RE: Re: Occupancy Sensors and No Light Switches

[REB.Barnett@xxxxxxx]

> I am not positive, but it is my understanding that Bill's
> house uses either
> a RF or IR device that is worn by each person.  Each device
> has a unique ID,
> allowing the house to know WHO is WHERE in the house.

Such devices have been available commercially for some years, although I
have no idea who makes them, or how much they cost. Dad's workplace used to
handout smartcards (about the size of a thick credit card) which would
unlock doors to rooms you were allowed in when you got close enough. Some
place in Cambridge had a similar system to divert telephone calls to the
nearest telephone to you (not necessarily the nearest *accessible*
telephone
though).

The flaw with these solutions is that they require a reasonbly large token
to be carried. I have enough clutter in my pockets already, and sometimes,
I
don't wear pockets ;-0 Wandering to the loo at 2am only to stumble around
in
the dark, be denied access to the bathroom, and trip the alarm - would not
be good, especially if it happened to wifey...

Counting people in and out of rooms also seems prone to error. Two people
following each other could be hard to spot using a beam break system. I
suspect sneaking past the beam would become a bit of a game too...

The best solution (to my mind) is the camera idea. Cameras are getting
cheaper, and have a primary/secondary use in terms of acting as security
cameras. It sounds complex and requires a fair bit of hardware though, so
doesn't sound too elegant.

2p for the weekend.

Ray.





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