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
what SHOULDN'T be automated?
what SHOULDN'T be automated?
Hi Rob, there are a lot of little things that probably should not be automated like portable space heaters, electric blankets or my wife's - err never mind! 
I don't know about in Europe but in the US (where I'm from) a gas fire place is something I'd be very careful about automating (at least at this time). A friend of mine wanted to do this in his 'vacation' home. There is probably a safe way to do it but the safety concerns are an issue.
The main comment I'd like you to consider is outside your question. Consider what you would do to automate a coffee pot. Is it easier to use than the clock on the front of a coffee pot? I'm guessing it's not. Consider what happens if the bedroom alarm is tied to the automation system in addition to the coffee pot. If you set the alarm (via your alarm clock or your coffee pot) and you have the coffee pot ready, is the setup now easier to use than the previous coffee pot/clock example? I'm guessing that it is. When various systems are tied together (the coffee pot and the alarm) then things start to become easier because it eliminates redundancy.
Just to clarify my point a little. I envision that the clock/radio/alarm would have access to your home's entertainment system and automation system. The alarm interface would tell the automation system the time you wish to awaken and you would have pre-selected your method of being woke up (load alarm, soft music, maybe the lights come up from dim, ...). Also the coffee pot would be linked to the system also so it could set the time instead of the alarm. I envision a lot more but this is getting to be a long message.
I hope that was some use to you (sorry if it's just babbling).
Neil Cherry
Linux Home Automation
Author: Linux Smart Homes For Dummies
I don't know about in Europe but in the US (where I'm from) a gas fire place is something I'd be very careful about automating (at least at this time). A friend of mine wanted to do this in his 'vacation' home. There is probably a safe way to do it but the safety concerns are an issue.
The main comment I'd like you to consider is outside your question. Consider what you would do to automate a coffee pot. Is it easier to use than the clock on the front of a coffee pot? I'm guessing it's not. Consider what happens if the bedroom alarm is tied to the automation system in addition to the coffee pot. If you set the alarm (via your alarm clock or your coffee pot) and you have the coffee pot ready, is the setup now easier to use than the previous coffee pot/clock example? I'm guessing that it is. When various systems are tied together (the coffee pot and the alarm) then things start to become easier because it eliminates redundancy.
Just to clarify my point a little. I envision that the clock/radio/alarm would have access to your home's entertainment system and automation system. The alarm interface would tell the automation system the time you wish to awaken and you would have pre-selected your method of being woke up (load alarm, soft music, maybe the lights come up from dim, ...). Also the coffee pot would be linked to the system also so it could set the time instead of the alarm. I envision a lot more but this is getting to be a long message.
I hope that was some use to you (sorry if it's just babbling).
Neil Cherry
Linux Home Automation
Author: Linux Smart Homes For Dummies