Home Automation Design Goals

July 2013

Here are the design notes for the automation system being installed.

Basic Technology: Insteon

It is based on Insteon technology because a practical test of a few devices proved to be both stable and effective.

We purchased an evaluation package from Canada Computing, after searching for the product for a few years in Canadian stores. Finally it is being sold!

The system re-transmits commands to devices in a mesh network, over the electrical wires. Some Insteon dual-band devices also use a wireless RF transmission workable to range of 150 ft. This means that Insteon is two magnatudes better than X10, which only transitted over the electrical wires.

At our new home, x10 did not operate reliably, so we studied other options including ziggbee and insteon.

Controller: ISY994i by Universal Devices

Key to making the system intelligent, was the purchase of an Insteon controller --an ISY994i made by Universal Devices. Using this device, one does not need to have a computer operating with control software, which was a prime requirement to have a dependable system.

Both the Insteon devices as well as the ISY also will work with x10 devices, so as it happens, we have a few of them from our older house where we used x10 with some degree of success... Mainly because the house was so small.

Rooms Need To Act Intelligently

My idea of home automation is NOT remote control of everything from an iphone. There certainly is a place for remote control, but in my mind this is secondary to "automation."

Rooms need to act with intelligence. They should turn lights on if someone comes in and the room is dark. They should turn off lights is everyone leaves the area. If no one is home, and the sensors "see" a person in the room, an alarm system is set off and you are notified via your phone, email, etc.

I hope that the Insteon/Universal Devices solution will be the catalyst to making a truly "Intelligent" House.