S.A.R.A.

  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

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.  

  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.