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If you've seen
the Smart Home S.A.R.A.H. as portrayed on the cable TV
series "Eureka" (video below). Then
you've seen what is close to my vision of a Home
Automation setup using X10 and BVC.
I have taken to calling this vision S.A.R.A. (Smart
Articulate Responsive Automation).
Of course... the
TV creation is based in the imagination of writers and is
way more than anything I could hope [or even care] to
achieve using today's technology. But I think the new
"home centric" concept is an upgrade from the Star
Trek examples we had before.
Someday my Home
Automation Computer may have some AI (Artificial
Intelligence) or at least a chat-bot of sorts, but that day
is not today. For now I am
grounded with actual hardware devices and simple software
solutions. Although these simple solutions are presenting
some dramatic results.
S.A.R.A. gets her Smart(s)
from my AHP software and user created (that's me) macros. I
am using Bill's
Voice Commander (aka BVC)
so S.A.R.A. can both speak.... as well as hear
me. That covers the Articulate
and Responsive part.
Any
sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from
magic.
Clarke's
three laws
Tuicemen's
operator face used in BVC
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The BVC
software is a user created software that can
be easily (and inexpensively) purchased
today.
The Automation
comes from my many X10 products or other hardware.. and
software.
Some of this is
improvised or outright homemade (it has kept me in touch
with my inner MacGuyver). Other software and hardware
innovation includes BlueWatch.
BlueWatch
is a
new BlueTooth based Home Automation software that can
detect and track your BlueTooth enabled devices.
BlueTooth enabled cell phone can be key to an easy an
inexpensive Occupancy
Sensing setup.
I also use
an upgraded (16 bit) female voice for nearly real human
voice sound. Many such voices can be purchased... and the
newer Microsoft Anna voice is nice by itself.
Since all
reporting and control is being done [more or less] using the
AHP macros. Everything is trigger, timer, flag, and/or
condition controlled. I had added a sample of my person
detection/tracking macros for download. But the macros have
changed and evolved so much.. I need to find a better way to
discuss them.
To be
completely honest I am shocked at how easy and awesome in
its effectiveness Occupancy
Sensing has turned out to be.
Instead of
grabbing a remote and selecting and pressing buttons. Or
even speaking Voice Commands that my BVC
software converts into X10 commands for me. Simply going
about my normal activities can be interpreted to be Home
Automation Commands. BVC
still gives me voice announcements and feed back though.
As in the video
[above] leaving the home empty will cause the alarm to be
automatically armed. I have also added additional outside
video security when we aren't home. I can now automatically
collect video in daylight hours that was just too much
hassle to set and unset manually before.
Just as many
people set lights on timers to make a home looked lived in
when they are out. I've created the same effect. Only
instead of a timer that is set when I know I won't be home.
My setup "sees" I am not at home.. and runs the
proper macro(s) automatically.
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The
experts say that a simple "alarm yard sign" will
reduce the risks of a burglary by as much as 300%. Video
cameras are also a know deterrent of criminal activity. If
warning intruders away with a sign is known to work... and
cameras are known to work. I figured a loud speaker
voice warning that notifies trespassers that the premise is
both alarmed and video monitored... would be worth
it's weight in gold.
Now with Occupancy
Sensing and SARA my home automatically
turns on outside monitoring when we aren't at
home. And then turns it back off (until later) when we
return home. I feel the voice warning alone is worth the
small cost and effort of my S.A.R.A. setup. And, the cameras
email me images of any activity that could be useful to me
or the police.
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