Hello: Power Struggle
Ubiquitous ComputingOctober 1, 2010
Andrea Bradshaw, Nour Diab, Haeyoung Kim
Elevator Pitch
Hello: Power Struggle enables users to manage their power usage by creating a smart home-environment system which allows a great amount of remote access and control. The system collects and visualizes the individual’s power usage, demystifying the numbers behind energy consumption.
Design Questions
• How can we give users more control over their home environment?
• How can we make information about users’ energy consumption more accessible?
• Can we make it easier to save energy?• How can smart devices help monitor energy use?• How can our environments adapt to our daily
habits?
AssumptionsMost devices are plugged into outlets, including:• Air conditioners• Lights• Space heaters• Microwaves• Speakers• Laptops, cell phones, televisions
The technologies we are interested in exist, we just need to combine them in a different way.
Example: Power Aware Cord
http://www.tii.se/static/poweraware.htm
Example: Power Hog
http://www.core77.com/greenergadgets/ientry.php?projectid=50
Interaction Flow
1. Data transfer: outlet to web
2. Access & control: mobile access
3. On/off controls: web to outlet
Interface: Setup
Interface: Control
Interface: Visualization
Technical: The Device
+ =
• Measures energy usage• Communicates using wireless• Can turn socket on or off
Technical: The Phone
Application uses GPS information from phone• Environmental information: weather• General location setup: city, time zone, etc.• Specific location: proximity to home
Technical Example: Kill A Watt Cord
http://www.smarthome.com/9034PS/Kill-A-Watt-Power-Strip-and-Energy-Meter-P4320/p.aspx
Measures and Displayspower usage
Technical Example: Intelligent Power
http://www.ambery.com/reposw.html
Ethernet ControlledPower Outlets
Technical Example: Smart Outlet
http://saturnsouth.com/pages/products.php
Zigbee Communication
Turns sockets on and off
User Scenario: Meet Tom
Tom • 32 year old single male• Residence: 1br Manhattan apt• Profession: editor for a tech
magazine• Hobbies: traveling, playing
videogames, watching movies, cycling, and mountain climbing
• Travels frequently for work, as well as mountain climbing and cycling trips.
User Scenario: Daily Routine
• Wakes up at 7am - ambient environment control is preset
• Uses entertainment outlets: television & stereo• Uses appliance outlets: coffee maker• Leaves for work at 8:30am, and the apartment
goes into standby mode after 15 minutes of GPS out of range
User Scenario: Daily Routine
• Before leaving work at 6pm, Tom uses his phone to tell the system he will be home in 1 hour– Heater is activated 20 minutes before arrival– GPS on phone tracks location, turns on lights when he
arrives
• Turns on entertainment mode to play video games and listen to music
• Turns on kitchen outlets to use microwave• 11pm: turns on sleep mode to switch off all outlets except the one with the alarm clock
User Scenario: Adventurer
When traveling, system is set to travel mode
• If winter, heaters are on for 3 hours during the night to keep water pipes from freezing
• Living room lights are on for 2 hours every evening so it looks like someone is home
Thank you!