a reply
i'll continue it then. I found this : its dutch reading though.
http://www.evva.nl/pdf/BROCHURE-SALTO-BASIS-NL.pdf
http://www.evva.nl
Looks pretty sweet.. they do have home automation (but then for bigger company's) so maybe there is more for us too. (They are also coming 21st november on the smart homes day)

Ow, and curtains, different ones http://www.gsoft.nl/ (but only infrared remote as far as i can see which is a big no no to me)
50.000 euro's for a smart home? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5q6Qhcp ... ro%2Enl%2F (dutch)
// Erik (binkey.nl)

http://www.evva.nl/pdf/BROCHURE-SALTO-BASIS-NL.pdf
http://www.evva.nl
Looks pretty sweet.. they do have home automation (but then for bigger company's) so maybe there is more for us too. (They are also coming 21st november on the smart homes day)

Ow, and curtains, different ones http://www.gsoft.nl/ (but only infrared remote as far as i can see which is a big no no to me)
50.000 euro's for a smart home? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5q6Qhcp ... ro%2Enl%2F (dutch)
// Erik (binkey.nl)
What can be automated?
Ok,
Here's one. But more as in something i would like to automate, but don't know exactly how yet...
I would like to automate maintenance of our swimming pool. Things like switching on/off the pump for the filter that's easy, but also measuring the water quality (pH values, ...), getting advice on what to do ("Add an extra chloride pill to your filter") based on the water quality, things like that.
Now i have to do a "visual inspection" almost every day, put a little piece of paper in the water, compare colors, remember to turn on the pump (and off!) so now and then... i don't like that.
Any ideas?
Robert.
Here's one. But more as in something i would like to automate, but don't know exactly how yet...
I would like to automate maintenance of our swimming pool. Things like switching on/off the pump for the filter that's easy, but also measuring the water quality (pH values, ...), getting advice on what to do ("Add an extra chloride pill to your filter") based on the water quality, things like that.
Now i have to do a "visual inspection" almost every day, put a little piece of paper in the water, compare colors, remember to turn on the pump (and off!) so now and then... i don't like that.
Any ideas?
Robert.
- Snelvuur
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What can be automated?
Robert, i do know that irobot.com does have an automatic pool cleaner. Might be a nice look too, http://www.irobot.com/sp.cfm?pageid=316
// Erik (binkey.nl)
// Erik (binkey.nl)
What can be automated?
Well.. I have a Roomba indeed. I've thought about automating it so that it'll start cleaning when we're gone, but unfortunately that's not really compatible with our messy lifestyle (i.e.: expensive electronic parts scattered around the floor
).
Anyway, some simple ideas I'd like to do:
- alarm when freezer door is left open or temp rises (this happened last summer, wasn't a lot of fun)
- reminder when washer or dryer is ready (we frequently forget about this, very annoying)
- automatic front door locking/opening (we frequently forget to lock the door, and automatically opening would be very handy when carrying a lot of groceries)
- automatic raising/lowering of sunscreen ("zonnescherm") based on weather and indoor temperature
- automatically run the water feature in the garden from time to time, based on weather and occupancy of the garden (the water gets really smelly when it hasn't ran for a while)
- more intelligent ventilation ("centrale ventilatie eenheid"), currently based on timers triggered by lights in the kitchen and shower. Would like to throw humidity and possibly even the cat's litterbox door into the mix.
- automatically air the house daily for 15 minutes when we're gone, i.e.: open some windows ("bovenlichtjes") and run the ventilation at full speed
- lower the heating after an outside door or window has been open for a certain amount of time
- alert when the "biobak" in the kitchen hasn't been emptied for x days
- monitor when we're running low on cat food (we buy large bags, so putting the bag on a scale, alert when weight is less than x would work)
- fully integrate alarm clock functionality in the system, i.e.: (heat up the house, turn on the hot water x minutes before alarm, slowly increase light levels, turn on the radio, etc)
- automatic watering of the garden, indeed, too
- automatic opening/closing of curtains
- alert when we locked up the cat (again) in the attic or garden shed
- integrating a nabaztag (wifi bunny, already got one of these), especially for letting you know what happened while you were away.
As you can see, we're pretty lazy
Anyway, not much ground-breaking stuff, but perhaps it stirs someone else's imagination.
- Rick

Anyway, some simple ideas I'd like to do:
- alarm when freezer door is left open or temp rises (this happened last summer, wasn't a lot of fun)
- reminder when washer or dryer is ready (we frequently forget about this, very annoying)
- automatic front door locking/opening (we frequently forget to lock the door, and automatically opening would be very handy when carrying a lot of groceries)
- automatic raising/lowering of sunscreen ("zonnescherm") based on weather and indoor temperature
- automatically run the water feature in the garden from time to time, based on weather and occupancy of the garden (the water gets really smelly when it hasn't ran for a while)
- more intelligent ventilation ("centrale ventilatie eenheid"), currently based on timers triggered by lights in the kitchen and shower. Would like to throw humidity and possibly even the cat's litterbox door into the mix.
- automatically air the house daily for 15 minutes when we're gone, i.e.: open some windows ("bovenlichtjes") and run the ventilation at full speed
- lower the heating after an outside door or window has been open for a certain amount of time
- alert when the "biobak" in the kitchen hasn't been emptied for x days
- monitor when we're running low on cat food (we buy large bags, so putting the bag on a scale, alert when weight is less than x would work)
- fully integrate alarm clock functionality in the system, i.e.: (heat up the house, turn on the hot water x minutes before alarm, slowly increase light levels, turn on the radio, etc)
- automatic watering of the garden, indeed, too
- automatic opening/closing of curtains
- alert when we locked up the cat (again) in the attic or garden shed
- integrating a nabaztag (wifi bunny, already got one of these), especially for letting you know what happened while you were away.
As you can see, we're pretty lazy

- Rick
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What can be automated?
Well, how can you see when a dryer/washer is done? All the other things i think i can manage 
// Erik (binkey.nl)

// Erik (binkey.nl)
What can be automated?
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by snelvuur</i>
<br />Well, how can you see when a dryer/washer is done? All the other things i think i can manage
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Not sure - this is all WIP
One way would be to monitor power consumption, this, together with some time(r/out)s should enable you to predict faily accurately when the thing is ready.
A more bullet-proof way I see is via the "Einde" LED both my dryer and washing machine provides.
<br />Well, how can you see when a dryer/washer is done? All the other things i think i can manage

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Not sure - this is all WIP

One way would be to monitor power consumption, this, together with some time(r/out)s should enable you to predict faily accurately when the thing is ready.
A more bullet-proof way I see is via the "Einde" LED both my dryer and washing machine provides.
What can be automated?
Easiest way, if you have a switch or remote control near the machine, that you could use to send a signal to the Home Control, would be to send a "wash/drying begin" macro when you start the machines, and that would trigger a warning after a preset time.
- Snelvuur
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What can be automated?
Macro's dont work, i have a gf.. which cant be predicted with normal laws of physics.. sometimes she uses 30 min, sometimes 60.. sometimes longer.. depending on what she throws in. If there is a small led burning during the cycle, you could perhaps use that.
// Erik (binkey.nl)
// Erik (binkey.nl)
What can be automated?
eheheh, I was trying to save on the extra hardware.
In case of unpredicted girlfriends/wives/etc, only way is indeed to check an activity light.
Power usage would only be reliable if you're willing to add a power meter to that single appliance.
In case of unpredicted girlfriends/wives/etc, only way is indeed to check an activity light.
Power usage would only be reliable if you're willing to add a power meter to that single appliance.
What can be automated?
The best way to implement this is by reading the led status which goes on when the program is finished. You can do this with a photo-diode which you put in front of the led. Even better is using an Optocoupler, but for this option you need to open the machine and do some minor modifications to the Led circuit. Old machines don't have Leds
Reading the energy consumption is an option to, however my machine is turning every 30 seconds like for 10 seconds when the program is finished. There are some examples with an optocoupler in Heino Peters book.

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What can be automated?

Strange i made a story now its gone?.. o well my point was that you cant use a led.. since as you can see its a BIG lcd only. other options?
// Erik (binkey.nl)
What can be automated?
OK, you have a really new one 
Normally there is a buzzer which makes an irritating sound when the dryer is ready, you can put a small relays on it. Connected for example to the Heino Peters project, a Visonic MCT-302 (2 inputs), MCT-100 or Xanura AIX (4 inpute) or Xanura PIOX15 and you have it!
Like me you can connect also Mains and Door open close.


Normally there is a buzzer which makes an irritating sound when the dryer is ready, you can put a small relays on it. Connected for example to the Heino Peters project, a Visonic MCT-302 (2 inputs), MCT-100 or Xanura AIX (4 inpute) or Xanura PIOX15 and you have it!
Like me you can connect also Mains and Door open close.

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What can be automated?
Well you can use the buzzer, but that does not give starting time
and i dont have this one yet, but i would think if i go to my new house it would be something like that one. Its also A-branded, which is nice in energy consumption (since the rest is allready draining power)
// Erik (binkey.nl)

// Erik (binkey.nl)
What can be automated?
Hi everybody,
As a Master-student Industrial Design at the Technical University of Eindhoven, I am currently researching and designing an intelligent bedroom.
My first goal is to find out what CAN be automated, and what functionalities CAN'T/SHOULDN'T be automated. After this, I will design an appropriate interaction for one specific situation/functionality.
To help me with this I want to ask you to answer the next question:
<b>What functionalities in the bedroom are needed/desired to be controlled manually instead of automated?</b>
Thank you in advance,
Kind Regards
Rob Veenstra
As a Master-student Industrial Design at the Technical University of Eindhoven, I am currently researching and designing an intelligent bedroom.
My first goal is to find out what CAN be automated, and what functionalities CAN'T/SHOULDN'T be automated. After this, I will design an appropriate interaction for one specific situation/functionality.
To help me with this I want to ask you to answer the next question:
<b>What functionalities in the bedroom are needed/desired to be controlled manually instead of automated?</b>
Thank you in advance,
Kind Regards
Rob Veenstra