Annuals

Even These Walls Talk...

DQI Bureau

23 Dec 2002 00:00 IST

New Update

You had a very demanding day at office and you just want to go home and have

a nice soak in the tub to soothe your nerves. No problem. While still in office

you punch in a few messages through the Internet. By the time you reach home,

your tub is ready with the right amount of soap bubbles in and the temperature

of the water to your liking. Sounds straight out from the pages of a

science-fiction novel where an imaginative writer has fantasized about a future

home?

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The Heart

controls all entertainment and information services in the living room. It is operated through a touch-screen display or by using a control Wand, a small personal remote control. The Heart interface enables different categories of information to be accessed by selecting from a set of spherical, illustrative icons which ‘migrate’ in relation to different times of day and different users, creating varying hierarchies of ‘prominence’. The Heart also controls all major multimedia activities in the room and also the management of home functions such as lighting, temperature, and security. It is a learning device, which begins to understand different users and their preferences. This helps individuals filter what information they need, such as preferred television channels, videophone numbers and favorite ‘video magazines’.

The Intelligent Garbage Can

will optimize waste disposal by sorting, compacting and removing odor ready for collection. As the problems of waste increase and landfills become less attractive as a solution for waste management, more pressure will be placed on individuals to sort their waste into its constituent parts so that these may be recycled more easily and more efficiently. The intelligent garbage can will aid this process by making sorting more convenient.

Not really. Computers and the Internet are going to make such scenarios a

reality in the very near future. Smart homes have stayed in the realms of

fiction and Hollywood movies, but now with the advancement of technology, they

are becoming a distinct possibility. But what exactly are these ‘smart’

homes? In a layperson’s language, these buildings and homes are able to

interact with people and understand their needs. They are equipped with

technology that makes chores simple. For example, there could be a special stand

for the milk bottle in the refrigerator. As soon as it is almost empty, it would

trigger a weight-activated alarm to a nearby milk booth or a shop that would

send a refill.

The Family Tree

is an interactive picture frame, which brings together existing archive material: videos, photographs, letters, names, and dates, with current information about the family. It organizes all the material and presents family relationships. The picture frame is a familiar object in the home and has always been used to show personal images of special moments. When thinking about the visualization of an object, which brings together and organisms family photos, letters, names and dates, the picture frame seemed a natural and appropriate way to express it. This is received and updated through the family network. It can also act as a reminder for birthdays, anniversaries, and special occasions, to unite family members who are far apart.

Remote eyes

are small video cameras for the home. Once charged they are nomadic, the only limitation being the signal-transmission range. These cameras are ideal for security applications, remote monitoring of young children in the playroom, or checking the progress of a meal in the kitchen while in the garden. The applications are numerous. For children, it is a fun and engaging toy to play with. The domestic environment will contain a number of these small, wireless cameras. The user can select and view each one on a hand remote or on fixed screens in the domestic environment via simple commands. It’s all about the extension of the senses.

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Surprisingly, in the modern world building such a house does not require very

complex technology. The process of converting a normal house to an intelligent

one is surprisingly quite simple. All it needs is a microprocessor, a control

panel and relays, so that different parts of the system are connected together

to form a network. Modern computers have distributed intelligence systems i.e.

each system has its own processor and intelligence. This is the kind of

technology being commonly used in home automation in the west. It brings

efficiency, as each of the systems can process its own needs efficiently and is

invulnerable to the other’s failure. Though, quite understandably they can’t

share resources. The better quality systems use network intelligence, with all

the benefits of a distributed system plus the ability to share resources they

can communicate. In simpler terms all one needs is a computer with an Internet

connection. This in turn is connected to various points in the house. With the

help of special software one can control any appliance sitting miles away from

the home. And in case web cameras are placed in the home then one can even see

different parts of the house, be it the kitchen or the living room, or even the

garden.

IntelaVoice, the world’s first

voice-operated light switch created from the latest technology in speech recognition that’s just been perfected. It “knows” your voice commands, so say “lights,” and the lights turn on. Repeat the command, and the lights will turn off. It’s as easy as plugging in a lamp. It works with anyone’s voice, and has five speaker independent programs to choose from, both preprogrammed and self-programming. Optional “light mic” is available if the light switch is hidden behind furniture or draperies. With this kind of safety and security, you won’t ever have to worry about tripping down the stairs or opening the door on a dark office.

Let’s face it:

your clothes make a statement. If they look smart, you look smart. If they look sloppy, you could be written off as somewhat less than professional. If projecting the right image is important to you, you need the Trouser Press. The Trouser Press creates a sharp crease in minutes, right in your own home. Just place your trousers inside, close and secure the panel, and push the switch. Thirty minutes later, your pants are restored to the freshly dry-cleaned look you prefer.

According to experts, intelligent homes of the future would make life easier

and faster. There would be infallible security; all basic chores would be taken

care of and things available at precisely the time required. Your washing would

be done automatically depending on how you set your machine. Your telephone,

electricity, water, kids’ school fees, and other bills would be settled

through the Internet in your house without your standing in queues. Not just

that, a smart home would also have alarms reminding you it is time to exercise.

In short, an intelligent home would allow the family to switch between actual

and virtual reality with the flick of a remote.

And for those

who want to be safe while driving and talking, hands-free devices are becoming the in-thing. Don’t take chances, take your calls on our hands-free earpiece for cell phones. This innovative little earpiece gives you the convenience of complete hands-free use; no more one-handed typing or driving while you talk. The Mirror Phone, for instance, can be connected to any cell phone and all you have to do is push the button to answer any incoming call. When the call is over, the Mirror Phone automatically turns itself off. So, you’ll be able to hear your calls loud and clear while keeping your hands where they belong–on the wheel. Safe and convenient, it has high quality built in speakers for the ultimate in clarity, even when there’s car noise or road turbulence.

And last but not the least,

the next generation products are also flooding the market. The most happening among them is the virtual keyboard, which will soon replace the cumbersome keyboards that we handle now.

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